We’ve said this before but it bears repeating: South African customers can be summed up simply with the slogan “The answer’s No! Now, what is the question?”
Big corporates, used to arrogantly ignoring their customers, even actively abuse them in a manner apparatchik civil servants in a government parastatal or department would be proud of.
But Discovery Health hit a new low recently when it advised 16 507 of its members that the scheme had made an error in making payouts and that the money would have to be repaid by members themselves.
Reports said the company suggested a “payment plan”, taking the money from refunds due and even handing members over to debt collectors.
ALSO READ: Discovery to cough up after major medication claims mistake
Put simply, they were telling customers: we messed up, but you’re going to pay.
Not a good look at all. Fortunately, sense has now prevailed and, according to a deeply apologetic note from CEO Ron Whelan, Discovery Health will absorb the book losses – estimated by experts to be between R50 million and R100 million.
Whelan’s apology has been described as simple and sincere and an object lesson to other CEOs that their companies’ income comes from human beings, who are so much more than just numbers on a balance sheet.
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