Customer service is a very sensitive topic and everyone has a story to share about bad service, but if you are a South African, you might have more than one story to tell.
My mom had a saying so skaars soos hoendertande, which means something is as rare as a chicken with teeth, and that is exactly how I feel about any type of service being rendered in our country.
My most recent experience was during the Easter weekend, when we visited a well-known chain store in one of our local malls. We have been looking to purchase an air fryer for quite some time now, and this particular chain store had some very good deals that were advertised on their website and app. These deals were said to be online and in-store, but when we excitedly selected the product we wanted, we were told in no uncertain terms at the pay point that this deal was online only and not for in-store purchasing.
No matter how much time I spent showing them that it stated nowhere on the app that this was an online-only deal, the manager insisted that I was wrong and they could not do anything for me. Needless to say, I lost my temper and left the box on the counter and stormed out of the store. As we were walking away, I decided that I did not want to leave the matter there, and sent an email to their customer service representatives and reviewed them on their Facebook page. It took a week’s worth of emailing back and forth, explanations, screen shots and some telephone calls, but eventually the matter was resolved and the particular store was told to honour the promotion.
Just to be clear, I am in no way a ‘Karen’, but I do believe in standing up for what is right and demanding to be treated with respect and dignity. As a customer, I pay for a service, and expect the service to be worth this expenditure. We as South Africans accept bad service too easily, because we do not want to cause a scene, go through the pain of trying to communicate with the powers that be, or simply because we do not want to embarrass ourselves or our family members by insisting on good service.
This is a mindset that needs to change. We should start standing up for our rights as consumers and demand that companies, stores and government institutions be held accountable according to the Consumer Protection Act. We work hard for our money, and we should be able to receive the service and customer care we deserve.
Until next week, look out for each other and stay safe …
