Royal Mabati Factory is on the spot for taking customers in circles after failing to make deliveries after they had purchased.
Concerns from customers came into the limelight after many disappointed members of the public wrote to the Kenyan Herald asking for their issues to be highlighted.
Disappointed clients, who wrote to The Kenyan Herald editorial desk expressing disappointment over Royal Mabati Mills’ failure to deliver goods they had purchased, say that they promise to deliver within 48 hours but many end up taking even months.
According to the customers, some who have waited for up to 6 months, they have incurred losses as many say their almost complete houses are at risk of rotting- due to heavy rains.
The outright lies and tone deaf attitude from Royal Mabati is told in the suffering of clientsc such as Joseph, Michael and Faith (not their real names) who paid up for goods from them and are yet to get any deliveries.
“I made my order of box profile Mabati at their Kisumu branch on 1st August, they took me round and frequent follow ups for them to deliver on 18th that month and with some of the items I ordered too missing, my case the ridges, another round of follow up came because they didn’t deliver arguing materials are aren’t available and that they are coming from outside the country.” said Joseph.
Joseph is accusing them of poor customer service and lies on delivery dates and materials availability, something he says happen the moment you pay upfront.
Joseph says he was short-changed after receiving few items than he had paid for with the company using their 60 day refund policy to frustrate customers.
“When I finally went there to pick them by myself, the given ridges weren’t complete and they had to cut some Mabati to resemble the ridges. To make the number complete, instead of 24 ridges, they gave me 21 ridges and the other 3 were improvised,, I sought cash refund but they said they can’t, and that if have to claim, it will take 60 days for it so I had no choice but to pick what I was given and leave in peace”
Michael’s case is no different from Joseph’s and his demand for the goods he had ordered for to be delivered fell on deaf ears until he threatened to expose their lies and games on the Kenyan Herald social media page.
“I bought Mabati with Royal Mabati Factory along Mombasa Road and they promised to deliver within 14 days, but that has never been the case. From 31/08/2020, I have been in and out of their offices where I met many others complaining only to be met by rude sales ladies who boast that they have got lawyers and are well connected..” another disappointed customer wrote to us.
Finally, Michael got his items after he decided to take matters into his hands, and even then he was forced to arrange for his own transport yet their advertisements say they offer free delivery across the country.
Another client by the name Faith had this to say: “I made a purchase on 3rd August. I have complained until now if you call they either don’t pick or they pick then hang up. It’s so frustrating. I even had to fill the refund form but it takes 90 days for them to give you back your money. So I decided to let them deliver after they convinced me to wait for one more week….it’s now 3 weeks later. It’s sad am almost giving up. I paid for charcoal grey gauge 30, 48 pieces. When I called on Monday to inquire, a lady by the name Edith told me they have gauge 28 and if I want gauge 30 I should some more cash. Was pissed I just hang up”
An insider who works in one of their branches told Kenyan Herald in confidence that the company may be facing a tough financial crisis making it impossible to deliver on their promises.
The company’s troubles began when CEO Moses Ikinya Kang’arua was taken to court by KRA in 2019 for tax evasion charges, and it is believed that the company arrived at a settlement where the CEO would pay the taxes owed to the taxman in installments.
The insider who spoke to us says that it is a case of taking from Peter to pay Paul (KRA) and hence the backlog of orders from clients hitting the roof.
“That is the reason clients are taken in circles because the company cannot afford to deliver promptly to customers as agreed.” the insider told us.
Our efforts to reach Royal Mabati Factory for comment on the matter yielded no fruits after Operations manager at Royal Mabati Factory one Assa Alukwe called to intimidate the editorial team for highlighting the matter on social media.
Continues…
For a some time now, Royal Mabati Factory has hit social media for the wrong reasons, and as it appears, customer grievances are far from over.
This below is a personal narration of a client in 2018 who took to Facebook to air his mind on how the company frustrated, threatened and intimidated after he took to social media to expose what he terms as ‘conning games’ at the factory spearheaded by sales reps.
“The company advertises that they deliver within 48hours after you make the purchase. But they don’t. It looks like a well-crafted scheme to fleece unsuspecting clients of their money. Any person who has built knows that the duration you take to build has a direct link to the cost.
On 17th of August, I saw an advert on the paper by Royal Mabati Factory Limited. I made an inquiry and asked to go to the office. My sales rep was a Mr George Otieno Ogutu. He took me round and advised me against buying corrugated blue because it was out of stock.
He, instead, persuaded me to take corrugated charcoal grey, order number 0012603. I have, since, been waiting for a month for the mabatis to be delivered in Nyanza but that has not happened. When I enquire from the sales team, they tell me that their work is to sell, not to deliver (sic) while customer care agents promise to look into the matter and never return the calls or give an honest feedback.
The last time I went there, I was taken to a rude lady called Faith, she sits at the extreme right as you walk in. Apparently she is the head of sales or something like that. She assured me that they were going to deliver by the by the Friday of that week.
It is now two weeks. You call her and she tells you “Let me check,” she doesn’t. You call again, she tells you she is serving a client (another one in line for conning) just like Ogutu did to me. One wonders whether they are in the business of satisfying their client s needs or picking money by false pretense. It does not help to call their customer care numbers: 0703 638383 or 0722638383.
They will promise to call you back only to go mute. The next time you call again, they pretend not to know what you are talking about. I have bought mabati from Imarisha Mabati, their fairly recent competitor, and the story was very different. They delivered within the timelines promised.
You know what attracts buyers to Royal is the false promise that will deliver your mabati. I am therefore posting this to alert any person who is planning to buy from Royal about the ping pong they must prepare themselves for. You will pay, but if you intend to roof by Saturday or next week, forget.
My mbaos are now rotting- due to heavy rains- on the roof as a result of this lies by Royal Mabati. There is a big problem here and I hope people realise this. I asked for my refund and they told me that it takes a month to get your money.
On Saturday after I hinted at seeking a formal intervention, they called me to tell me that the van was leaving on Saturday and that late, Monday-today- I was going to get the mabati. Today I am calling, they tell me to wait and that they will call back. The adverts you see on the papers are a con, don’t fall for them.
And (in the latest development) now, yesterday, Ogutu, the sales agent, apparently having read this post, calls me on a different number to threaten me that his is not Royal Mabati Factory Ltd. Instead of owning up and assuring me of what they are doing to save the situation, I get a threat”
The story was first posted on buyers beware Kenya.
There many more narrations from frustrated clients who be-mourn the fraudulent nature of business dealings by the company.
They opine that the company resorts to PR and silencing of criticism after they have taken client’s money then failing to deliver iron sheets.
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