UK mobile network provider Vodafone has launched a new scheme that claims to fix one of the most-complained about aspects of customer service. The firm has launched what it calls ‘Just Ask Once’, where it says one person will deal with a customer’s query from start to finish.
That means Vodafone is promising you won’t be passed around several customer service agents if you have a problem, with one person – not a chatbot – dealing with your issue until it is fixed.
“The game-changing new service will see one person deal with a customer’s query from start to finish, until it is sorted,” Vodafone said. The service can be used within the My Vodafone app for iPhone or Android, and is text based, so you won’t be guaranteed one person only if you call up instead.
“This removes well-known bug bears such as waiting on hold, repeating the problem to multiple different people, and the need to chase for an update,” Vodafone added. “If the query can’t be resolved straight away, the same person from Vodafone will proactively message the customer with updates until it is solved, so they aren’t left worrying, wondering what is going on or spending time chasing.”
Vodafone even goes as far as to say if it can’t provide this service as promised, you will be able to leave the network and your contract with no exit fee.
The other catch? Just Ask Once is only available to Vodafone pay monthly customers and its small business customers with fewer than 10 employees – meaning larger businesses and all pay as you go customers miss out.
After regulatory approval, the mobile operator merged with rival Three and is now known as VodafoneThree, but the two companies have not yet merged their customer bases, so Just Ask Once is currently only for customers of Vodafone, not Three.
“‘Just Ask Once’ is based on a really simple principle: when a customer needs help, they ask us once, and we will sort it,” said Rob Winterschladen, Consumer Director, VodafoneThree.
“Customers can simply and quickly message us through the My Vodafone app at any time and importantly, they’ll only deal with one person until their query is sorted … If we can’t resolve a query immediately, we’ll proactively message the customer with updates until it is sorted, so they aren’t left worrying or having to chase us.”
When Express.co.uk asked a Vodafone spokesperson if this service was unique among UK mobile providers, they said, “Vodafone believes this sets a new standard of customer service in the telecommunications industry.”