TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE – DION WIRED MALL OF THE SOUTH

Item: Dion Wired
Rating: 1
Author: Clinton B

I am writing to complain about my terrible experience resulting from the purchase of a Hisense 50” Ultra HD television from Dion Wired Mall of the South. I purchased the television on 30 July 2016. In the second week of November 2016, the television stopped working and no picture would appear when it was turned on. The television was still under warranty and was returned to Dion Wired Mall of the South on 13 November 2016 for repair. On 22 November 2016 I was contacted by a store representative from the Mall of the South and informed that the television repairs had been completed and was ready for collection. My wife and I were going on leave that week, so I asked the store representative if they could keep the television in the store for that period and collect it upon our return. To that, she confirmed they would hold the television at the Mall of the South branch until we returned. Upon our return from leave, we visited the Mall of the South branch on 2 December 2016 to collect our television. When we entered the store and informed the staff that we were collecting our television, they told us that unfortunately the message in the telephone call I received on 22 November 2016 had been miscommunicated as the television was not in the store, but was still at the supplier as they were awaiting spare parts to repair the television! Our time had been completely wasted due to poor communication from the store staff, misinforming us that the television was ready to be collected. Why would you phone a customer and tell them that the item is ready for collection when it actually isn’t? This experience made us realise we were dealing with completely *********** staff that had absolutely no idea what was going on in their store. From that moment, I contacted the store almost once a week to follow up on the progress of our television. Each time the response was the same: The television is not ready yet, we are still waiting for the supplier. I then asked for the supplier’s contact number so I could take matters into my own hands and contacted them directly on 22 December 2016 by phoning this number: 011 ********** . I got through to the supplier and quoted my reference number ( ********** 13) and asked for an update on the television. The gentleman told me that they were unable to source the spare parts and that the television was being returned to the Mall of the South branch for an exchange. The gentleman said the television would be delivered to the branch by 23 December 2016. I am sure you can guess by now, we obviously were not contacted by Dion Wired Mall of the South on 23 December 2016 to notify us to collect the television. As it was now Christmas, we had other family commitments and did not follow-up (Why should we have to follow up anyway? We’re the customer!!) I eventually received an SMS on 9 January 2017 from Dion Wired Mall of the South informing me that my repair item was back in store for collection. Of course I had to take this communication with a pinch of salt because all prior communication had been inaccurate. I contacted the store on 13 January 2017 to confirm the accuracy of the SMS and confirm if someone had physically seen the television in the store. Finally, it was confirmed the television was physically at the store. Saturday, 14 January 2017 my wife and I set off again to attempt to collect our television. After waiting in the front of the store for 10 minutes, the manager finally emerged from the storeroom with the television and brought it to the front of the store. Another 5 minutes lapsed, while she looked through some papers attached to the television, before she even greeted us! The manager then asked me if I was aware there was an invoice due of R1400 to repair the television. I responded by reminding her that this television was under warranty and that I would not be paying a single cent! (Dion Wired Mall of the South has no clue what they are doing!). Then I brought up the fact that the supplier had informed me that the television had been returned for an exchange and had not been repaired. The manager said that the paperwork accompanying the television said it had been repaired. If that was the case, I wanted to test the television before I left the store and I asked her to turn it on. Low and behold, the television did turn on, but it revealed an internal impact crack in the bottom left corner of the screen that was obscuring any picture that may have appeared on the screen. The television had now been damaged and cracked! If we had not asked to turn on the television, we would never have seen the internal damage. The manager followed this up by saying that they don’t check repaired items when they are returned from suppliers. What kind of business exposes themselves to that kind of reputational risk by not checking the quality of your suppliers repairs? Anyway, to try and bring this story to a close, I told the manager of the Dion Wired Mall of the South branch that I wanted a full refund or a voucher for the value of the television and that this matter must be resolved without me having to come into the store again. I have been inconvenienced enough times. She has promised to contact me tomorrow, Monday, 16 January 2017 to confirm this matter has been resolved – I will, of course, not be holding my breath. In conclusion, it is now two months after I originally returned the television for repair and I am still without a functioning television! The level of service received from Dion Wired Mall of the South is the poorest I have ever experienced and it is simply unacceptable! I have captured my complaint on Hello Peter and hope that it will save other customers from the terrible experience I have had. As a result of the above, the following items will be resolved by tomorrow, Monday 16 January 2017: 1. I want full compensation for the two DSTV premiums we have paid, but have been unable to use due to the fact that we did not have a TV. The monthly DSTV premium amounts to R880. The total amount of compensation amounts to R1,760. 2. I want a full refund or voucher amounting to R7,900 (The purchase price of the TV) to replace the TV that has now been damaged by the supplier. IF I AM NOT CONTACTED ON MONDAY, 16 JANUARY 2017 TO CONFIRM THE MATTERS ABOVE HAVE BEEN RESOLVED, I WILL BE CONTACTING MY LAWYER TO ESCALATE THIS MATTER FURTHER! My contact details are as follows: Clinton Buytenhuys 073 ********** I will be expecting your call.

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