TELKOM BALITTO - TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE

On 29th Feb 2020, I desperately needed data for our store that was offline. I went in and bought the data, only to be told by the consultant that it seemed the airtime did not load. We waited Abit and she checked again and still nothing. Then she said that the payment didn't go through eventhough the credit card machine and invoice said approved. She said that they went offline but will check again and let me know in an hour. I went back after more than and hour and still the data was not loaded. I gave all my details and Cassie gave me hers. I heard nothing from them so after a week (+-10 days), I emailed Cassie with the proof of payment in the credit card statement . She then said that she would escalate the matter and she emailed me a case number and that it would take 72 hrs to finalise. I have had to follow up on this via email as this store does not answer their phone, ever!!! On my third email, Cassie said they have escalated it and her Manager will get back to me. This is now another 48hrs after the 72hrs I waited. I received a call from Arish, the Manager, saying that he had escalated this further but he has not received feedback and that he will call me again the next morning, which was now yesterday. I received no call......I emailed Cassie again and now received a call from Atish this morning, 18 March 2020. He says that he is not receiving any feedback and cannot get through to their back office because they are on a skeleton staff - so now the Carona Virus is being used as an excuse. As a Telecommunications company, why has this taken so long to resolve.? You have my money and proof of it. All you have to do us load the data to the number provided. What is the hold up? Even if staff work from home, there are people with rights to load this data. You do not have to be in your office to do this. I asked for a refund but was told I have to go back to the store - I live in Durban South and now am expected to drive to Balitto for a refund. The customer service from Telkom is terrible and it's ridiculous that it is taking this long to simply load data. They could even refund the money via EFT to my credit card if they need to, but I get told to go to the store for my refund. I would like to know what they did in the 72hrs the case was logged? I do not understand what the problem is - surely the store can load the data and reconcile the undercharge with the overcharge on the 29th Feb. I find it hard to believe in this day and age and with their technology, that they cannot assist me in a reasonable timeframe. The best of all is that we must just wait and be patient:(:(:( I will never use Telkom again.....thank goodness I personally don't have a phone line with them. Enraged and highly frustrated!! Megan Williams ***