American Swiss is TERRIBLE!!!!!!!

24 DECEMBER 2019 @ 16:31:01 I came into American Swiss, Southgate Mall (Jhb) to make a purchase of the Bella Ring which was at a 70% discounted price from R5 999.00 to R1799.70 on my TFG Markhams account and was attended to by an employee/shop assistant of that Store. I explained to her that I will be getting engaged in Cape Town which was to be a surprise to my then girlfriend and also advised her that I was not too sure if the ring will be the ideal fit for my girlfriend. She advised me that it was not a problem and that after I proposed and get back to Johannesburg, that I can bring the ring in/back to the Store for resizing with my now Fiancé should it not fit. 11 JANUARY 2020 @ 14:37:27 Upon my return from Cape Town, I returned to the Store with Fiancé and was assisted by an employee of the store, Amanda. I explained to her the conversation which I had with the lady who confirmed that I could bring the ring back for resizing. Amanda brought the array of resizing rings to obtain the correct size of the finger and asked for contact details with an alternative number, which I had given to her as my fiancé cell number being the alternative number. She printed the receipt and requested for me to sign the receipt and advised us that the ring will be ready for collection within four (4) working days. 14TH JANUARY 2020, Amanda contacted my fiancé requesting her to send a picture of the Purchase Receipt for the ring. My Fiancé had asked her the reason for the request. She rep****, “Something happened to the ring”. My fiancé asked her what exactly happened to the ring, to which she again rep**** that the ring had fallen into acid. On the evening of the 14th January 2020, my fiancé sent her a picture of the Purchase Receipt via WhatsApp to which she rep****, “thank you”. 15TH JANUARY 2020 My fiancé called and spoke to Amanda and said to her that she just asked for the receipt and said thank you for the slip but offered no apology for the incident and inconvenience caused. 16TH JANUARY 2020 After my fiancé had complained, the Manager of the Store, Lindiwe called my fiancé to give an update with regards to the ring. She advised that they will need to contact their branch at Three Rivers for a replacement ring, then apologised for the inconvenience caused. 17TH JANUARY 2020 My fiancé called the store again from her work landline enquiring on the collection of the replacement ring and was advised that the ring would be available on that same day of the 17th January 2020 for collection. After work my fiancé and I went to the branch to collect the ring. Upon arrival at the store, I was served by a Shop Assistant and I stated that I was there to collect the now replaced and resized ring. The ring was brought out and my fiancé tried it on which now fitted perfectly. As we were about to leave the store the Shop Assistant stated to me that I needed to pay R220.00 for resizing of the ring. I responded, what R220.00 as I was not advised on a resizing cost for the ring from the onset of the purchase of the ring and especially after explaining that the ring may need resizing in case it does not fit. An argument ensued where after I was then advised that Amanda who served me when we took the ring into the Store for resizing was unavailable as she was off that day. I further stated that should not the first person whom I initially purchased the ring from, have explained to me that a cost would incur for the resizing of the ring should it not fit as she was made aware of the ring size situation? I looked at the lady (Shop Assistant) and said weren’t you the one that initially served me when I purchased the ring, to which she rep**** “NO”. I turned to my fiancé and asked her to pull out the Purchase Receipt to see who had assisted me on the 24th January 2020 and there was her name, Lindi which was confirmed by the Store Manager and they just went silent. I stated that, Lindi was lying to me as her name was on the Purchase Receipt even after her saying “NO”. My next question was, “Did you advise me on any amount to be paid for the resizing of the ring?” to which she rep****, “YES”, I did tell you. There again I stated to her that she was lying as she did not mention anything to me about paying for the resizing of the ring. Then she stated with great arrogance and attitude, “well, I work with a lot of clients so I wouldn’t remember” and in the heat of the moment of the argument, I mentioned to her that if you work with so many people, how do you remember telling me the cost for resizing the ring!!?? Even after firstly denying serving me initially by say “NO” and thereafter again by saying “Yes” she had told me the cost for resizing the ring and immediately thereafter stating that she works with a lot of clients so she wouldn’t remember”. Then they looked at the slip and said that Amanda wrote down 220 on the slip. The Manager then stated, “Let’s stop arguing and that she was going to escalate the matter”. I mentioned to her that you do that and that on my side I will also be logging a complaint with the TFG (The Foschini Group). Since that day no calls or feedback was received by that Manager, period. 20TH JANUARY 2020 My fiancé phoned the complaints department and spoke to a lady by the name of Liesel/Liezel to log a complaint. She asked for my fiancés details and advised that she will escalate the complaint to the relevant parties, where after you called the next day. My questioning is more about the principles/ethics/manner in which this whole incident which had taken place at the Store was handled together with hostile manner of the Shop Assistant towards me even to the extent of lying on certain questions asked, now piqued my curiosity, especially as a “so called Valued Customer”. Upon my arrival home I now scrutinized the receipt and the 220 number which was loosely placed/written at the top right corner in pen of the receipt which initially meant nothing to me except being a number as it was not explained to me the reasoning for that number being written on the receipt. “Again, I ask myself, what is 220 especially as it is just loosely/casually written in pen on the top right corner of the receipt, a number, a carat, a ring size, the number of people, Store number, Street number or just somebody who casually wrote a number on my receipt and that list can go on? To my knowledge 220 is just but a number as it stands, loosely, could mean anything. In monetary value it would make perfect sense if it read 220 zar, R220 and best of all R220.00 or even 220.00 would have made better sense to me. I would have understood that there is a monetary cost/amount/value which would be incurred for the resizing of the ring and would have had that specific amount available upon collection of the replaced and resized ring. A further mention and thought provoking on my side: On the receipt printed for resizing, makes mention of many items, an example of such, reason for returning ring / resize ring to K but no monetary cost/value next to it unlike as mentioned as in the case of the Purchase Receipt of the Bella Ring, where an amount before tax is stated in print on the receipt, the value added tax amount is stated on the printed receipt and the total amount/value/cost of the ring also stated on the printed receipt together with other information. Now again my question begs... Certain staff/employees of American Swiss, do they adhere to company principles/work ethics/procedure which can portray a massive negative reflection on the company, American Swiss whom I hope I can safely say take great pride in their Customer Service/Customer Value (Customer comes first) and satisfaction code/kind of logo. The whole issue of the ring from the onset, which I say again and persist should have been explained to me from the initial purchase of the ring to when I brought that ring in for resizing. No one had the decency to explain the policy/risks/costs attached upon resizing. The onus of the pros/cons and costs of taking such steps should have been left entirely up to me the customer to make a decision based on the pros/cons and costs as to whether I should or should not go ahead and or maybe even take the ring to a reputable company specialising in resizing, knowing I would be held fully liable for incurred costs and risk based upon company that company’s policy and procedure and my decision outside of American Swiss. None of which was explained to me especially coming from a company as reputable as American Swiss.

30TH JANUARY 2020

After all that I have provided and all the waiting the senior manager Danniss only got back to me after sitting with no ring for the past 2 weeks, Danniss came back to me with his conclusion of having finalised the issue and have offered us a 50% discount on the resizing charged. He advised that both mine and the store assistants version where probable and he is of view that the resolution is a fair one considering all evidences and circumstances.

I am very disappointed with the out come of this as it has caused us a very unpleasant experience for the rest of our lives especially one as important as this. I can not wait to close my account with TFG group and will advise all friends and family to close their accounts and open with Truworths rather as they much more professional and friendly with their customers because this is this is the kind of service and solution we get from Amarican swiss who falls under TFG group.