Worst cashier I have ever encountered

This happened to my mother

Good day,

I went shopping today as so many times before at the Checkers by The Reef, Dinwiddie, Germiston. However today was not a pleasure and I had a bad/ unacceptable and unfair experience.

I was second in line to pay at the teller when the lady in front of me said she would be back now and went to get some juice, however she was still busy at the juice fridge when the girl at the teller was done paying, I looked to see if the lady that went to get the juice was on her way back and she was still busy at the juice fridge so I went to the teller and started unpacking my items. I had most of my items packed out already when the lady came back and wanted to pay for her products, I then told her that she has to wait now as I am already in the process of unpacking my products. She started complaining that she was 1st and she even told me that she would be back on which I agreed, however she was not there when the teller was ready for the next customer and that is why I went ahead and unpacked my trolley. The lady insisted that she wants to pay and I should wait and I refused. The teller (I think her name is Sisanda) wanted to assist the lady as 'she was there was there 1st', I firmly refused. Apparently this confused the teller as she did not want to upset the lady that went out of the line and then came back. Long story shortened there came a few other ladies from Checkers ( I suppose they were supervisors) and wanted me to go and pack at another teller and I refused as my products were already on the counter, they wanted the other lady to pay at another teller and she refused as well as she said that she was in a hurry (although she was prepared to stand there arguing). Nonhlanhla, a manager, came and tried to 'diffuse' the situation and wanted either of us to pay at another teller and we both refused. I tried explaining as to what happened and try to tell them that the lady was first BUT she was not there when the teller was ready for the next customer which then was me. however the other lady kept on interrupting me and they chose to ignore me and listen to her. The next moment Zinhle, I suppose a supervisor came there and said that she just wants to know who was there first and the lady and cashier said that the other lady was there first, Zinhle then went to the till and Sisanda stood aside. Zinhle then started ringing up the other ladies' products. Nonhlanhla then in the meantime came back and said that another teller will assist me, I declined and left the shop. I decided to not leave it there but to call the call center. I explained everything to the call center agent and she apologized and said that they will take the matter further. She also spoke to Nonhalanhla, the manager and advised her as to what should have been done in that situation. Nonhlanhla did apologize for not handling the situation correctly. I have also received a call for a manager, David, later the afternoon and he also conveyed his apologies. He said that he looked at the footage and the situation was not handled correctly at all. Netiher the apologies from David nor the call center agent (I think her name is Sisanda as well) was necessary as they were not at fault but I do realize that it is part of their 'job' to apologize.

In my eyes the lady was 'rewarded' for her bad behaviour and there was quiet a few other customers that saw this happening though they did not know the true story behind it all and this to me left a frank taste in my mouth... I feel that if the roles were reversed and it was me that wanted to be helped whilst getting back too late they would not have done that and at the same time I would have waited my turn to be served so I would not even know if they would have given me the same privileged treatment in spite of me being wrong on demanding to be served.

I would not have minded that the other lady came back into the line in front of me if she was back in time but she was not and it should have been treated in this light and not the way that Zinhle handled it.

I will not be supporting the Checkers at The Reef anymore despite the apologies from Nonhlanhla and David... I do realize that my support in shopping there is minor but I just wanted to voice my opinion.

Kind regards, Annelize Westcott

Mobile ***