Heroes of Game Canal Walk

Honestly the best service I've received in my entire life.

On the 27th June 2020, on a Saturday evening, I bought a 65 inch UHD 4K Samsung TV with additional delivery as an option at Game Canal Walk. After confirmation of the sale, I was told by the sales assistant that this delivery request would need to be sent to the delivery team and delivered to me by Monday 29th June 2020

Monday 29th June 2020 comes and before the clock strikes 12 in the afternoon, I decided to call Game Canal Walk to enquire about an estimated time as to when we can expect the TV.

Frustration 1: I called Game Canal Walk on and off for 2 whole hours. After long waiting periods, this being 10 to 15 minutes each, I put the phone down and try again in 10 minutes.

When I got through to someone, they'd transfer me to the TV department to which I could literally hear someone pick up, say nothing to me, and either put me back on hold or dropping the call. This happened from before 12 o' clock the afternoon until 1.50pm.

By this time, I was very upset and frustrated because this was a very small enquiry that required too much invested time, money spent on airtime and going around in circles. I was at this point very angry and decided I wanted to cancel the entire order as whole and get my money back.

Best Service: I tried my utmost best to not be upset but the 2 hours I spent trying to ask Game Canal Walk a simple question, fueled my commitment to cancel this order completely and in my mind I was sure no one was going to tell me otherwise.

At 1.55pm, I received a call from Shahied Isaacs, no relation, who was the unfortunate person to receive this frustration from me. I admit, I did not care who I was speaking to and I was red with rage. A weakness from my side at that time that Shahied handled with amazing tact, professionalism, rapport and wisdom.

Shahied pushed and pulled on my anger, at one point in the conversation allowing me to shout, at another point acknowledging my frustration, and at a different point telling me he will not tolerate swearing, and then continuing to listen to my frustration and acknowledged my request to cancel. I did not realise what he was doing until after the whole incident was done. His first solution was to tame the bull.

At this point I am still angry, but I can listen to him reason, Shahied proceeds to acknowledge my cancellation request and tells me I should give him 10 minutes and he will call me back. Not realising this is a tactic to allow me to calm down. I agreed. This was the first sign of a gem in your company

With my anger vented, and my request being attended to I calmed down.

9 minutes and 50 seconds pass and Shahied calls me back. This was the second sign of a gem in your company.

He pulls me towards reason, and requests that I do not cancel my order but rather allow him to be in touch with the delivery team and he will keep me updated every step of the way, gave me his whatsapp number, and the magic began.

Shahied literally did the following: 1. Whatsapped me through the entire process 2. Contacted delivery team 3. Sent me screenshots 4. Gave me status updates 5. Called me to make me aware of delays 6. Asked me for necessary information via whatsapp 7. Told me when things were on track 8. Gave me delivery times 9. Followed up with delivery teams again and notified me 10. Kept in contact even after his shift was done until TV was delivered

Shahied experienced his own frustrations along the way, struggling to get hold of the delivery warehouse, my delivery request not being filed, Shahied having to put in a custom request just so that he could make sure that Game kept their honor and dignity and bad reviews.

I can assure you if it was not for this man, I personally would have committed to taking this to the highest level of management within Game and also the City of Cape Town Ombudsman.

I sincerely apologised to Shahied, for my initial frustration and behavior, and tried explaining that he did not have to go this extra mile but he insisted which I really appreciated.

This was Shahied from the 29th June 2020 until the 30th June 2020 where our TV was delivered sometime between 7pm and 8pm the evening of the 30th, only because Shahied made it happen. Only because he persisted.

Bare in mind I wanted none of this, a simple enquiry, and a simple cancellation which turned into the most humbling experiences for me and most grateful towards Shahied.

My TV was delivered and we set it up that same night only to enjoy it for a few hours and hear a ticking sound coming from the back of the TV.

I monitored this and notified Shahied telling him I will keep on monitoring the situation. On the 1st July the evening I told him that the problem with the TV is still persisting.

Hero move 2: Shahied contacted me to tell me he will sort it out and that I am in luck because this TV went on to have a special that includes the sound bar. Shahied said even though he is off on the 2nd July 2020, he will be setting up that someone collects the old TV, delivers the new one and provides me with the sound bar.

2nd July 2020: Step in Uzair Frydie, who is part of this setup with Shahied. In his own personal vehicle, delivers the TV to me and sets it up with the sound bar in no time. Takes the defective TV, confirms that it is definitely an older model as the boxing and the foam protection looks like that of the older TVs, wraps it up and off he goes. All this while bringing great conversation and an excellent vibe to my house. I was grateful beyond compare.

My request for recognition for these gentlemen:

Firstly, without Shahied Isaacs I believe your company would not be able to withstand the amount of angry and upset customers you would've had and I am positive that business would've been taken elsewhere. Game Canal Walk gets 5 stars because of one man carrying your entire business reputation on his shoulders, one man.

I implore you to consider giving Shahied Isaacs a raise, or an equally fair and respectable higher position that he currently holds. Should he be overlooked for such an opportunity it would not only reflect badly on his employer and what you would like to use as an encouraging example, but it would also speak volumes to that which Game Canal Walk overlooks as value thus negatively influencing the rest of the staff members. I would like to follow up regarding whether the amount of weight resting on this one mans shoulders has been compensated fairly. We're not just talking a few nice words and a gift. Make his life better, so that he may be what Game Canal Walk staff strive to become.

For Uzair Frydie, please reward him accordingly for his role in this as well. If this was a soccer team, and Uzair scored the goal with Shahied setting up the entire play by play, Uzair still deserves the recognition for the value added in the end, with amazing energy and customer service, tech savvy smoothness and knowledge sharing that makes any customer want to welcome him in their home.

Uzair Frydie, being the arms and legs for Shahied on his off day to get this to me, to be part of the solution, tells me they have the same believe and value. Uzair Frydie contributed to carrying the weight of Game Canal Walks reputation on his shoulders as well and for allowing the ending of this relay to be just as successful.

I would like to personally say Thank You, Shahied and Uzair, for this amazing, super hero like service that one would never have expected. You gentlemen are amazing and should be compensated, rewarded and sincerely acknowledged for your efforts by those above you.

Please, upon my request, forward any management this needs to reach in order to give thanks to these two men. Without them, the star rating would be zero.

Sincerely, Seraaj Isaacs