Pep Stores Appalling service and rude Area Manager

I hardly post anything on any social media platform, but this I could not let slide. Please help me by reposting this as I need it to get to the right people.

I decided to not write this last night as it happened because I was extremely upset at how the Bonita the "AREA MANAGER" of PEP Port Elizabeth handled the mishap that took place last night at Pep Baywest.

Last night I had asked my mother to withdraw a cash send that was made to me through Pep. I had sent my mother the 10 digit reference number and pin. When she got to the store she called me to confirm the amount I was sent as this was apparently the standard procedure that Pep had to follow to be able to assist.I told my mother that I am not sure of the exact amount however I do know that it is not less than R1000. Whilst on the phone I heard my mother tell the cashier that the amount is R1000, she "punched" the amount in, the till opened she gave my mother R1000 and a receipt but as my mother was walking out she noticed that the amount reflecting on the receipt is not the amount she was given. The receipt stated that she was only given R100. So my Honest mother went back to the till to understand why she was given this and that is when trouble started.

The cashier demanded that my mother return the R900 as according to her the amount reflecting on the receipt is the amount my mother was supposed to be given. My elderly Mother then called me in a panic informing me of this, I told my mother to not accept that amount and to give the manager of the store the phone. I gave the manager of the store, Rianna, time to explain the situation. In her defense she explained that their system works as follows: the exact amount needs to be confirmed because if an amount larger than what is sent is entered the till won't open and the system will decline the transaction, and in this instance their cashier "punched" in R100 by mistake instead of the R1000 she was asked to, but gave my mother R1000 as per what she was told by my mother. I then asked what happens in an instance where the amount entered is smaller tgan the sent amount and that she could not answer. She then went on to tell me that they can only help tomorrow as their Head Office ,which is the only place that can assist me, is closed and if I can not get the individual who sent me the money to send me a picture of the receipt as proof of the exact amount sent they can not assist me, we have to return tomorrow. That got me upset. I told the manager that this will not be solved tomorrow. It will be sorted tonight as I will not be inconvenienced at their cashier expense. I reiterated how this error had nothing to do with us, I overheard my mother tell the cashier the correct amount and she decided to do as she pleased, so I asked Rianna to do whatever is in her power to ensure that this is sorted no later than today as my mother will walk out of that store with nothing less than R1000. Rianna then asked why I want to make the cashier short of R900 as how can they prove at that time that the sender honestly sent me the amount I had stipulated. I then explained to her that this money is sent by the father of my child as maintenance which he is governed by law to contribute monthly and the least amount is R1000 so I am sure that he did not drive to a Pep store to send me a mere R100. Rianna then asked to call me back as she needed to call he AREA MANAGER. I then recieved a call from a very cheecky and rude " Area Manager" called Bonita who explained everything that Rianna did, so I stopped her and told her what I told Rianna. She then asked if I can not call the sender and ask him what the exact amount is I told her that I can not as he is at work and is unable to answer his cellphone. She asked for his ID number and I told her I do not have it. She then repeatedly told me that they can only assist me tomorrow and that is that. That is when I lost it. I explained this to this so called Area Manager that I WILL NOT be inconvenienced by her staff members mistake. I told her that my mother is not leaving that store without what she came to get. She then started screaming at me and then asked how she can just give my mother an amount she is not sure of it, I now had to divulge my personal information again and explained who the send is and under what circumstances he sends the money. This lady then literally shouts at me and is like "Fine, I will give your mother the R900 extra, but if you were sent anything more than that we will not be able to give it to you". I got extremely upset at this point and told Bonita that she WILL NOT give me ULTIMATUMS regarding my Son's maintenance. And that WHATEVER is due to my son they will ensure is given to my mother tonight. Bonita, kept talking over me, kept cutting me,until she shouted that "I am just going on and on and that she is going to drop her phone". I kept quiet and let her do as she pleased. Soon after she dropped the line the store Manager, Rianna, called me again to apologies and advise me that they have found the error, what basically happened is that the cashier gave my mother the wrong receipt. During this entire ordeal the extremely Rude cashier, Lucille was screaming at my mother and forcing her to accept the R100. I then told Rianna of how disgusted I am in both her cashier and Area Manager and that I am not taking this lying down. Rianna apologised again and assured me that my mother has been given the correct amount and receipt and that she will deal with her rude cashier. Soon after that call ended the same rude and unprofessional "Area Manager" called and very coldly apologised as she stated that the call cut earlier as she was getting another call, tried to explain the mishap and told me that my mother was given the right amount now. I then stopped her from finishing to tell her that she should not patronize me or insult my intelligence. I told her that she deliberately dropped the call because she told me she would. I informed of how at her level I expected way better for Customer Service and that I am taking this up, in her careless attitude she told me to do what I must and I dropped that call.

Over and above her rudeness, I am disgusted at how she failed to manage the situation in a manner that best protects this large listed company's brand perception. I am extremely disappointed that Pep Stores South Africa would employ at that level an individual with no respect what so ever for the next person,let alone for the company she works for, because if she did she would have handled the situation differently.

I must give credit where it is due though because inbetween these calls, I had recieved calls from a consultant at Pep Baywest called Monica who was extremely empathetic and apologetic from the word go, even when the situation had started she assured me that this will be sorted and that my mother will get the amount she came for. Why this individual is not the Area Manager, I do not know because she clearly understand business acumen way better than that extremely rude and impatient Bonita.

I hope that this does not fall on dead ears because I want this addressed to my satisfaction as my elderly retired mother was insulted and ridiculed in that store for an error that one of their own staff members made, who refused to apologies instead she told my mother that she is not her mother and the she upsetting her baby as she is pregnant.

Should this fall on dead ears, I will take the next step because what we experienced last night was APPALLING to say the least. Utterly DISGUSTING. And I am sure that is definitely NOT what the founder of Pep Renier Van Rooyen started that company for. I am expecting to hear from your office Stefan Voges. This is absolutely disappointing that a company you lead treats its loyal customers with such disrespect.