Vodacom Bayside's Mr Prins

On Monday 4 October I visited your Bayside store and purchase two LED smart covers for Samsung phones. Your system was offline and the store clerk offered me a manual invoice which I declined as I was in a hurry, but I received the credit card receipt and jokingly made reference to my red hair and other features so he could remember me if I came back with a problem. I got home that evening and realised I had bought covers for the S9 and not the S9+, so the next morning I called the store and asked if they had the case I needed. I was told they did not have stock but that I could return the other covers.

I visited the store today at rough 11h15 and the clerk who originally assisted me was not on duty. The clerk who helped me told me she could not refund me and I’d have to choose something else in the store for R488. There was nothing I wanted or needed and no sign displaying “No Refunds” so I insisted on a refund. At this time she went to the back of the store and came back to say only exchanges were permitted. A man then emerged from the back and left the store. After pleading with the store assistant to help me, and explaining the CPA to her, she said I would need to speak to the manager. I asked where he was and was told he had gone to the toilet. By now I had been in the store for quite a while and was admittedly getting impatient. I began pacing the store from the front door to the back desk looking to see if I could identify the manager on his way back.

A man wearing Vodacom clothing entered the store as I was doing my walk back from the door, carrying a cooldrink, takeout and speaking on his cellphone. I walked towards him at which point he turned to me and shouted “Did you actually just follow me into the store?” I was dumbfounded and just said “WOW”. There were other customers in the store at this point. “Yes wow” he shouted, and stormed into the back of the store. He then came out and started shouting at me about his personal space and my manners. I told him I was in a retail store not his personal space. “and you could SEE I was on the phone” he shouted, and then stormed off again. At this point I was fuming and the store clerk went into the back and came out and starting processing a refund. He then emerged again and shouted at me “Can I HELP you with anything?” I told him not to talk to me. He said “Well you wanted my help now here I am” and something to the effect that I don’t get to tell him when to speak in his store. So I said I didn’t appreciate his tone and asked him to please stop addressing me. He started shouting again that this was his normal tone at which point I told him he then shouldn’t be in retail and that he should please just keep quiet and let the clerk finish the transaction. He then shouted at me to “SHUT UP” and “GET OUT OF MY STORE”. I admit at this point I did swear and said “It’s not your F%^king store and I’m not done with this”. He basically laughed me off.

I have NEVER, EVER had such an experience in all my life. His name is Ulrich Prins and he has no business dealing with customers. I would like to know what action will be taken with regard to this matter. I must also mention that I have a witness to the entire exchange, my aunt, who was with me the entire time and was absolutely speechless having spent her entire career in retail.

In the interim I have had an apology from Vodacom (after escalating the matter on Linkedin) and an assurance that Mr Prins will be dealt with appropriately.