Laziness and cluelessness a dangerous concoction !

On Friday the 8th of December 2017, I called into the Old Mutual Greenacres Branch in Port Elizabeth. I was issued with a queue number 34 at 12:24pm. At 12h36 pm #33 was called to see the consultant. After that #41 was called out. I thought maybe these numbers are issued based on the type of query one has, so I didn't mind. After that the numbers increased. At 14h18, when everybody who came after me had left and I was alone in the waiting area, I approached the reception. I was then told that the number I had was not on the system and therefore invalid, even though it came out of the same system. At this time I was then issued with new card number 54, which I flatly refused to take.

One of the consultants, noticing my unhappiness, offered to help me even though she was already sitting with a customer. She asked the lady at reception to "book me as an appointment ", which I agreed, and had to wait again until she finish helping the customer already in front of her. What that meant was that until she finishes, I cannot see other consultants who may be free, as you may imagine, other people came and went before she finished, and I had to patiently wait. Later on, she finished and I had to sit in front of her. Immediately she made it known to me that she was there to "help" the branch as she was not supposed to be at work that day, something I interpreted as "she was actually there to do me a favour and I must be happy about that", which I appreciated. My unhappiness turned to anger as soon as she told me that she cannot help me as I was a "third party" and that I was not in possession of my late mother's ID, even though I had submitted these on the 21st of November 2017 and I was in possession of a reference number for this case. I suggested to her that she could call the call centre and enquire as to why the delay to my claim, which she said she cannot do. So I left without doing anything, having spent my afternoon in that branch.

I was so shocked and amazed that when I called into the OM Cresta Mall, with only the reference number, the lady there was able to help me.