Port Elizabeth, 5 Ways

This is an message i sent to PnP on the 1st of November 2017. To date... No feedback... I live in Newton Park Port Elizabeth where there is 2 electricity prepaid selling points literally within walking distance from my home.

I work in Westbourne road and because there is a pick and pay at the 5ways crossing at a petrol station I have decided to purchase electricity there since I started working in this area in August.

The reason is 2 fold. I have a pick and pay points card so anything I buy earns me points. I hardly ever shop at a spar or checkers. Considering that there is a Spar right across the road in Five Ways and also a block away from my house in Newton Park I still drive the little bit further to support Pick and Pay.

This morning left an incredibly bitter taste in my mouth. I dealt with a lady there (The name on the cashier slip is Ntobo, but the name on her bage as a bit longer so not 100% sure if it is the same lady.

I have a photograph on my phone of my electricity card. I have used this as a way of purchasing electricity for over 3 years now.

At this specific shop they always request that the card number be written on a s**** of paper (human error - and you write the number down wrong and electricity gets loaded to wrong premises) So I ask the lady for a s**** of paper. She ignored me, making mumbled remarks about numbers that should be handwritten on a s**** of paper. She then started helping the lady behind me. I was standing with some purchases I needed to make in my hand as well, money ready to pay.

Upon asking for a piece of paper again (to do a pointless exercise of writing down a number)... She ranted about not accepting phones with photographs and I should ask for paper. I did tell her that I did ask for a piece of paper upon which the rude remarks just continued... This while they help customers with s****s of papers and old slips from previous purchases with the meter number on (which also needs to be typed onto the machine manually like they do with the photograph on a phone.

On previous occasions the address was confirmed before processing the transaction, which is a standard practice when purchasing electricity from places. This time it did not happen.

Now the question arises on how people can work at a cashier ignore a paying client who bypasses 2 other possible shops to support a Pick and pay and make small purchases like sweets and cooldrink.

Maybe it is the rule with them to not take a phone, which baffles me completely considering the 2 areas of human error that slips in if a piece of paper with a scribbled number on a old slip is handed in. Sureley the accuracy of a picture of an electrical card is more accurate than a handwritten s**** of paper.

I can understand if it is a procedure enforced by their manager.

But rudeness and blatant ignoring of a paying customer is not understandable.

I am extremely disappointed in the treatment I received and have decided not to support the store, rather purchase electricity online or at the two shops closer at home and shop at the 5 ways Spar.

The question I have for you is will something be done about this rude person or will this just be ignored?