iStore: POOR SERVICE Liberty Midlands Mall

iStore: Liberty Midlands Mall

I've been an MTN customer for nearly 20 years, and this year, my contract was due for an upgrade. My wife had her heart set on the iPhone 15 Pro Max 512GB, and considering the benefits of purchasing from the iStore (extended warranty and iCare), I decided to go through MTN via iStore. In November, around my wife's birthday, the desired device was out of stock. I was advised to join the waitlist, and when the store finally had stock, they initiated the process. However, since it wasn't a direct MTN transaction and my contract wouldn't end until December 16th, I faced an additional charge of approximately R2000 on top of the new contract price, totaling over R3600. I was told that if I waited until December 16th, this fee would be waived, so we patiently waited. On December 13th, I returned to the iStore, and Assistant Manager Jude Naidoo suggested coming back on the 15th because the person with the MTN login, Mikayla, was unavailable. On the 15th, I was informed Mikayla was still unavailable, and I was asked to return on the 16th. Seeing as our frustration built up , Elihle (assistant manager's assistant) intervened, and after some back-and-forth, we managed to progress with the contract. However, we faced technical issues and were unable to log into the MTN backend to release the stock, leaving us even more frustrated. Despite it being the busiest retail weekend of the year, we returned on the 16th. Unfortunately, the iStore still couldn't access the MTN portal to release the device. We contacted iStore head office, who promised to escalate the issue, and we were advised to wait until Monday. On Monday the 18th, Jude informed us that internal system issues persisted, and the device was not ready for collection. Losing patience, we visited the iStore that evening, but they couldn't provide assistance. They promised to try again on the 19th, but no guarantees were given. The MTN backend department, crucial for resolving the issue, was going on leave on the 20th. The situation was escalated, but no resolution was in sight. We were leaving for holiday on the 23rd, and the device was still unavailable. Despite dealing with Mikaela, Tyrese, Elihle, Trevino, and the "assistant manager" Jude Naidoo, no senior person from iStore had reached out. Multiple calls to iStore Head Office went unanswered. The store manager, is leaving in January and was never at store to assist or never contacted us The Pietermaritzburg iStore has been facing this issue for months, impacting customers, but no effective action has been taken. The store seems to have inexperienced staff who struggle with customer service. A Google search for "iStore PMB" reveals numerous negative comments from dissatisfied customers. After two months of patience and no resolution, I am seeking assistance. Please help address this ongoing issue.