BAD SERVICE - CALL CENTRE & BRANCH

One of my MTN numbers have been dis-connected from MTN's service because I have not used it for a period of time. This I understand to a certain extend, but I have been a customer of MTN with this number for roughly 13 years. I than went to a MTN branch close to me and they advised that I need to call the call centre should I wish to re-activate the number. I phoned the call centre and apparently I need to go to a MTN store with an affidavit and ID copy in order to request the recycling. I don't understand the bad service where the shop tells you one thing and the call centre another thing. In this age and time good service is what we need, because we don't have the time to run up and down, because of the lack of information and/or knowledge of a product. Also they advised that they won't be able to recycle the number if the branch told me that I need to call them and they are also not able to assist, but if I phone this number in a years time, someone else will answer the phone. What is the reason that they can't recycle this number to me? I mean what is the actual difference here.