I handed my iPhone 15 Pro Max to Vodafone for a battery replacement on 26 September. On 29 September, I received an update saying Vodafone had handed the phone over to DHL, with delivery scheduled for 30 September.
On 1 October, I checked the tracking and found that the parcel was delayed. It is now 13 October, and the tracking still hasn’t changed. I still don’t have my phone.
I contacted DHL a few days ago, and they told me that because the delay had exceeded five days, I needed to contact the sender, Vodafone, to investigate. To me, this strongly suggests that DHL cannot resolve the issue directly with me and that the parcel may have been lost.
I called Vodafone on Sunday, and customer service told me to call back on Monday because DHL was closed and they couldn’t check anything.
So I called again on Monday, only to be told that it wasn’t Vodafone’s responsibility and that I should contact DHL.
DHL told me to contact Vodafone, and Vodafone told me to contact DHL. Meanwhile, I’m the one left without my phone.
What’s even more frustrating is that Vodafone initially refused to open an investigation. I had to mention escalating my complaint to the Ombudsman before they finally agreed to open a case.
I understand that delivery issues can happen, but Vodafone arranged the return delivery. I don’t think it’s acceptable to leave a customer chasing two companies back and forth while neither seems willing to take ownership of the problem.
It’s been nearly two weeks since Vodafone handed my phone to DHL, and I still have no idea where it is.
Has anyone experienced something similar with Vodafone? If DHL has lost your phone during a return delivery, did Vodafone replace it or compensate you? And what would you recommend I do next?
Honestly, this experience has completely put me off Vodafone. Never again.