Old Mutual - ********** and ***********.

Yesterday I went to Old Mutual (Taung branch) to report ********** deductions from their side directly from my persal. I got there at about 16:30 and the lady at reception told me to return to today because the lady who could help me had knocked off at 16:00.

Today I got there at about 15:50. I explained to lady at reception why I was there and that I had been there the day before. She then instructed me to have a seat and wait for the lady working in booth no. 7. I waited, the lady eventually approached me and asked how she could help me. I explained. She told me she couldn’t help me and that the lady at reception was supposed to “register” me.

Back at reception again. The lady goes on to explain to the other one how “I did not explain myself properly”. I’m then given a number and instructed to wait for my number to be called. Eventually, I’m called to booth no. 8.

I get to booth no. 8. And as annoyed as I am at this point, I still politely greet the lady and took a seat. She asks for my ID, physical address and contact number. And get busy on her computer. All the while busy on the phone, chatting to others, asking for water etc. But says nothing to me. Then she asks me to remove my mask and asks me to look into what looked like a camera lens. I asked if she’s really just going to take a pic of me like that without even explaining what she’s doing and why? She gets annoyed. Repeats the whole physical address and contact number then calls over one of her male colleagues and asks him to help me because she’s busy with “whatever” and instructs me to follow this guy.

When we get to this guy’s booth. I ask him what’s going on because no one is explaining anything to me. He just responds by saying he’ll help. I then ask him to use the loo and he tells me they don’t have one on site but I can go use the mall’s public facilities.

When I get back, he’s busy helping other clients. I wait. When he finally gets back to me, he asks if I have all my payslips that show deductions made to my persal. I hand them over. Then he asks for a bank statement. I didn’t have it and I let him know that. Then he told me he couldn’t help me without one and that I should return tomorrow because it’s already 17:00 and they’re closing. I asked to at least do whatever it is he had to do so that the next day I would just drop the bank statement off since I was there the yesterday and today for over an hour. He refused saying everything had to be done at the same time.

I honestly don’t understand how or why I would be sent from pillar to post and be expected to frequent a place that clearly lacks professionalism and good clients service standards.

I honestly don’t understand how Old Mutual, a company I used to consider reputable, would have such poor standards and service rendering expectations from their employees. It is no way that one of their employees created ********** policies in my name and that they did not confirm any of it with me before billing me for it. And now, instead of helping me, I need to go make appearances in the offices for over an hour without being helped. As if I have absolutely nothing better to do with my time.

Tomorrow I’m reporting this issue (*****) to the police and seeking legal advice on a way forward.