Being called an Asshole by a Cashier

<p>I went to Shoprite Eloff Street in Johannesburg Central this morning at around 08:20 in the morning looking to buy electricity. i went in there in a hurry because i was starting work at 09:00 am. i went straight to the kiosk. upon getting to the cashier i greeted her, told her that i needed to purchase electricity worth R30. she then responded that she needed a card or a previous reciept with proof that i had purchased electricity with my meter number. i told her i did not have that with me as i always buy my electricity with mobile banking, i then further explained that my phone is not working at the moment hence the request to purchase. she then told me she cant help me if i didnt have a previous reciept or an electricity card. i then emphasized that when i moved into where i currently reside( Ormonde, South of Johannesburg) i was not given a prepaid card, i just carry my meter number if the situation calls for me to purchase electricity. i then went on to further explain that my nearest shoprite, which is in ridgeway, has sold me electricity on countless times with no request of a card nor a past reciept. i even made mention of shoprite end street as a shop whereby i have purchased electricity before and i wasnt asked to produce anything, just my meter number. the cashier then called her manager, who further echoed what the cashier said. he then told me the reason why this was in place was to protect the store as there have been customers who have purchased electricity without a card or past reciept, only to return to say the meter number on the reciept is wrong. i then pointed out a fact that we agreed upon, i told him that if shoprite ridgeway and end street can sell electricity to me without needing a card or past reciept, why couldnt shoprite eloff street do that because in my eyes, they are different branches however they represent one brand, shoprite. i pointed out that this process is not a universal one across all shoprites and that is a flaw with shoprite's internal process, which ofcourse is now inconveniencing me as a buying customer. he agreed with me 100%, even suggesting that he will raise it up internally and even went as far as saying maybe they(shoprite as a whole) should put a board saying a customer cant be sold electricity without proof of meter number by way of a card or past reciept, to which i responded that it was actually a good idea, so that expectations are set with customers beforehand. he then, upon his discretion, decided to sell me the electricity, he requested for my meter number, i gave him and he processed it. all this time while i was talking to the manager and him resolving my query, the cashier on the side was buzy commenting and throwing sarcastic remarks at me, such as "why then didnt you go to shoprite ridgeway to buy your electricity, why did you come here" which i found to be extremely rude and uneccessary, as her manager had resolved my query and educated me in case i come to buy electricity in future. she kept on provoking me with sarcastic, rude remarks even though these were not waranted, all this in front of her manager who did absolutely nothing to stop her, his silence was as if to say "continue, im behind you 100%". Either that or that manager clearly doesnt know how to get his staff members in line and show customers empathy or true customer service. she then stopped with her sarcastic remarks and started gossiping about me with a nearby merchandiser, who found the situation to be quiet amusing, so did she. once she stopped gossiping about me she came back to me, started again to provoke me with senseless, sarcastic comments, while again, her manager did absolutely nothing to stop her. i started loosing my patience and addressed this with her directly, asking her what is her problem, why is she so loud, rude, in front of her manager. to which she rep**** that i should shut up and mind my own business...this infuriated me...i told her off, told her that her manager was doing her job better then she can, to which she shocked me by refferring me to an ASSHOLE...she called me an ASSHOLE!!!!!!!! TWICE!!!!! IN FRONT OF HER MANAGER,STAFF AND OTHER CUSTOMERS!!!! I know the service in shoprite is BAD, but i never thought i'd be sworn at by a cashier, in full view of everyone!! i asked the manager if he is just going to stand there and let a customer be abused and sworn at, to which the manager tried to bush it aside by saying in zulu "Angithi ukhuluma nami?? Manje why uphendula lo sisi??"( Meaning you are addressing or talking to me right now right? so why then are you responding to this lady?)...I was shocked! he asked as if i was mad, like i was not being provoked the whole time by this cashier lady!! he tried to brush it off by asking me to check if the meter number i gave him matched the one on the reciept!! to which i was livid and asked him again...are you going to let a member of staff call me, a customer, a paying customer, AN ASSHOLE IN FULL VIEW OF EVERYONE!!!!...he brushed it off by saying "he will deal with it"....at this point as you can imagine, i am upset beyond measure, i am now late for work, all because of employees who dont know what customer service means. i asked the manager to see him in the office as i wanted to make an official complaint regarding this matter. on the way to the office, the merchandiser walked up to me and said "i was provoking the cashier" to which i rep****, " no one was talking to you, no one asked for your opinion"...he then responded by saying i shouldnt say that to him because he will **** me up!!! and if i dont believe him, lets step outside so he can beat me up!...All of this, AGAIN!!! in front of the Store Manager, who did, AGAIN!! ABSOLOTELY NOTHING!!!( I am sure you can imagine that this store manager is pretty useless at what he does, he doesnt understand conflict management)...MY GOD!! Since when did Shoprite Eloff Street Johannesburg become a tavern where anyone can call any customer an asshole, then any merchandiser can threaten to beat a customer up, or rather, to use the merchandiser's exact word, "Make me **** in my pants"...Since when????. We then get to office, i ask the manager the complaints handling procedure for shoprite....to my shock, well honestly not because this manager cant do his job, he didnt know the complaints handling process. instead, HE WAS TRYING TO SHOW ME HOW WRONG I WAS!! HOW DOES THAT WORK????!!!! a customer gets called an ASSHOLE BY A MEMBER OF STAFF AND THE CUSTOMER IS WRONG?????!!!!!!!!!!! HOW!!!!!!!! i asked for a number or email for headoffice...he didnt have it! he gave me the customer service hotline that is on every shoprite packet and told me to call that number. he did not even attempt to resolve my complaint nor did he even apologise for the appauling manner in which his staff member and the merchandiser treated me! NOT EVEN A SINGLE "I AM SORRY"!! </p> <p> </p> <p>This is not dissapointing in my view, this is dowright disgusting how i was treated today. extremely disgusting! I want to be contacted Regarding this complaint, i will write a seperate email to head office about this. Should this not be resolved to my satisfaction, i will be writing a letter of complaint to the Retail Ombudsman to alert them of this disgusting incident. The name of the manager who attended to me at shoprite eloff street is Pat Tjiane and the name of the cashier who called me an ASSHOLE is Celesta Nqosa. The number this useless manager gave me to complain is ********** 0709.</p>