COMPLAINT RE TNT EXPRESS SOUTH AFRICA

Item: Fedex Express
Rating: 1

Good day, I would like to lay a complaint regarding the shocking service and experience I have had with TNT Express South Africa. It is not my nature to lay a complaint like this on such a public forum but I am truly so appalled by the service I received that I decided otherwise. On the 23rd August TNT Express South Africa contacted me to advise me my parcel has arrived in SA – the parcel contained my personal mobile which I accidently left in the UK (I was on holiday visiting family). My daughter–in-law couriered my mobile from the UK to South Africa. When TNT in the UK collected the parcel from her on the 22nd of August she was told within 24 hours I would have my phone. On the 23rd of August when TNT SA contacted me I was told they need my import number. I explained that I WAS NOT IMPORTING ANYTHING- it is merely my phone that is being returned to me. The person I spoke to on the 23rd August said I needed to sign some documents before the phone could be released from customs. I gave my email address but NEVER received any documents to sign. On the 24th of August I called TNT asking for the said documents that I had to sign and nobody knew anything about the documents but I was told my phone would be delivered during the course of the day. NEVER DID ANYONE mention that I had to pay VAT and IMPORT DUTIES. I called later the day on the 24th as I did not receive my phone or hear anything from TNT. I was placed on hold for 40 minutes and eventually gave up. This is totally unprofessional to think that a company like TNT would not have the decency to keep the client in the loop about what was transpiring. I called again on the 25th and was told my phone was at Elandsfontein and that it would be delivered- but to no avail. Again NO PHONECALL OR EMAIL advising me about anything. On the 26th I called TNT and demanded to speak to a manager. I told the person that I spoke to that this situation is becoming totally ridiculous and that my office was closing at 12h30 on the 26th so the delivery had to take place before 12h30. The manager (I can’t recall the name but I am sure all calls are recorded and logged) asked me for my home address so that the phone could be delivered to my home address on Friday. The manager even went as far as reassuring me that I would receive a call when the person delivering my phone left so that I would have a time to expect arrival. THIS DID NOT HAPPEN. At approximately 16h15 I spoke to Natasha Abrahams who said that the phone could NOT BE DELIVERED until I had paid VAT and IMPORT DUTIES. This was the very 1st time that anyone at TNT SA ever mentioned payment. I received the invoice at 16h45 and in desperation was about to do an EFT transfer but decided to speak to my lawyer. He stated that I was not to make any payment as it is not a new phone (VAT had already been paid and I was NOT importing anything). On Monday the 29th of August I sent an official complaint through to Natasha Opperman and Karin Abrahams. I have since been informed that Karin Abrahams is in fact the Customer Service Manager for TNT SA. Natasha insured me that my parcel/mobile would be released and returned to me during the course of the 29th and I will not have to pay any charges for VAT or Import Duties. This did not happen. I contacted Karin the afternoon and she assured me I would have my phone first thing the morning on the 30th of August. Again this did not happen. On the morning of the 30th I received a call from a consultant in Customer Service asking me again for payment of VAT and Import fduties. I was furious as I was sure that Karin as the head of Customer Service would have cascaded it down to all her staff that my parcel/phone is to released urgently and that I am not to pay any charges. Clearly there is no communication in TNT SA. I eventually received my phone on 31st of August. I am disgusted and appalled at the service received from TNT SA. I strongly urge upper management of TNT Express to address the lack of service and level of communication in your South African division. Thank you and kind regards, Olivia Curlewis

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