Impossibly poor customer service

After losing my job as a result of Covid, I slowly worked my way through my savings while I looked for a job. When I was reaching a point where I was no longer able to support myself, I decided to claim some of my retirement investment.

Therefore, on 19 October 2020, I submitted a claim against my Old Mutual investments via e-mail. Two weeks later, on 3 November, I received an email from Caitlin Hendricks from Old Mutual confirming the claim and requesting that I authorise the claim and charges. It took Old Mutual just over two weeks to open my claim and to forward it to someone to action it. I responded immediately, hoping that payment would follow.

I followed up my response with the Call Centre and the wait times were extremely long (in excess of 10 minutes). It cost me more than I care to spend in airtime waiting for someone to answer.

Finally, on 9 November, I emailed Caitlin Hendricks to ask her when I might expect payment. I mailed her because she was the only human being that I had contact with outside of the call centre that seemed overwhelmed and understaffed. I had not reply.

I emailed her again on 10 November. Again no reply.

I emailed her again 11 November and she rep**** to say that I could expect payment between 5 and 9 days.

I immediately thanked her and asked if this was calendar days or working days. No reply. I assumed that it would be working days.

On 18 November, I emailed Caitlin Hendricks to enquire if payment was on schedule and could I expect it last week (that would have been within the 5 day period). No reply.

I mailed her on 19 and 20 November. No reply. Do you see a pattern.

I emailed Ms Hendricks every day this week and still no reply.

Today, in mounting frustration, I called the call centre. I was on the phone for a full 16 minutes, finally found a person that seemed interested in talking to me when my airtime ran out and the call was cut.

I submitted a claim more than a month ago and I still do not know when I can expect payment.

The customer service that I have received from an Old Mutual employee is truly poor. I do believe that the company needs to make more of an effort to train their staff better and also to make some of the communication simpler. There really should be no need for a person to hold on the line for 16 minutes before reaching a human being.

It is a very poor show on the part of Old Mutual.