AT the company I work for, we strive for service perfection, but settle for service excellence. Because of this I felt compelled to share my story of disappointing service with all.
On Thursday 11 November at 10:30, I went to Lewis Stores Paarl (the main branch) in Lady Grey Street. I had received one of their catalogues in the post and went to purchase a dining room suite.
I asked the sales lady if they had the product I wanted.
I paid cash for the item and the sales lady informed me that she would call me the following day for delivery. I told her we would collect them on the Saturday.
She never called as promised and I called on the Friday. She assured me that I could come to pick up the goods and said she would call me to confirm on the Saturday morning.
I again had to make the call. At that time she said the manager was busy looking for stock. She called me back ten minutes later to inform me that they were able to get a dining room suite, but only with five chairs and offered a discount for the missing chair.
It was 09:30 when she called me and I informed her that I wanted to cancel the sale and wanted my money back.
She asked what time I would be in to collect my refund and I informed her that I would be there after 12:00.
I walked into their branch at 12:20 and was informed by the sales lady that it would take five minutes for the refund because they had to get an authorisation number from their area manager.
I assumed that that would have already been done as I had informed them at 09:30 that I would cancel the sale. I waited and waited.
The manager was sitting there and when the sales lady asked him he said he still had to call the area manager. I had been standing there for almost 15 minutes. Nobody, not the salesman or the manager, tried to offer me something else.
When I became agitated and insisted on being helped he very abruptly told me that I just had to wait because he had to get an authorisation number.
He called numerous people, as the number he obtained didn’t work.
Needless to say I only left Lewis Stores at 13:35 with less than the cash I paid, as a portion was being reversed back to my savings account as I had paid with my debit card.
I was disappointed when I entered the branch because I really wanted that dining room suite, but I was appalled at the service for my refund: it took five minutes to do my cash sale, but it took almost two hours to process my refund.
On our way out my husband told the manager that the service we had received was terrible. He was busy on his phone - he never looked up.
He then said that it was not his fault that we were not able to get what we purchased. He said it was the sales lady’s fault. I told him that he as the manager of the store should not pass the buck.
I told him that I would lay a complaint. He said he would handle it. I then snapped and said “How will you be able to, seeing that you cannot even take ownership or arrange something as simple as a refund?”
Attempts to raise my complaint to the Lewis Call Centre also failed.
Agatha Plaatjies
Judy Isaacs, Call Centre Manager of Lewis Stores, responds: The company aims to consistently offer a professional service to our customers and the level of service received is unacceptable and by no means in line with the standards set by the company. Our Divisional Manager has contacted the customer and has assured her that this matter will be addressed to ensure that there is no further cause for complaints of this nature.
