Horrible experience!!!

Dear Ster Kinekor,

With this email I would like to express my severe dissatisfaction with the level of service I received from the personnel including the management of Parow Centre Ster Kinekor.

Can you please tell me what happens in the first 20 minutes of Avengers Endgame? Because after dealing with one crisis after the other my sister, nephew and I missed the first 20 minutes of the 12.45 screening of Endgame on Saturday 4th May. I am a huge fan of Marvel, and I'm sure I don't need to tell you how much Marvel fans look forward to any new movie. This is probably one of THE biggest movie releases of the year and Ster Kinekor has undoubtedly made a colossal profit, but does that mean your level of service has to be lowered??

I booked our tickets online because I knew that it would be nearly impossible to just go to the cinema on the day to get seats. When we arrived I was told that I need to get tickets printed from the popcorn counter. The said popcorn counter had a 4 lines all of which were backed up to the stairs. There was no separate assistant we could approach to redeem our tickets. I was livid - we had just stood in that exact line for popcorn and now we had to go back into the line at 12.45 which was the same time the movie had started. When I asked her why it can't be scanned, the lady who "assisted" us (Abigail) said the machine is broken. She did not apologise, she did not even look me in the face. When I demanded to speak to the manager, Abigail told me that "it's pointless to speak to her (the manager) because she will tell you the same thing". I insisted, and Abigail reluctantly pointed to a locked door saying I should go ask for the manager. I then went to the door, knocked and waited. No one came out.

At this point my sister stood in the line and we got the tickets printed after what felt like maybe 15 - 20 minutes. Upon entering the tickets check point once again I saw the manager standing with Abigail so I spoke to her and told her that I am very unhappy with the level of service today but I would speak to her after the movie. When we got to our allocated seats (booked online days before) someone else was in our seats. We then had to go find an assistant to help. The manager I spoke to just minutes before (Nancy) who refers to herself as "Aunty Nancy" was inside the cinema, I told her our seats are being occupied by other people delaying our movie even further!! I was seething at this point and I explained to her that I don't feel like I should pay for a movie when I had not even watched the most important parts of. She also said that she 'does not know why the people do this' referring to occupying seats that they have not booked. Aunty Nancy then said she could check if she can get us vouchers but that we had to vacate the cinema. I told her I was not going to leave the cinema and she said I should speak to her afterwards.

After the movie we went to look for Aunty Nancy, she said she has called Petronella (the manager of Ster Kinekor Parow) and after discussing the situation with her they have decided that they can't give us a voucher or a refund because we have watched the movie.

Now, there are a few things I would like to highlight here:

1. This is the biggest movie release of the year why did you not ensure that the scanners were working? According to Aunty Nancy, the scanners have not been working for a while now. 2. If in the event that you were not able to get the scanners working, why not put up a sign? Why not have a separate counter to redeem tickets or is it that you WANT to attract people to the popcorn counter? 3. Why did you not anticipate that people would not comply with the seats they have booked since according to your supervisor they are aware of this issue? 4. When did your level of service drop so low? 5. I hate to bring race into this, but I have never received this type of service at any other Ster Kinekor branch, but since Parow Centre caters to a predominantly coloured community (and I am coloured) is this the kind of service we can look forward to?

So now I want to know from you, Ster Kinekor, how am I going to watch the first 20 minutes of Avengers Endgame?

I was told by Aunty Nancy in a very dismissive and condescending tone that she cannot do anything and I explained to her that this is not even about the money. Her nonchalant attitude suggests that complaints at Parow Centre is not taken seriously. She promised me a callback from Petronella, it is now 2 weeks after the movie and I still have not received anything.

I look forward to your response.