Most Horrific Experience at Pepcell Jozini

On the 18th of March after work, I went to Pepcell Jozini mall to purchase a C to C car cable charger and a C/USB socket charger. When I reached the counter, a very vivacious lady named Phumzile asked to see my phone before ringing up the item I had handed her the to round up for me.

I asked her why and she said she needed to make sure that I have the right charger as the charger I handed her is very slow to charge androids. As loud as she was, she further left me in the counter, walked around it to the chargers' station and almost as if addressing the whole store, started showing me the C/USB cable charger that was ''best'' for me. She got a fast charger for both sets of chargers.

I need to stress that this advice wasn't requested and definitely unwarranted, not to mention embarrassing. She further shouted the differences in prices, not mindful of the fact that I had already seen the prices for the charger I handed her and the locked C to C cable I requested.

Feeling very belittled and embarrassed, I accepted all the charges which she didn't bother asking me if I was okay with or could afford.

I paid for the cables and left. Upon getting home, I realized that she had rung up a wrong cable for the socket charger. She gave me a micro cable and not the C/USB as the one I had initially intended to purchase and handed to her. I then called the store and luckily Phumzile answered the telephone. She insisted that she was trying to help me and offered no apology nor any form of remorse.

The only thing she was sorry for was ''trying to help me!''

She then told me to return the item immediately for an exchange. I related to her the distance from myself and the shop and the cost implications of such a trip as a result of her incompetence. She reiterated that it wasn't her fault she was trying to help. At that point I was fuelled with anger and the emotions of how she had treated me in front of other customers in the store. So I hung up to avoid saying something I couldn't take back.

The following morning I drove to the Pepcell store at Jozini mall and Phumzile wasn't there. I was assisted by Qhamu, the store manager. Upon relating the series of events that had unfolded, I was accused by Qhamu of being overly emotional. I agreed that I was and with good reason as I use my phone for work, business and for my research. And this action had caused me huge financial losses.

At this stage I had already endured embarrasment the day prior, enough unnecessary inconvenience just by coming back to the shop at my cost and she was belittling the loss I had suffered because of Phumzile's mistake and careless eagerness. At the very least she should be apologizing for her employee's incompetence not gas-lighting me.

I left the shop without an apology nor acknowledgement of the consequences of this level of error. Prior to leaving, I did relate to Qhamu that I was registering an official complaint with her as a store manager. All she said was ''okay''. I expected her to note down my details and at the very least commit that she would investigate the matter and communicate her findings with me.

I then told her I would escalate it to Pep Stores S.A. Again the response was okay. I'm appalled and expect this matter to be resolved as I don't deserve that kind of treatment as paying client. I decided against giving any negative reviews nor taking any external action until I had given you the opportunity to attend to this matter in a manner it deserves. I email Pep and haven't heard back until now.

I do ask yourself, how many other customers receive such treatment without the facilities nor abilities to act on it! I bought a minor item but the costs and repercussions were huge. I couldn't send nor receive emails as my phone couldn't be charged. The time I lost as I couldn't work at home since I had a wrong charger. The business I lost. The financial implications and only to be dismissed as overly emotional by management is rather appalling. Not alright, not acceptable!