DISGUSTING, NAUSEATING, APPALLING SERVICE FROM ACKERMANS ALEXANDRA PLAZA

Yesterday 2021-12-29 I went to Ackermans in Alex Plaza to get a refund for the clothes I had bought via the laybye option. Upon arrival I was asked by the security at the door for a receipt, I then advised that on Christmas Eve I was at the same store to exchange clothes but the consultant that assisted (David Machetele) me took all my receipts, stating that it's company policy. The security lady then wrote down the codes of the clothes and asked that I go to the tills. When I got to the till, I was assisted by Sinenhlanhla however she advised that she will give me a voucher instead of a monetary refund. Before I could respond, she called for assistance from her colleague - Oscar who then advised that they need a receipt so they can have an itemised list of all clothes bought. I relayed the above story again and he said the system does not keep record of receipts of fully paid laybyes. I then gave them my ID so they can check but was advised that the system is offline and I should return in 30 minutes.

I went back after the stipulated time and requested that he check his admin and he said the person responsible for admin has left as he was on a December contract, I then asked if there isn't anyone else who works in admin during his absence and he said there isn't but he will call someone to assist. After a short back and forth with Oscar, he [Oscar] asked that I go home to fetch the receipt of the exchange as that MAY lead them to the original till slip which was taken by their colleague on the day I went for an exchange.

While speaking with Oscar and Sine, Athule (their colleague) rudely interjected while assisting a client! The nerve. My sister eventually asked her to keep quiet as the matter did not involve her plus she had a client waiting for her transaction to be completed, Athule then responded saying that she had asked her client for permission therefore she will continue to speak.

A few minutes later we were assisted by an admin lady named Lerato who told my sister and I to not tell her how to do her job everytime we asked a question. When I asked for a chair to sit on as we had been on our feet for about 3 hours she said that Ackermans is not a restuarant and no one will be sitting down. We picked our jaws from the floor and kept quiet and then she asked us to take out the clothes from the plastic so she could tick them off individually but my sister interjected and refused because Lerato had already said we should not tell her how to do her job so why is she asking for our assistance. That was when an argument evoked and her colleague Zinhle asked Lerato if she can assist her with the plastic and she agreed. Lerato then said we complain a lot and she is doing us a favour by helping us while it is not her fault that we lost our slip and we are giving her a ton of work as she now has to go through reports! We literally lost it! We then argued for a good 5 minutes or so all this while Athule was watching and itching to say something. Lerato then said to Zinhle "yekela labantu" loosely translated as "leave these annoying people" she gave us the hand then she walked off to the staff room and banged the door. I then asked Zinhle where to from here as Lerato just left us hanging. Zinhle said we must go back to the till so we can finish our transaction.

Oscar came and we asked to see the store manager. Lesego Ma***aba came and we advised her of our displeasure and the appalling service, she apologised and assisted us with the refund. Lerato then came back to the tills and gave us the look. While advising her about what Athule did, she [Athule] tried to explain and spoke over her manager while Lesego was telling her to go back to her station. As she was going back to her station she said "whatever" and clicked her tongue at us. All this while she had a customer - AGAIN. The disrespect to the client she was assisting, her manager, her colleagues and the brand that is Ackermans! We then asked why is she in our business as we not addressing her but her manager and she said "You do not listen. Listening is a skill". She uttered all this while removing her mask in light of the regulations of Level 1 of Covid showing us her tooth jewelery.

I am disgusted to say the least! Yesterday showed me that the staff itself does not respect each other. The insurbordination that we witnessed was just shocking. You have lost yourself a very valuable customer!!!!!!

If it's not the overcrowdedness and COVID protocols not being followed accordingly it's nauseating service that we have to succumb to! Not this time. Ackermans Alex Plaza you have taken it too far this time. Too damn far!😡