When customers have bad service or buy defective products, they will often consult an attorney about their rights.

But what does an attorney do when she or he receives shoddy service or bad products from those that supply the attorneys' profession?

A few items from my recent bad experiences:
1. Professional Provident Society and its (former?) consort, Sanlam: Some 10 years ago, after I was divorced, I instructed PPS, using their required procedures and protocols, to amend the beneficiary under my RA's to my family trust.[I certainly did not want my ex-wife to benefit from my death!). I never received any formal acknowledgment from either the PPS or Sanlam [am I expecting too much?] and last year I discovered, quite by chance, to my utter amazement, that Sanlam still had my ex listed as the beneficiary! When I confronted the PPS, they denied this and told me that they had indeed changed the beneficiary in their records but, so they admitted, had forgotten to inform me. How much comfort does this give me?

2. Butterworths, now Lexis / Nexis. It has happened a few times now that they will send me a statement indicating that they need payment for goods never received. And it then becomes the attorney's chore to inform them of the fact, before they get their aggressive accounts person to call to demand payment, that so and so items were never received. Is their behaviour in demanding payment for something they never supplied, ethical? And their reasoning is that since they posted it, it is now your responsibility to ensure that you receive the goods [as if you chose the post office as the delivery mechanism.]

3. Korbitec. I cancelled the Ghostconvey software agreement with them after one of their aggressive and non-human accounts persons demanded immediate payment of an amount of about R57 (which I had assumed would be deducted by them per debit order, as they always do.)Today, one of their people just arrives at my offices, unannounced, with no prior appointment, and without my knowledge and without my consent, gains access to my assistant's computer and happily removes what he wants to. I have no idea what he did, what he changed, what he deleted, etc. I regard this as trespass, as an invasion of privacy, as attempted damage to property, etc. I was most annoyed and told him to leave my premises, when I found out what he had done. Korbitec's regional manager tried to justify this clown's actions by referring me to clause xyz of the agreement which gives them the right to remove software. That may be so, but it does not give them the right to simply pitch up at my offices, and do as they please. I also have the right to be present and the right to know what this turkey is doing on my computers. After all, I have a duty to ensure integrity and confidentiality of data.

I am pleased that my relationship with Korbitec has ended and my decision to terminate the agreement with them, is vindicated by this atrocious behaviour. I have made my policies with Sanlam / PPS fully paid up so my exposure to those persons is limited. I will also try to purchase my legal publications from Juta's who give exceptional service and I will limit my dealings with Butterworths / Lexis Nexis.

Siegfried Heiriss
Attorney
Pinetown