Irate customer service

I am extremely dissatisfied with the service my family and I have received at the Cell C store in Kenilworth Centre.

On 10 November 2024, my husband and I accompanied my father to the store as he allowed me to use his upgrade for a new phone. We noticed a promotion offering two Samsung A35 phones for R600 per month, which seemed better than a single phone for R400 per month. We decided to take this deal.

After the consultant, Aiden, processed the transaction, we asked about the activation of the SIM cards, only to be told that this deal did not include SIM cards, data, or airtime—a critical detail he failed to mention. This means we are now locked into a 36-month contract for R600 per month, with additional costs to purchase data and airtime separately, making the deal completely unaffordable and impractical.

When we asked to cancel due to this omission, Aiden informed us it wasn’t possible. It’s clear this information was withheld to close the sale, and my father, not wanting any hassle, reluctantly agreed, even though my husband and I were very unhappy.

To make matters worse, the deal included a promotion offering two smar****ches and two sets of earbuds. Here’s what we received:

One set of earbuds on 27 November 2024, Another set and one smar****ch on 2 December 2024, The second smar****ch was never delivered due to an error Aiden picked up. He assured us the issue was resolved when I visited the store on 3 December 2024, but to date, it has still not been delivered.

The service throughout this ordeal has been appalling. I had to repeatedly call the store, only to find Aiden unavailable with excuses such as being on lunch, out smoking, or fetching something from his car. Messages left for him were never returned. I was forced to retell my story numerous times to his colleagues, who tried to help but ultimately failed to follow up or resolve the issue.

Most frustratingly, on 21 January 2025, I spoke to the Store Manager, Asma, and had to explain everything yet again. She requested that I send an email detailing the situation, which I promptly did, only to receive a blunt response stating she would investigate. To this day, I have received no feedback or resolution.

While I understand delays can occur from suppliers, the complete lack of communication, poor service, and disregard for customer satisfaction is unacceptable. My family has supported Cell C Kenilworth for years, but after this experience, we will not return and cannot recommend their services to anyone.

Avoid this store at all costs.