I blogged my frustration about Vodafone’s phone and data signal last week. I was so impressed by the company’s response on Twitter and on my blog that I thought it only fair to blog about it.
Jenny from Vodafone UK posted a reply to my post sympathising and offering to help. She also replied to my tweet. Her colleagues tried repeatedly to call me (last week was a busy one at work) and when we finally spoke the customer service team sent me a free Vodafone Sure Signal device to solve the very poor signal at home. It won’t solve the problem of poor data coverage on the go – but it will mean we won’t miss a call here.
This is a great example of how companies can use social media to help customers and improve their reputation. Well done to Jenny and the team.
Below: the Sure Signal device in action.
Ertblog 
What is most interesting of all about your contretemps with Vodaphone and the nature and quality of the responses is just what systems are in place and being used by Vodaphone and major corporations and businesses to pick up comments on Twitter and social network sites such as the ones you made. Are they using ‘Autonomy’ technology or other neurolinguistic applications that identify, track, filter and esacalate user comments. In addition, at what point and at what level do mere mortals then step in and take over control to apply appropriate levels of pain relief.
One last point, do you think that Vodaphone in any way cross-referenced your cv and biog to identify just who you are and who you work for and what influence you might have in the world.
Actually, I could be doing them a big disservice and that they are just jolly nice people with a very good 3G system.
In Vodaphone’s defence I always get a good signal everywhere on my Nokia 6310i and my Vodaphone K3760 dongle into my Samsung NC20 Netbook worked brilliantly on my high speed rail journey last October from Zurich to Rome. (Did you get that Vodaphone!)
Trevor – I don’t think Vodafone’s response was based on who I am. (After all, I’m not Stephen Fry or Martha Lane Fox…) Organisations are increasingly keeping an eye on customer comments on Twitter and elsewhere and stepping in to offer to help.