Tag Archives: ABSA

Mercedes Culemborg Sweet and Paarl Motors Sour Service Awards

The Sweet Service Award goes to Mercedes Culemborg, and was nominated by Eamon Mack, for the service recovery, after the appalling customer service he received when he went to collect his car.  “It had been towed in to Culemborg a week ago as it would not start. The fault was speculated to be the key or the ignition system. I was told my car will be ready at 4pm today. I took a taxi to the Foreshore and met the service advisor who was dealing with me. After a lot of hanging around she found the key for me, and presented me with a bill for R2300. I said fine, looking at it, and said that I’d pay 30% as I had one of those mobi plans. She said no, that I was due to pay 100%. I said, no, that I had spoken to a number of Mercedes people over the phone and they all had said 30% only was due.  She went into the Service Manager Peter Kruger who loudly said, “Tell him no, he must pay 100%, he has no cover as we do not pay for lost keys”. The service advisor came out and told me this and I stood my ground, explaining that I had not lost the key, but that it had malfunctioned.  At this stage Mr.Kruger appeared from his office with a bunch of files in his hand. I asked him what was going on.”You lost the key, you must pay 100%” he said. I said I had not. He asked where it was then, that they did not have it. I said it had gone in to Culemborg with the car. He denied this, saying that they never got the key. I protested and he said that the issue was between me and the towing company and that I had to pay 100%. He then turned his back on me and walked off.  At this stage I was left standing with the service advisor and a young woman who had spent the time while I was there ringing customers asking them if they had been happy with the service they had received, and to rate Mercedes on a scale of one to ten. How ironic.  She asked me what the issue was and I quickly explained, my blood pressure rising.   I recommended that they all sort it out amongst themselves and call me when they had a solution. I was offering to pay 30% of the bill and that was that. The service assistant said I must pay the full 100%, or I would not be allowed to drive the car away. I looked at her and reminded her that it was my car, and that I was going to drive away. She said I couldn’t as they were going to trap me in the garage by not raising the boom. I said I was going, and if they did not raise the boom I would drive through it. I couldn’t believe it!  Held hostage by Mercedes for a bill I did not owe. Incredible stuff.  I saw my car through the window, out in the garage and went over to it. I unlocked it and climbed in, started the motor, and drove towards the boom. Nothing happened. I wound down the window to ask the gateman to open the boom. I was prepared to give them one last chance. He didn’t budge.  I drove towards the boom, fully intent on escape.  Suddenly the customer services assistant appeared like magic at my window. ” Oh we’re going to let you go……..blah blah” I cut her off.  “I am very angry, young lady” I said, “and I am not going to finish this conversation with you now. Get your attorney to send me a letter”.  She raised the boom, and I drove off.  This is the worst customer service experience I have ever had in my entire life, bar none. I am still shaking with anger. Threatened with being trapped in Mercedes Culemborg with my car for a bill I did not owe.  Totally and completely outrageous and unacceptable.”  Eamon has since written, to say that the bill has been written off in full by Mercedes Culemborg, and an apology made to him.

The Sour Service Award goes to Paarl Motors, who have previously received three Sweet Service Awards.  The dealership’s Debtor’s Clerk Marietjie Brits handed a matter related to a cheque for a service to their lawyer, which had been rejected by their bank (Nedbank).  The Dealer Principal Jaco Kotze and the Workshop Manager did not try to intervene and resolve the matter.   The service from the Workshop has been outstanding over the past 5 years, and therefore the poor service received was disappointing.   Even more shocking was the attitude of Mr Kotze, who did the “my staff are perfect” customer alienation routine when called by the customer, without having taken the trouble to contact the customer proactively.   The client’s ABSA bank approved the banking of the cheque. No apology has been received from Paarl Motors.

The WhaleTales Sweet & Sour Service Awards are presented every Friday on the WhaleTales blog.  Nominations for the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be sent to Chris von Ulmenstein at info@whalecottage.com.   Past winners of the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be read on the Friday posts of this blog, and in the WhaleTales newsletters on the www.whalecottage.com website

Nedbank Sea Point Sweet and Nedbank Business: Tygerberg Winelands Sour Service Awards

The Sweet Service Award goes to Mari Bremner, new Manager of Nedbank Sea Point, for taking a long-standing Nedbank client from the Nedbank Business: Tygerberg Winelands branch under her wings.   Ms Bremner shows empathy and customer service relative to many of her colleagues in Nedbank, who seem to have lost their service touch.   Ms Bremner swiftly corrected cheque book charges when requested, due to an overcharge by the Tygerberg Winelands branch.    She has made time to meet with the customer, and is helping her to move her banking back to the Sea Point branch, even if the main banking account was opened in Sea Point in the first place and has a Sea Point account number.

The Sour Service Award goes to Nedbank Business: Tygerberg Winelands.    The customer has had a number of business managers handling her account since her most amazing Business Manager Karen Swart left Nedbank to join ABSA a year ago.   The manager of this branch did not inform customers of Ms Swart’s departure, nor as to who would replace her.  At least three managers have dealt with the customer in the past year, Nedbank constantly changing the allocated Business Managers.   The latest Business Manager, Dirk de Villiers, has made no attempt to meet or build a relationship with his customer, and believes that he is a good manager when he sends his customer an e-mail at 7h20 when the account limit has been exceeded.  The latest such e-mail was headed “Business relationship”, as if this is what the customer wants from the bank!   He has never proactively contacted the customer about anything else, he does not reply to e-mails requesting clarification of unauthorised charges, constantly allows charges to be booked off the customer’s account without explanation, ripped the customer off in charging double the bank’s cost for new cheque books, and appears to charge the customer for anything he possibly can.   His bosses Andre Moller and Leon Potgieter have closed rank, and refused to entertain the client’s request to not have Mr de Villiers service her account, requesting a female manager instead.  The client was accused of sexism by the management, hiding the fact that they have hardly any female managers in the branch!    The branch refuses to allow the account to move back to Nedbank Sea Point, despite the client’s request to migrate back to her original home branch.   The senior managers have also refused the customer access to the e-mail address of Tom Boardman, the bank’s CEO (“Hi Andre, The client requested Tom Boardman’s contact details. As instructed I’ll ignore the request.” – Piet Smit)!

The WhaleTales Sweet & Sour Service Awards are presented every Friday on the WhaleTales blog.  Nominations for the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be sent to Chris von Ulmenstein at info@whalecottage.com.   Past winners of the Sweet and Sour Service Awards can be read on the Friday posts of this blog, and in the WhaleTales newsletters on the www.whalecottage.com website.

Franschhoek financial affair

The Minister of Finance, Trevor Manuel, and the previous CEO of Transnet and soon-to-be CEO of ABSA Bank Maria Ramos, are said to get married in Franschhoek on Saturday on L’Omarins estate, which belongs to the Rupert family, reports The Times.

Franschhoek is known as the Wedding Capital of South Africa, and is even said to be changing its name to the Franschhoek Wedding Valley, due to its popularity as a wedding destination.

Franschhoek terroir achieves liquid gold

Terroir is equally important in producing award-winning olive oils as it is in making good quality wines.  

The 2008 S A Olive Oil award winner Burgundy Bourgogne in Franschhoek attributes its gold medal to the terroir of the Winelands Valley, offering a unique combination of the region’s soil, climate, slope and wind.    The olive oil variety harvested, and the timing of the olive harvest can also influence the quality of olive oil.

Burgundy Bourgogne’s award-winning olive oil was described as :”A fresh rich rounded aroma, full of nuances of fresh salad and nuts.   The nuttiness is carried through to the palate with a rich mouth feel.  The gentle bitterness and piquancy linger on, leaving a very pleasant after-taste.”

The S A Olive award for best table olives went to Karoo Olives from Renosterkop outside Beaufort West, winning silver for their black, flavoured and dried olives.   Reni Hildenbrand from Wellington was recognised for her passion and contribution to the development of the industry, winning the ABSA Achiever of the Year Award.

Rio Largo won the gold medal in the Delicate Extra Virgin  Olive Oil category, with Tokara: The Olive Shed and Willow Creek winning silver medals.   In the Medium Intensity category Burgundy Bourgogne, Foxenburg Estate and Olyfberg won gold, and Southern Right and Waterfall River winning silver.   In the Intensely Fruity category, gold winners were Olyven Houdt and Vesuvio, while Cascade Manor, Morgenster and Groote Vallei won silver.

The wetter weather this season has led to a softer character for the local olive oils, the judges said.