SHOCKING SERVICE & EVEN WORSE FOLLOW UP

Actually, I give no stars, but there isn't that facility! DO NOT RENEW MY MEMBERSHIP

On Sunday, 26th December 2021 I was at Skukuza Camp in the Kruger National Park when there was a huge cloud burst. My vehicle wouldn’t start at all. I managed to get a lift at 20h00 out of Kruger to my house which is in Sabie Park (which borders the Kruger Park).

I spoke to Pamela at your offices, and it was decided that since Monday 26th was also a public holiday, she would arrange for my vehicle to be towed from the Skukuza parking lot to NTT Toyota in Hazyview. The arrangement was that the towing service would meet me at the parking lot at 08h00 on Tuesday, 28th December 2021.

I waited for the tow truck at Paul Kruger Gate (from 07h00) as I knew it would take him half an hour to get from Kruger Gate to Skukuza. At 08h14 when no tow truck had come through the entrance I started phoning your offices and spoke Fazeka?. I was informed that they were still trying to find a towing company and that she would let me know in due course.

Eventually, I was informed that they could not find a towing service in Hazyview and had in fact, requested a towing service to come all the way from Nelspruit which would cost me an additional R1 200.00 due to the additional km’s. Not only would this now cost me R1 200 extra, but I would have to wait in the 35degree heat for at least 2.5 hours for the truck to get there. After several calls back and forth, when I refused to pay the additional R1 200 for the additional mileage …….

Within 5 minutes of this call I got hold of Robson’s Towing in Hazyview and was quoted R1 800 to tow the vehicle and that he would leave Hazyview immediately and be at the gate in 20 minutes.

At 09h41, I called your offices and told them that they were to cancel the tow truck from Nelspruit as the truck from Robson’s Towing had already arrived. By 11h15 the vehicle was already at NTT Toyota in Hazyview. At this time, the vehicle from Nelspruit would only be arriving at Paul Kruger Gate.

I have been a member of the AA since I purchased my first vehicle when I was 21, I am now almost 60 years old and in all the years I have only called on the AA, a maximum of 10 times. After 39 years of being a loyal member I am shattered at the atrocious service!

I am disgusted with the bad service I received from AA and would appreciate this matter being looked into and an answer to why I had to find my own towing service.

I would also expect AA to refund me the R1 800 I paid to Robson’s Towing.

DO NOT RENEW MY MEMBERSHIP IN MARCH 2022. DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, DEBIT MY BANKING ACCOUNT.

Herewith a copy of the invoice from Robson’s Towing. I will give you my banking details once I have been contacted telephonically by management.

Their reply : ***-0004. 24 January 2022 Attention: Mrs. J Scott Dear Mrs. Scott With reference to the poor service received, on behalf of the AA, I hereby extend our sincere apologies. Upon investigation we established that the was no proper handling of your booking and we therefore apologise for the delay. We have also identified that the was no service providers closer to where you were stuck and that led to the dispatcher advising you that you will be liable for the extra Km’s which was unfair that you had to be charged and she never escalated the issue to the supervisor before speaking to you so she can get authorization as the fault was not from your side. You have been a very loyal and valuable member with the AA and we provided a very poor service service and we sincerely apologise. Once again we apologise for the frustration and inconvenience this has caused you. I have attached a claim form, kindly complete it for me so we can be able to process the refund as we established that you had to make your own arrangements for the assistance. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any queries regarding the matter. Yours sincerely Carol Mahlaule Customer Experience Consultant

I submitted the invoice and claim form the same day and have repeatedly sent reminders to Carol Mahlaule and have had no feedback nor acknowledgement of my email.