Bad Service and Staff Attitude

To Whom It May Concern,

On 9 December 2017 I bought a Mellerware Vision Glass Kettle from PnP Sherwood Gardens, Brakpan, as a birthday gift for my mother.

I bought it about three weeks before her birthday, and she started using it a week after her birthday, so four weeks passed before she started using it.

On Sunday, 6 May 2018, she showed me that the top of the kettle did not want to close and soon after that completely fell apart from the kettle.

Due to my working schedule I gave my parents the slip and asked them to return it to the store, thinking that, since the product have one year guarantee and a two year warrantee, (as relayed to me by the teller at the time since I mentioned that it is a gift), every thing will be going smoothly. Also being clients for so long PnP Sherwood staff would surely be able to discern that my parents are not chancers.

To my great dismay my parents contacted me yesterday 7 May, and communicated a disturbing experience.

When they went to the store they spoke to “Lolo”, a supervisor, who blatantly accused my mother of breaking the kettle herself. After seeing that my mother is being humiliated my Dad stepped in and said that she must give the kettle back. She refused to give the kettle back and said that there was a 7 day return policy if any product should be broken. When my Dad asked her about it she just waved her hand in general over the store and said my Dad must go and have a look, it’s there. She then so ever ‘generously’ offered to get the kettle repaired.

When I bought the kettle there was no sign anywhere about a return policy. I had to ask the teller about the guarantee, no advice was offered to me regarding the two year warrantee whatsoever. Knowing how deceiving they can be due to previous experienced I wouldn’t be surprise to walk into the store today and see a sign of some sorts. Correction, my parents went to get a copy of the slip today, 8 May. My Mom took photo’s all around the electrical appliances – NO SIGN suggesting a 7 day return policy. Surely, a merchant as large as PnP can afford to print it on the back of their slips like most retailers?

My Dad also tried to speak with Mark, who at the time was sitting at an open office. While he was trying to converse a very upset elderly lady interrupted him, complaining about stickers on the meat packages. Mark ignored both of them, got up and stepped away. Maybe he’s so used to people complaining about their lack of service he does not hear it any more.

My parents returned home and after some time received a phone call on one of their cell phones. After saying ‘hello’ a few times, my dad mentioned to my mother he cannot understand why people phone and then just keep quiet, and disconnected the connection.

Then his other phone rang and a lady verbally started abusing him with comments of whose phone number is the cell phone, whose number is the one she is talking to, after going back and forth my Dad asked her who she is and where she is phoning from. She mentioned that my Dad “wharawhara” on the phone. She only then said she is Margie, calling from PnP and that they will fix the kettle (such a big favour from them) since the kettle was misused.

If they had any sense, they would see that apart from the broken lid the kettle look brand new.

If we are in the habit of misusing kettles, why are we still able to use a 5 year old Phillips Kettle, in perfect working condition and without a scratch and a 2 year old Logic Kettle.

I should say that the problem lies with the Mellerware Kettle lid, and before I make any assumptions based on what I have decided, I will have someone with mechanical s****s, preferably working at Mellerware, and look at it. I do not think either Lolo or Margè have the mechanical s**** to determine that.

And if the Mellerware Glass Kettle is supposed not to be used maybe it should be advertised as an ornament or flower pot.

I am appalled by the way PnP Sherwood Garden staff treated my parents.

I personally witnessed on numerous occasions how they will not hesitate to treat elderly people with disregard.

I am also a regular patron at: PnP Springs Mall; PnP Springsgate; and PnP Strubenvale, with which none of I had any such issues as with PnP Sherwood Gardens.

Pnp Sherwood Gardens is a bad apple and a disgrace to the PnP brand and its so-called family values.

I hope that you will take this issue up with the seriousness it deserves as I believe that in the current economic climate no store can afford to loose a few thousand rands of income, which will surely happen if they continue on this road of treating their patrons with disregard.

Kind Regards,

Ms Le Roux