The Sound of Silence

Dear Reader and Corporate Leaders,

My Goodness, just looking at the stats on Hello Peter... How is this company still in operation?!?!

On the 4th of November 2024 I sent an email to Sanlam on the client services email address. After a week, I sent a follow up email...and have done so weekly via email and I have yet to receive response and today is the 19th of November 2024. Between sending email follow ups, numerous attempts were made to made to contact Sanlam via telephone. I can never get through! Last week I found myself in Sandton and decided to pay Sanlam an in person visit after holding on the line for 30 minutes without success of talking to a consultant. I did not even make it past reception on the day, the ladies at reception politely said they and no one in the building can help me as this was the corporate office. They are not client facing. (Not sure how many employees and executives occupy that office, but apparently no one in the entire building could take 2 minutes to listen to an aggrieved client).

Yesterday, the 18th of November 2024, I woke up with the determination of trying to contact Sanlam once again via telephone. I called around 8am to hopefully catch someone as the day begins. To my surprise I managed to get through within 15 minutes (This being the first time ever getting through since the 4th of November 2024). I spoke to a consultant named Lungisani. Im not sure if he even opened up my profile as I had to give him my membership number on three occasions to access my profile. Not to mention I explained to Lungisani that I am battling stage 4 cancer and in desperate need of my pension funds for medical expenses. This totally confused the consultant who then wanted to transfer me to another department and thought I was now trying to claim disability. (I truly hope that Sanlam will listen to the recorded conversation). I then asked Lungisani to speak to a team leader or supervisor. After holding for quite some time, a lady by the name of Sally comes onto the line. I politely asked Sally if she was a team leader, to which she rep**** NO. I then had to spend another 5 minutes arguing with Sally who refused to put me through to a team leader. In stead, the call was transferred back to Lungisani. At this point I am frustrated and demand that Lungisani put me though to a team leader, AND THEN TO MY ABSOLUTE DISGUST HE PUT THE PHONE DOWN ON ME. Needless to say I could not get through again and around 11am the line just goes dead immediately when trying to call.

I do not know how, in today's times, a company can operate successfully without listening to the complaints of its clients and growing with the times. It seems so draconian that a company can simply silence its critics and carry on as if it means nothing to the corporate conglomerate.

Another thing I would like to add, Sanlam uses the unacceptable excuse of being inundated with claims regarding the two pot system which is causing delays. How much media attention and notice was given to private institutions of this system implementation? Are you telling me no preparations were made to account for the influx of claims. Are there not highly educated people employed by Sanlam who could have foreseen this and implement measures in advance? Not a very good example that Sanlam sets to the nation. How about I decide to drive across the country and not fill up my car in advance and hope for the best as I go along.

If only Natural Selection would apply to companies who do not meet the cut!