Grandma faces shocking threat from Domino's owner over $12 pizza
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Where customer service is often touted as the cornerstone of successful business operations, a shocking incident at a Domino's Pizza store in South Australia has left us questioning the safety and respect afforded to consumers.
Katherine Pickles, a grandmother from Mount Gambier, faced an appalling threat from the franchise owner after she attempted to return a $12 pizza that didn't meet her expectations.
The incident, which quickly escalated and was captured on video, showed the owner's aggressive response to what should have been a routine customer service interaction.
Pickles had decided to return the pizza on a Saturday night, 20 April, describing its appearance as looking like 'sh*t' and suggesting that it seemed as though two separate pizzas had been haphazardly combined into one.
When she approached the owner to discuss the issue, the situation took a turn for the worse.
The owner's tirade was filled with expletives and threats.
‘Get the f*** out,’ the owner shouted.
‘I own the f*****g store. If you don't get out, I will smash your f*****g face.'
The video, which has since circulated on social media, showed Pickles attempting to de-escalate the confrontation, saying, 'You don't argue with a customer, mate. You've got no idea.'
The distressing experience left Pickles shaken.
'I cried the whole way home. I didn't sleep last night at all. I'm quite shaken up by it,' she said.
'People shouldn't be afraid to make a complaint when something's not acceptable when you've paid for it.'
In response to the incident, a Domino's spokesperson stated that the company has a’ zero-tolerance approach for aggression, harassment, or abuse’ and that an internal investigation has been launched.
'As soon as we were made aware of this incident, we launched an internal investigation, including into the circumstances which led to the interaction recorded,’ the spokesperson said.
‘Following this investigation, we will take appropriate action.’
'We have attempted to get in contact with our customer via multiple channels, including through the information provided with her order, and encourage her to reach out to us so we can discuss this important matter further.’
'This customer's experience does not reflect the high standards and values we pride ourselves on, and we are sincerely sorry.'
The owner, Akhil Antony, was deeply sorry about the incident and that there was ‘no excuse’ for his behaviour.
He said Pickles’ takeaway wasn’t ‘two pizzas merged into one’.
‘As anyone who has worked in customer service knows, some days are more challenging than others, and you require patience and a calm demeanour,' he said.
'In this particular instance, I let my emotions get the best of me. But that's no excuse.'
Antony admitted 'no one deserves to be spoken to' in the way he confronted Pickles.
'My behaviour was unacceptable, and I am deeply apologetic and embarrassed,' he said.
'It is my hope that the Mount Gambier community will see I am a human who has made a mistake and give me, and by extension my team, another chance to serve them.'
You can watch 7NEWS’ coverage below:
Credit: 7NEWS Australia / YouTube
In a similar story, two customers aggressively trashed a McDonald’s drive-thru.
The video, posted on social media, showed the altercation at the restaurant. You can check this story here.
What do you think about how the owner reacted? Do you think his act reflects poor customer service? Let us know in the comments below.
Katherine Pickles, a grandmother from Mount Gambier, faced an appalling threat from the franchise owner after she attempted to return a $12 pizza that didn't meet her expectations.
The incident, which quickly escalated and was captured on video, showed the owner's aggressive response to what should have been a routine customer service interaction.
Pickles had decided to return the pizza on a Saturday night, 20 April, describing its appearance as looking like 'sh*t' and suggesting that it seemed as though two separate pizzas had been haphazardly combined into one.
Katherine Pickles' pizza looked like two pizzas merged into one. Credit: 7NEWS Australia / YouTube
When she approached the owner to discuss the issue, the situation took a turn for the worse.
The owner's tirade was filled with expletives and threats.
‘Get the f*** out,’ the owner shouted.
‘I own the f*****g store. If you don't get out, I will smash your f*****g face.'
The video, which has since circulated on social media, showed Pickles attempting to de-escalate the confrontation, saying, 'You don't argue with a customer, mate. You've got no idea.'
The distressing experience left Pickles shaken.
'I cried the whole way home. I didn't sleep last night at all. I'm quite shaken up by it,' she said.
'People shouldn't be afraid to make a complaint when something's not acceptable when you've paid for it.'
In response to the incident, a Domino's spokesperson stated that the company has a’ zero-tolerance approach for aggression, harassment, or abuse’ and that an internal investigation has been launched.
'As soon as we were made aware of this incident, we launched an internal investigation, including into the circumstances which led to the interaction recorded,’ the spokesperson said.
‘Following this investigation, we will take appropriate action.’
'We have attempted to get in contact with our customer via multiple channels, including through the information provided with her order, and encourage her to reach out to us so we can discuss this important matter further.’
'This customer's experience does not reflect the high standards and values we pride ourselves on, and we are sincerely sorry.'
The owner, Akhil Antony, was deeply sorry about the incident and that there was ‘no excuse’ for his behaviour.
He said Pickles’ takeaway wasn’t ‘two pizzas merged into one’.
‘As anyone who has worked in customer service knows, some days are more challenging than others, and you require patience and a calm demeanour,' he said.
'In this particular instance, I let my emotions get the best of me. But that's no excuse.'
Antony admitted 'no one deserves to be spoken to' in the way he confronted Pickles.
'My behaviour was unacceptable, and I am deeply apologetic and embarrassed,' he said.
'It is my hope that the Mount Gambier community will see I am a human who has made a mistake and give me, and by extension my team, another chance to serve them.'
You can watch 7NEWS’ coverage below:
Credit: 7NEWS Australia / YouTube
In a similar story, two customers aggressively trashed a McDonald’s drive-thru.
The video, posted on social media, showed the altercation at the restaurant. You can check this story here.
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