Truworths that is.
My account is in arrears. Bad Gina, bad!
I haven’t received my statement in the mail, or more likely its there but I haven’t collected the post, or even more likely I did get it and I didn’t open it or did open it and then threw it away. The bottom line here is I have no statement and therefor have no idea how much I owe them.
So, I opened up my browser and made my way to the Truworths website. I must admit it has been quite some time since I have logged onto the site, mainly because I usually pay my account from the above mentioned statement and haven’t needed to check my account balance in a while.
To my surprise and delight the website has been upgraded. I make my way to the account login page and this is where I encounter the first issue.
The old site required your email address and a password to access your account details. The new site requires your account number (I had to go onto my internet banking to retrieve that due to the missing statement above), your ID number and your password. Ok. I fill in my account number, my ID number and my previous password (I assume this is still valid as no where on the site does it as you to convert your old login to the new login).
Im told that my password is incorrect. OK. I click on the ‘forgotten password’ link. It tells me that my email address is invalid and that I must call Truworths or email them. OK. There is only a Cape Town number to call, no toll free or share call number. I am in Jozi.
I call the number. The first person I speak to asks for my ID number and my email address, she updates my email address and when I ask if my password is the same she tells me to use the account number or my ID number as the password, that ‘should’ work. OK. Ummm, you cant tell me that it WILL work, you are guessing???
This obviously doesn’t work. I call again. I get a new lady that tells me that the reason I cannot log onto the site is that my account is in arrears. OK. ‘Yes’, I tell her, ‘thats is why I want to access my account, I want to see how much money I need to pay you.’ She then tells me that I owe R170.00. At which point I say thank you but surely I should be able to log onto the site and get that information myself? She tells me that it was a decision taken by IT and management. I ask her if I can make an official complaint and she transfers me to the relevant person.
Enter Natasha, who is patient and knowledgeable and listens to what I have to say. Hopefully she sends my suggestion to the relevant people.
What is my suggestion I hear you ask?
Add a line of code to your website that allows me to see my balance even if I am in arrears. I get it, I really do. I’m in arrears so you don’t want me to have access to the online shopping part of your site. Its a way of encouraging me to make my payment, I get it, I don’t agree with it but I get it. But for heavens sake don’t take away my ability to see what I owe you so that I CAN pay you.
LOGIC people, logic!