Horrible service at Markham Greenstone mall

I am writing to formally raise a complaint regarding the treatment I received at your Markham Green Stone store.

I purchased shoes and attempted to return them due to the shoe size. Upon doing so, I was informed that the manager, Mafuis Ntsoeba, was not available and would only return the following week on Tuesday. I then requested to speak to the supervisor, Mthokozisi, expecting that he would be able to assist in the manager’s absence.

To my disappointment, the supervisor stated that he could not make decisions in this matter and that I would need to wait until the manager returned. This response was highly inconvenient, as it requires me to spend additional petrol and time to return again. My understanding is that a supervisor should have the authority to make such decisions when the manager is unavailable.

When called to attend to my situation, the supervisor initially listened and then decided to step away without informing me why, leaving junior staff to handle the matter. I found this unprofessional. When I insisted that he assists, he returned only to reiterate that he could not help. His lack of fami****ity with the store’s return policies, coupled with his dismissive attitude when I indicated that I would escalate the matter, left me feeling disregarded as a customer.

What is most concerning is that during this enquiry, it was the junior staff member who was the most well-informed about both the store’s return policy and the Consumer Protection Act relating to returns. This highlights a serious gap in the supervisor’s knowledge and ability to fulfill his responsibilities.

Additionally, this situation raises questions about the relationship and communication between management and the supervisor. In the absence of the manager, the supervisor should be able to assume managerial responsibilities, apply the necessary steps, and make decisions that a manager would ordinarily make. If there is proper liaison and alignment between the manager and supervisor, it should not be difficult for the supervisor to step in and act in the manager’s stead. The fact that this did not happen suggests that important matters may be omitted or not properly discussed between them, which undermines customer service and operational efficiency. When contacted, the manager did not respond, understandably so because she is on leave but had the guidelines and communication regarding customer service/liaison been communicated effectively, there would be no need for this call to be made in the first place.

This experience reflects poorly on the store’s professionalism and customer service standards. I request that this matter be investigated, and that appropriate steps be taken to ensure supervisors are empowered and trained to assist customers in the absence of a manager, and that staff at all levels are properly fami**** with consumer rights and store policies.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your response and update on steps taken forward regarding this matter.