Worst Customer Experience Ever!!!

<p>My husban and I went to the Ackermans at Montclair Mall yesterday - 11/12/2016. We went in and purchased a few items. My husband paid for the items via his debit card. He received a message from his bank stating the money was deducted from his bank account. The cashier that was assisting him did not tell him initially that the transaction did not go through, she on her own put his card into the speedpoint machine and asked him to please re-enter his pin. My husband then asked why he had to do that and the lady said the transaction did not go through. My husband said he was not going to re-enter his pin coz the money had come off his account already and we showed her our phone and he asked to please speak to the store manager. A lady named Nandipha came to the till point. I greeted her and then asked if she was the store manager and she said yes. We explained what had happened and that the money had come off our account and showed her the message with the time and date. She explained that these things do happen because it is a machine and its electronic and we would need to wait 24 hours for the money to be reversed into our account and that we could not leave with the items as she would charge us for theft. She told us to leave and wait 24 hours, then go to a bank for a bank statement and then come back to the store with proof that the money did not come back into our account. She told us to leave the store or else she will call the police for us. My husband was very angry but we told her that she is welcome to call them.</p> <p> </p> <p>I explained to her countless of times that we do not live in the area, we were visiting family in the montclair area and therefore could not return as we live far away from the mall. I asked her then to please call her area manager as I could see we were not close to resolving the issue. By this time we were already 45 minutes in the store. She called her area manager infront of us and spoke ill of us while we were standing there listening to her conversation. She told us that the AM said we could not get a 'refund' (which we did not ask for) and we could not get the stock. She was adament that they could not help us. I asked her if she could give us a credit note or the voided recepit stating that we were there and that if for some reason the money did not return, the store would be liable. She said no no no. She then went and phoned someone again. I asked her who she called and she said her AM. I then realised that she had **** to us that she was the store manager. I asked where the store manager was and she said it did not matter where they were, I said it does matter because our problem is not being resolved. She said she is able to resolve the matter herself so I asked how and she said we must leave. That was not a solution to our problem. She then told me she was not the manager and she was a worker in the store - I asked if she was a supervisor and she said yes which I really dont believe. She then went away again and came back with R150. Iasked her who's money this was and she said it was hers. My husband told her we did not want her money, we told her we would leave the store, without the cash, and the stock but we needed some proof or recepit that we were infact there. She started screaming and crying and said that we were taking her childrens money from them and that we were *******. As much as that angered me, being a human being I felt deep compassion when I saw her crying. I put the money back into her hand and told her we did not want her money. She was crying hysterically at this point. We tried calling this number -***but no one answered and we did not have an option to speak to a consultant. We then tried calling this number - +27 (0) 21 ********** still no one could help. My husband and I were still standing at the till point and I asked Nandipha to please call her AM again and allow me to speak to her/ him so that I can explain the situation. She told me with such a nasty attitude that this was not allowed - I told her I did not want the number - I just needed to speak to someone else. She was screaming at us saying, we dont know how to shop, we dont know how life works, how business works, we are *******, we are *****ing her money. I told her we do not want the money. She was hysterical. My husband then told me that he would take the money as security and that should the money come back to our account we would personally drive back there and give her back her money. I still do not think it was her fault and that she did not need to give us that money - all we wanted was something to say that we were there. </p> <p> </p> <p>We still have her money which we will not spend and the money has not come back to us. We will get a bank statement and we will go return her money and ask Ackermans to refund us the money but this could have all been avoided. I have emailed the head office but have not received any feedback as yet.</p> <p> </p> <p>Personally this was a terrible customer experience. There is no sense of customer service at all in this store, Nandipha did not even try to help us out, she did even listen when we were speaking ot her, she spoke over us the entire time - all she was concerned about was that it was not their fault. </p> <p> </p> <p>I will NEVER shop at that store again and I will go and return her money as R150 isnt going to make me any richer. </p> <p> </p> <p>It's all about customer service and delighting the customer to ensure that he/ she comes back unfortunately this was not the case at this store. </p>