Arrogant store manager at Bradlows selling products that are out of stock

<p>On 23 July 2016, i opened a Hire Purchase account at Bradlows Pretoria West (Quagga Centre) buying a 183 cm Tivoli Base Set. The application reference number is ********** 129.</p> <p>They promised to conclude the application by Monday 25 July 2016 and send me an SMS with outcomes. By midday on Monday they have not done so and they told me that everything is concluded except for verification of employment as the number that I provided does not go through. When i verified the number with them i learned that they captured a wrong number. I then phoned head office Credit Department and emailed them to provide them the correct numbers to use verification of employment and my application was approved.</p> <p>Shortly thereafter, the Store Manager named Isabel called me to arrange for delivery thereby confirming the delivery address. Soon thereafter, the Sales Rep (Freda called to inform me that the Base Set is out of stock. Am very disappointed that only now the store informs me that they don't have the Base set in stock. When I made this purchase is emphasised the urgency, they should have checked for stock first at the warehouse. This shows that the representative is only interested in making commission not putting customer needs first. How do you sell to a customer a product that is nowhere available. Am disappointed that after a long wait for approval am now also facing a long wait for delivery as the purchased based set is out of stock. I complained to JDG Financial Services Head Office by writing ********** Dibona Nkhosa ********** and Madigwe Nkogatse ********** and the kind of responses its emails that flies around to say 'please assist, please assist, please assist' - this isn’t helping me.</p> <p>The Sales Rep at Quagga (Freda) called me and transferred me to the Store Manager (Isabel) to whom I explained my concerns. I complained to the Store Manager named Isabel that :<br /> 1) Firstly, it is unfair that they sell me a DEMO Base Set for the price of a brand new one and additionally give me 24 months warranty for a bed that has been on the floor as a demo (it's like selling me a DEMO car for the price of a brand new car)<br /> 2) Secondly, I agreed to R520 delivery fee on the basis that the bed will be delivered from a warehouse far away otherwise had I knew that the dispatch will be from Quagga which is about 1km from where I stay I should have arranged my husband's bakkie to fetch the Base set<br /> 3) Now Isabel tells me I should wait 6-8 weeks for the warehouse to have stock-it's unfair to a customer, they should have established and ascertained stock availability prior to concluding the deal.<br /> 4) I want to exercise discretion as a customer and choose a different based set that is available at the warehouse -she tells me the application will be declined.</p> <p>She asks me how I want the matter resolved and as a customer I feel that she should be well trained to handle customer complaints especially genuine one's my nature.</p> <p>5) Now I propose to compromise and take the Demo Base Set on the floor on condition that she s****s the R520 delivery fee because I will collect the bed myself and she tells me it's impossible</p> <p>6) The store manager further told me that the only difference between the bed on the floor in-store and the bed at the warehouse is that they removed the plastic cover from the one on display. Am not a small child to be given such a lousy explanation by a Store Manager.</p> <p>Who doesn't know that the items on the floor in-store are displays, beds can be tested for comfort and durability by different customers coming in and out on daily basis? Am entirely dissatisfied and highly disappointed of the attitude by the store manager who fails to address very genuine concerns raised by a customer. This is like forcing it down my throat whether it's tasteless it matters not to the Store Manager. Isabel either lacks passion for customer service and impact on customer satisfaction or she is just ****** because she even dropped the phoned on my ear.</p> <p> </p> <p>I wrote emails again to JDG Financial services that:</p> <p>The attitude of the store manager at Bradlows Quagga leaves much to be desired information must reiterate that it's either she isn't properly trained in customer care or customer service or she is just ******.</p> <p>She needs to respect that as a customer I have entitlement to product satisfaction-she cannot tell me that the bed on display is brand new -a bed that every potential customers comes in, sit on it to test for comfort and durability -that's undermining. Not unless she was want to imply that even beds from the warehouse are demos.</p> <p>She displayed arrogance arrogant 'Harde Kop' attitude by threatening to drop the phone in my ear and in fact did that without coming up with sound resolutions to my complaint. Remember this bed is neither charity or gift from Bradlows am going to be paying damage over R900 monthly for it</p> <p>The sales person explain that she will ask the store manager to give me a gift because it is their fault and failure to check stock availability prior to processing the deal that led to the inconvenience and dissatisfaction from my side-but the store manager tells me she will not even award a gift. Either way you look at it it's as if it's some very expensive gift they were going to give when it's in fact some cheap duvet that one would wash once and have to throw away-for me the gift is a sign of courtesy, appreciation and realisation of the importance of customer satisfaction and customer retention.</p> <p>When I want to drop the deal she tells me I can't because I signed an agreement, what a hell is that-I didn't buy a demo bed, I didn't commit to voetstoot on a display product, I wanted a new and sealed product from factory or warehouse. When I want to change for a new and different base set that's available at warehouse she tells me it has to be a new application and it can be declined</p> <p>Something tells me that the Base set from the floor which she wants to force down my throat is either clearance stock, has been discontinued on the range due to customers complaints or not meeting customers’ expectations. Now because am black she forces me to take this burden of her shoulders, she locks me into a purchase agreement which hasn't materialised yet thinking that I don't know my rights-I can escalate the matter to the credit/financial ombudsman and get relief there. I know my rights and refuse to be treated like an alien when am just a loyal customer.</p> <p> </p>