Truworths ,,,, Unsympathetic and poor customer service.

What a painful experience I have had in the Bloemfontein branch of Truworths. I fell victim to a crime in that my wallet was ****** from me some time ago. I have, in the meantime, app**** for a new driver’s licence and ID. Living in COVID-19 times where the workforce of many has been reduced, I am still awaiting my new documents but have been issued with temporary driver’s licence issued by a state entity, making this a legal document valid for the period as indicated on the document.

Visiting Bloemfontein, I wanted to purchase some goods on my account at Truworths, who informed me that Truworths do not accept the temporary document as a form of Identification. Yet in court, if I have to prove who I am if I drove a car, IE identifying me, I can use a temporary driver’s licence.

The cashier who refused to give me her name, later I was told that her name is Kelly, called the person in charge at the checkout. This person, Doreen, said to me that that the temporary driver's licences expire. My comment to this was, "so does the card licence. The temporary licence is just as valid in all circumstances for the period of validity as the card".

I decided to phone the customer care no while still at the checkout. The interactive service allows you access to confidential information on your account by merely entering your ID No over the phone. The male customer care agent whose name I did not takedown asked me to confirm my personal details to access my account. This person also confirmed that Truworths only accept ID documents, valid driver licences (temporary driver’s licences is also valid) and passports (that are considered travel documents).

After a battle to be put through to his supervisor, who was not initially available to speak to me, I talked to Mss Joshua. She continuously interrupted me as the client and stuck to the guns of Truworths.

When calling the contact centre, a caller is informed that the calls are recorded. I was refused a transcription of the call by Ms Joshua, sighting that it is private and confidential ... what in this recorded call from me in person can be private and confidential to me as the caller ... absurd. The call asking me questions to validate my account over the phone is accepted. The same answers and more even having the phone with marketing SMSs on it is not accepted. Yet the bank, the court and all other businesses that I had dealing with accepted the verry same temporary driver’s licence. Truworths is the first and only business that gave me this bad customer service.

In my opinion, this is bad customer service on the side of Truworths refusing to accept a legally issued document that is accepted in a court of law is not accepted by Truworths.

My advice... think twice before you open an account with Truworths you might too not be able to purchase something on your account if your wallet with ids and licences are ****** lost or whatever the case and you are issued with temporary documents.