Pep Stores - Disgraceful store manager at pep burgundy square

Craig R

3 reviews | Active since Sep 2020

29 Jun 2022, 18:24
PEP BURGUNDY ESTATE Disgraceful treatment by management. Customers service non existent!!!
A long time customer who has really supported Pep and believed they have great products at the most reasonable prices. Frequently use Paxi to run my business. But what I experienced today at Pep Burgundy Estate was a total disgrace. Some of the worst service and treatment I have ever experienced.

I went into the store to query a Paxi delivery that is late. When I sent the package I didn't receive an SMS as i usually do but the (customer/receiver) did get an SMS. So I thought it wouldnt be a problem but my customer surprised me by complaining she had not received her order today.

When quering the status of the delivery today I had all the particulars of the transaction except I didn't receive an SMS and I was then told I had to get the SMS from my customer to be assisted. I had just run out of data and couldn't message her over Facebook messenger and told the lady I can't get the SMS I've run out of data and I need to buy some airtime first.

I asked for R25 Telkom and after a pause I was told by the cashier Mlibokazi that they only have R29. I thought that was strange I had never heard of Telkom selling airtime in that denomination but thought maybe it was unique to Pep.

I left the store to go to grab some milk from Checkers it would be a few mins for the customer to get back to me. While walking I looked at the pin on the airtime slip and loaded it. I usually like to purchase 1.7G of data from Telkom for R21 so I went straight to purchase some data so as to message the customer. I was taken aback when I received a insufficient funds message and my request declined. I checked my balance and I had R0.00 airtime I was completely confused and thought Telkom had disappeared my airtime. But that had never happened. I went into my messages to check what loaded and I got the shock of my life. I had been credited with 150mb anytime and 150mb night surfer for R29!!!!!

I intially still thought the problem was Telkom but I then pulled out the airtime slip.

The cashier had invoiced R29 data. I have never and will never buy data instead of airtime. Airtime converted into data is more economical. I have never and do not ever ask for data. I always ask for airtime. Who in there right mind would buy 150mb anytime data for R29 when they can get 1.7g for R21 instead?

When I returned to the store and reported that what I had been sold was not what I had asked for I was met not with a manager who believed in treating customers with respect and valuing their loyalty (I purchased 2 cellphones 3 months ago from that store) but one who didn't bother to even attempt to provide anything close to customer service.

She clearly didn't give a dam about what loss I was been forced to incur because of incompetent and lazy service. I was treated like I was a irritation and she tried to turn me away and shove me off as quickly as possible.

I was told by the manager Monique who was standing nearby when I made my purchase that I asked for data. I told her that was not true what she heard was me explaining to the cashier I couldn't get the SMS sent from my customer because I was out of data and needed to buy some airtime first.

The manager Monique treated me as if I had no right to dispute what she said as incorrect and wasn't worried that I had paid her store R29 and not got what I asked for and was losing out due to a error by her staff

After I refused to accept being blow off she took the data receipt and went off to the office. Awhile later she returned and said I had loaded the data. I had unknowingly loaded it but that doesn't justify my loss due to no fault of my own. The entire time she spoke to me she was rude and hostile I was actually taken aback that this was the kind of treatment a store manager of all people believes is acceptable to dish out to customers. Without customers there can be no business and customer service is such a basic principle of how to run a successful business.

I was rudely told in a round about way basically that "sorry tough for me" I should just ****** off. She did not for one moment care and was unapologetic. Actually she was hostile and spoke to me in a manner that didn't need her to say it verbally but made it clear I should get lost now.

I refused to leave unless I had her line managers number and her name and the name of the cashier as I would not settle for this treatment and suffer a loss for shopping at her store. She absolutely refused to give me her full name.

I was given the Pep Customer care number on piece of paper. With the names Monique and Mlibokazi. I told her customer cares number was not acceptable. She was now expecting me to spend airtime that I had paid for and not received holding on for customer care for a lengthy period of time and go through further pain and irritation.

I demanded her supervisor managers number. She ignored me and went into her office and it took 10 mins of waiting to get her to acknowledge my existence again. I was told she had to get permission from her area manager to give a superiors number.
I then began recording her standing in the office doing nothing but trying to ignore me long enough that I would leave.

After I had waited and attempted to get her attention she briefly again graced me with her presence to tell me she couldn't get hold of the area manager. I said fine then give me his number. She refused to give me her area managers number or anyone else.

We argued and she spoke to me in a condescending manner and in reply to my recording events she pulled out her phone to record to me. Never in my life have I seen such ridiculous and immature behaviour from a manager.

I didn't get any answer on my customers Paxi parcel at the end of this all. But I was left in utter disgust, disbelief and the sense of being cheated and treated like trash.

Pep Burgundy Estate has subjected me to the worst service and treatment that I have ever experienced. I will make my R29 loss count heavily. I was a Pep advocate after this I will tell my story every chance I get. I will be that one person who never forgets and I will be that one who counts as 100 unhappy customers.
I genuinely feel like I have been robbed of that R29. It will end up being a costly R29 I will be a life long hater and bitter as hell.