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Michael E

1 reviews | Active since Mar 2013

30 Oct 2019, 14:56

Debonairs QUALITY PROMISE, a promice they cant keep.

Hi, I am posting the complaint here in Public, seeing as no one wants to contact me after I attempted to contact Debonairs directly and privately on ***. Also note that I have edited the original message sent to Debonairs to suite the tense and platform and to also remove my personal details (where I live)

I had a query related to the QUALITY PROMISE Terms and Conditions. I am unable to find a full clarification of these terms online, on the menus or on the app.

I have placed two orders from the Benoni Northmead store in the last two weeks. Both orders arrived more than an hour later. In fact it was 1h30m the first time & 1h20m the second.

The QUALITY PROMISE dots were black, indicating my orders were cold.

I've raised the query with the store manager, but was unsatisfied with his explanation.

I understand that FREE DELIVERY is subject to the 3km radius. So, I am satisfied to pay for delivery (R15) is not a problem.

However, I fail to understand why the QUALITY PROMISE is also limited to 3Km's according to the store manager. I can find no other reference to this except his say so. What does FREE DELIVERY terms have to do with the QUALITY PROMISE?

I am unable to locate this particular point or a full terms and conditions on the website, the mobile app or the menu as indicated by the same manager.

I can also understand not being able to honour the QUALITY PROMISE if it was 30km or a 30-minute drive.

However, from door-to-door its 11 kilometres from the store to my home. According to Google maps it’s a 15-20min drive, and that's with a car and not a delivery motorcycle.

I still end up with cold food… Then for reasons unclear, I am not eligible for the QUALITY PROMISE that states my food will be HOT & FRESH. Just to be clear, I am not trying to solicit them for free food. I could care less about the "if its cold, its free" aspect. Free cold food, is still COLD food.

Which brings me to my request for better explanation of the terms and conditions. Because I honestly cannot find it anywhere.

Does the fact that I pay for delivery and live 11km mean I am no eligible to this promise?

Will I always get cold food when I get deliveries from Benoni North-mead store?

Which according to the website and app is the closest store, that services my area and does deliveries.

If such a clause exists, would it not be prudent to put an asterisk (*) on the app and the web stating that not only the "FREE DELIVERY" but also the "QUALITY PROMISE” are subject to a 3km radius?

I look forward to a better clarification of the terms, and hopefully a better implementation of these terms in the app and on the web. Regards,

Michael van Eeden

0
Replies (5)
ME
Michael E's update01 Nov 2019, 09:17
Reviewer Update
Here is the Feedback I have received from Famous Brands on behalf of Debonairs:

Interaction Reference CAS-805557-K4J2Q4 FB-CRM:***

Famous Brands <***> | Thu, Oct 31, 3:12 PM (18 hours ago) | |

Dear Michael van Eeden

Debonairs:

Thank you for taking the time to let us know about your recent disappointment we value your engagement.

We are sorry that you had an unpleasant Debonairs Pizza moment, we appreciate that you have taken the time to bring this matter to our attention. Your complaint has been heard by our Customer Care team who have escalated this to the store manager. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience and trust that you accept our apology, we will ensure that such treatment and service is never endured by our loyal guests. An SMS will be sent post feedback from store manager.

If you have any further queries or comments to make on the matter, please feel free to get in touch with our Customer Care Line directly.

Kind Regards,

The Debonairs Pizza Team

Customer Care Line: ***


I have yet to receive the message, but will post updates here as I receive (or don't receive) them.

Debonairs Pizza
Debonairs Pizza's reply03 Nov 2019, 15:15
Official
Hi Michael

Thank you for taking the time to let us know about your recent disappointment we value your engagement.

We are sorry that you had an unamazing Debonairs Pizza moment, we appreciate that you have taken the time to bring this matter to our attention. Your complaint has been heard by our Customer Care team who have escalated this to the store manager. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience and trust that you accept our apology, we will ensure that such treatment and service is never endured by our loyal customers.

If you have any further queries or comments to make on the matter, please feel free to get in touch with our Customer Care Line directly.

Kind Regards,

The Debonairs Pizza Team

Customer Care Line: ***

ME
Michael E's update26 Nov 2019, 12:56
Reviewer Update
After 2 automated replies and 2 follow up calls from Famous Brands to see if the store manager has contacted me.
I was finally contacted by the store.
They did apologise for the late delivery and cold food. As part of the apology they offered me a Free Pizza of 50% off on the total of my Next Purchase (from the same store)

As explained to the store manager, this entire complaint is not some attempt to elicit "free goods" from Famous Brands or this specific store.

After lengthy telephone conversations with the store owner:
  • Regarding the delivery radius and how we are technically too far, but they will deliver to us as none of the other local branched will.
    (This is apparently at the store’s own discretion, despite what the website and app say. There are 2 stores in my area that will deliver for a small charge)

  • How the “Hot or Not Dot” works and that is only applicable on presentation of the delivered food. i.e. The food is hot when taken out of the bag on delivery, but cools down when some customers leave the driver unattended to go fetch wallet etc.
    (Which was not the case in both my deliveries. I was presented with black dots immediately upon delivery)
    In future, if this should occur again. I can take it up with Him directly.
  • And how busy the shop is one some Friday and Saturday evenings will affect delivery times.
    We will put this theory to the test at a later date by placing an order during an off-peak time.

So, myself and the store owner have come to an agreement and I consider his part in this as resolved.

I would now like to address the Franchise owners for Debonairs regarding how unclear their terms and conditions are.

Especially the link between:
And
They state the following:
The quality promise:
To live up to our high standards and ensure you receive the hottest and freshest pizzas, we've created the unique Hot or Not Dot.
When we present you with your pizza, if the dot is red, your pizza's hot and fresh; if it's black, your pizza's FREE.
Hot or Not quality promise will not apply for orders that are placed on a 3rd party aggregator platform and delivered by a 3rd party delivery service provider.

Terms & Conditions:
FREE delivery conditions apply: minimum order of R79.80 is required to qualify for delivery. FREE delivery applies to predetermined areas around each Debonairs Pizza restaurant. Please check online or ask your nearest Debonairs Pizza restaurant if you fall within their specified free delivery area. Debonairs Pizza reserves the right to charge a delivery fee for areas further than a 3 km drive distance (with the exception of orders above R250). Debonairs Pizza furthermore reserves the right to not offer delivery to certain areas for distance, security and/or safety reasons. Orders that are placed on a 3rd party aggregator platform and delivered by a 3rd party delivery service provider

The Free delivery not applicable to me as I pay for delivery due to not being in the 3km coverage radius

None of these items clearly state that you are not eligible to the QUALITY PROMISE if you:
  • Fall outside the FREE DELIVERY coverage area
  • If the store is extremely busy and it is at peak time
  • Is subject to the number of available drivers to preform deliveries during peak times
Again, as per my ORIGINAL COMPLAINT on this platform. I ask that FAMOUS BRANDS and DEBONAIRS review their Terms and Conditions and make the necessary amendments that CLEARLY state the limitations of the QUALITY PROMISE.

Because as they currently stand. They make no mention or accommodation for the points listed above.
ME
Michael E's update27 Nov 2019, 09:43
Reviewer Update
Here is an update on my latest interaction with Debonairs:

As mentioned in my earlier post. One of the reasons the shop owner claimed was the cause of my constant late deliveries was due to the fact that I ordered on Friday and Saturday during peak time. (17:00 - 19:00 when people get home and order food)

What it boiled down to , was they are just too busy to get my order to me Hot and On-Time.

So, as promised and discussed with owner. I would put this theory to the test at a later unspecified date, during a normal weekday, and on an off peak time.

So, yesterday Tuesday 26th November 2019 :

At 19:08 on a weekday after peak time, I placed and order for 4 Pizzas. (standard menu items, no alterations or substitutions)

At 20:28 - I phoned the shop to follow up on the progress of my order, as it at that stage had already been 1 Hour and 20 minutes. The only feedback they were able to give was that they could confirm the driver had already left.

At 20:42 - 1 hour and 40 minutes later the Driver arrived with 4 cold pizzas This is now 10 Minutes longer the my previous 2 orders that were 1H20m & 1H30m late and done at "Peak Times"

The driver got out of his car and handed me the card machine to pay for the pizza. This is before he even showed me my order.
In the company of a guest who was deliberately there to witness to the transaction; I asked that the driver please produce the pizzas first, as they were 1H40m late and surely cold by now.

The driver was hesitant and claimed he was not confident that they would still be hot.
They were in fact NOT, which he in turn apologised for.

Despite being presented with 4 cold pizzas, I paid for them anyway. The driver was not lost, he was not delayed, we viewed the pizza first and paid for them after the fact. So there were no delays inured on our side. Not that I think even a 1 minute delay at that stage would have made any difference.
Debonairs it welcome to check the transaction time for my order to corroborate my times.

So at the end of the day, the only thing I can take away from this is that Debonairs Northmead is at least somewhat consistent...

They are able to consistently disappoint and give me cold food.

This is despite the apologies, the explanations, the second chances, ordering at an "off-peak" times.
They somehow managed to get the order there even later than the previous times.

ME
Michael E's update02 Dec 2019, 09:25
Reviewer Update
This is most likely me final reply/update with regards to Debonairs horrible customer service:

I lodged a follow up to an existing/ongoing complaint and was assigned a Case #: CAS-805557-K4J2Q4 received Thursday 28 Nov @15:29.

The very Next day, Friday 29th Nov @ 09:32 you simply closed the case....

No one contacted me, nothing was discussed, you simply marked the case as closed.

I find the entire manner in which they handled this complain from start to finish very unprofessional and I'm quite frankly very disgusted with Debonairs’ level of care with regards to customer complaints.

This is coming from a person who does regular reviews on Google and Hello Peter, and with the exception of 3 companies. I have given them all positive reviews and well deserved praise.

SHAME ON YOU!!!