Lack of customer service

I purchased ster kinekor tickets for the Gateway cinema, for 2 adults and 4 kids on 12 Dec 2016 online, to watch a movie on 16 Dec. On collecting the tickets with my ref number, i was told there was no booking. On trying to resolve the issue at the cinema, i was told that it was ticketline's issue and i had to sort out. I had to go in to the managers office and speak to ticket line myself, leaving my kids with my friend. This took quite awhile with no resolution and kids getting restless as the movie had already started. I then had to re book and purchase 6 tickets at the cinema. Thankfully there were still seats available.

I contacted the ticketline agent who promised to sort out a refund of the initial tickets and send me complimentary tickets. A week later.. i received nothing. Followed up a few times a week later.. nothing. Kept watching bank statement, nothing.

Bearing in mind that it is my cost to keep calling and holding on ticketline. As well as my time and effort to keep following up on an issue that is clearly an issue on their side.

I visited the cinemas 4 times between dec and jan with the kids and the comps would have been well used. However, i received nothing. It is now feb.

I contacted the ticketline call centre again on 19th feb 2017. Ie. 2 months later. Got hold of the call centre agent i initially spoke to, who had moved roles. Was told he could give me only 2 prestige comps or comps to the value of 280 only INSTEAD of a refund.

How does that make sense?

And he was told not to overcompensate customers by his manager! I received a refund the next day. But no comps.

Now

I would've taken a refund ONLY had they refunded me within the 1st week. But, 2 months later and my endless calls and waiting online is surely worth more than only my refund. As well as the fact that we missed the start of the movie, which itself warrants 6 comps. Ie. This should have been done in dec!

Now Surely this is an issue for ster kinekor to sort with ticketline if they choose to use them for online bookings. How does it become the customers problem? Customer service is severely lacking on both parties side. I am extremely disappointed at the lack of ethics and care for customers on the part of both ticketline and ster kinekor, and especially, with the call centre managers attitude re 'overcompensating'.

YOU, ticketline/sterkinekor, did NOT resolve the issue timeously, ie. Let me spell that out, for 2 months! Had i not called and followed up on 19 Feb, i would never have received a refund. Even though this was reported to them on 16 Dec from the cinema, and repeatedly in the weeks that followed! I even sent a bank statement in Dec, as they requested to PROVE i paid them twice!