Distell customer no-care

At the end of 2022 I purchased a 5 litre 4th Street Sweet Rose. On 24 January 2023 I noticed that my unopened box had popped open and the bag inside was blown up. I logged a complaint on Distell website and received an email response (presume automated) requesting further details. In this email they also request that you send a response within 5 working days or else you would need to re-register your complaint. I sent detail back to requested email address within 35 min with accompanying photograph of defective product.

On 3 February (8 working days later) I sent another email requesting an update. Later the afternoon I noticed that my defective product had leaked out into my cupboard - making a huge mess. I then decided to phone their customer care line for an update. My assigned consultant was busy, so I received my case reference number (879453) and was told she would phone me back. Later the afternoon I did receive a call and was told that my product was out of stock but that they could send an alternative to a store in our CBD for collection. I told her that this area was unsafe and requested that it be sent to an alternative store in my residential area (we have numerous shopping centres in my area). I was informed that she would get back to me with regards to the store where replacement wine would be sent.

On Tuesday, 7 February, 2 weeks after my initial complaint was logged I phoned the call centre again to speak to a supervisor as I still had not received any feedback and the defective wine they wanted to test was still stinking up my house. I explained to supervisor that I did not mind waiting for a replacement product and that I know products are sometimes defective, but I did mind the fact that absolutely no feedback was given and that I (a client who received a defective product) has to now phone around for an update. Why would a client need to remind and advise a customer care division how to provide a service. Finally some service was received and my defective wine was swapped for an alternative within a few hours.

Shocking that clients have to repeatedly remind companies to provide a service. You would think that a customer care division would try their utmost to provide a good service after a client purchased a defective product. This is not the case with Distell.