Appalling Bad Customer Service at Foschini Fourways Mall

I went to Fourways Mall Foschini around 10:30 this morning. The store was dead, got to the beauty department looking for a Black Opal lipgloss.

Browsed until i found it, got to the till and the guy standing there referred me to the one’s opposite saying they’ll help me there.

I get there, there’s 3 ladies behind the till, 1 (Nosipho) was holding the phone but chatting with the other 2. I greeted them, no response, they carried on with their conversation, greeted for the 2nd time and the one hanging the clothes said Nothile will help me. 3 more minutes pass with me standing there while they’re going on about their conversation. I interrupt Nothile and say “can i please pay for this”, she pauses, looks at me and asks “cash or card?” I respond it’s going to be a card payment.

She scans the lipgloss, the price says R235 and i ask why R235 when they’re priced R199 on the shelve and she says “ “go get the price”. In almost amu*****t, I turn and walk to the back, bring 2 of the same gloss in different colours with R199 stickers on them. She looks at them and says “go get the colour you chose”.

At that point i lost my cool and asked why should i do your job? You ignored me for a good 5 minutes, sent me back to get the price, i obliged and now you’re still standing there and expect me to go back again?

She just looked at me and neither of the other ladies bothered to assist. I told her to keep it and i left. As i was walking out, some ladies stopped and asked why am i upset, told them what happened and they decided to call a manager. To my utter shock it was Nosipho who was initially part of the 3 but never cared to help not nor intervene during the appalling interaction.

She was now apologetic and all nice and offering to help. I paid for the lipgloss and left and told them that their service is disgusting especially black on black service because the white lady behind me was assisted quickly with a smile but i had to seek their attention for service of goods I’m paying for. Does money have colour?

This is not a racial complaint but distasteful observation of how we can be classists and have the slave mentality that i can drag myself for a fellow black customers who is polite, pleasant and not even looking for a discount then jump at the sight of a white woman behind her.”

Bad customer service nauseates me and i refuse to accept it especially because I know that we’re better than that!!!

Retail is suffering post Covid and lazy, negative with bad attitude people like Nothile shouldn’t be put in front of house just to ruin a person’s day early in the morning and still show no remorse and/or accountability!