Appalling incompetence and lack of empathy from Old Mutual

Thinking of opening an investment account for your kids? Old Mutual is the biggest mistake you will ever make. When signing you up they are on the ball. Come time to make amendments or withdrawals you become a burden.

I instructed OM to adjust the amount to be debited from my account for my daughter because I had lost my source of income but didn't want to stop the saving. They sent me from pillar to post till I visited a branch in Kuilsriver where a lady finally helped me. She also struggled getting hold of the contact centre and she was using an OM phone. Imagine me from a cellphone.

Eventually we were asked to write a letter and fill in some forms which was done on 12 March 2020 requesting the reduction in amount to be debited. Come end of March they still debit the full amount. I have them the benefit of the doubt that the instruction was actioned after their "cut of date". Fast forward end of April they debit again the amount I had asked them to reduce instead of the new lower amount. I have sent them emails, tweets, messages on their website and all I have is an email from a one MICHAEL HENDRICKS | Senior Administrator requesting I refill the forms again that I sent to them in March. This is on the 4th of May almost 2 months later. Besides we are Ina lock down where am I supposed to find a printer and scanning facilities? Is this an essential service? In my query I requested they call me which they have not bothered to despite a promise on Twitter that they would call me.

I am so tired of these people and their incompetence. I am at my wit's end. I need them to refund my money and debit what I am comfortable with as my request. It's a time where they need to have empathy for their clients. After all I am not asking for a loan or begging for a hand out. This is money I am saving for my child and we have hit hard times. I am not even taking the easy route of cancelling the policy. I am merely asking they debit less than what I had initially provisioned for.

I am truly upset with the incompetence and would never advise anyone to ever invest with this institution. Rather check what products your banks offer. After all this is the same institution which a frustrated family had to drop a corpse at their offices to get service. Appalling and disappointing