Rude Branch Manager, Gloria at the Vincent Park, East London

I was subjected to rude, arrogant and condescending attitude by the branch manager Gloria at the East London Vincent Park Telkom branch.

We have been having issues regarding our home fibre being reconnected, initially I went to the Hemmingways branch to enquire because all the numbers I was calling were not giving me a clear indication of what was the problem.

About a week after that, Friday March 12, I went to the Vincent Park Branch. I stood outside waiting for someone to allow me in as there were about one or two customers in the store at the time. Due to Covid-19 protocols I waited for someone to give me the go ahead.

Gloria came up to me and asked my reason for coming. I went on to explain my problem and inform her that this was a follow up enquiry. Her first response was that I should bring the routers in because that should be the problem after which I explained again to her that the initial problem was not with the router but rather the connection. Her next response was I should go home and call in on some line without giving me details, no number, no reasoning nothing. “You must go call in, our consultants don’t deal with that” Her irritation with my insistence became jostle . At that point an argument ensued, on the door of Telkom. It was apparent she had ready set answers for everything I was asking

She simply refused to listen to me and actually hear me. My main request was that she check on the system as was done the other times we made this enquiry.

After insistence on my side that she check on the system if the status of the account, a very annoyed Gloria said i should give her the details and I should wait outside for her. I asked her why I could not come inside and be treated with dignity as any Telkom client should. I told her I was not comfortable giving out personal information whilst standing in the middle of the mall like a loiter. She vehemently refused me entrance stating, if we won’t be doing it her way, we won’t be doing it at all. She told me the other consultants aren’t available for me for that. I’d like to remind you at this point the store is still very much empty, and my stepping inside was not going to crowd anyone. Her arrogance was in her not forgetting to tell me multiple times she’s the branch mangers, as a way to pull rank that her word is final.

When I reminded Gloria we are infact actual Telkom clients and that I refuse to be treated like a common loiter, she said “YOU ARE NOT, YOUR BROTHER IS!”. Now to this point, it is impossible for my brother in-law to spend more time than he already has following up on internet issues as he spends his days between court and seeing clients and the shopS are closed when he gets off. Secondly in one household surely its common sense that one person assumes ownership of the contract and because he has used a Telkom line in his firm for years its natural that he took out the contract. This explanation should not be necessary because the who’s and why’s shouldn’t be questioned, the point is the is a user of Telkom service needed help with a problem.

She subsequently walked away from me, having refused to let me in. I was angered by her tone, and insistence of assisting on her terms as if I had done something wrong by coming to ask for help from them.

I then reverted back to Hemmingways the store I originally went to. My treatment in Hemmingways confirmed further that I was not in fact overacting and expecting too much from Gloria because I went with the exact same problem but both the ladies at the door and behind the counter who assisted me were willing to hear me and provide me with solutions, it also might’ve not been the scope of expertise but the made sure to do something. The lady behind the counter at Hemingway’s (a counter I was refused to stand behind in the other branch) was able to look up our account, try find out what the problem was and escalate it to someone who should be in a position rectify it. While still being consulted by her I was able to get a call back form the Telkom in Pretoria that deals with such. The or Branch did not have any more access over Glorias branch, the only difference was the people and how they chose to help someone coming in for help.

It makes me wonder if a branch Manager can be so condescending and rude to clients, is that a reflection of the whole store? Because she is the example the rest of the employees model after. Its the little power she has been given that she may have forgotten how to treat actual clients. This may also be a reflection of how she treats her team, no listening just commands.

Our internet still has not been sorted.