Pathetic service from Ernest at SMG Durban (Briargdene)

I believed I was making the right decision by choosing SMG in Briardene, Durban to repair a minor dent in my car rear bumper. I dropped the vehicle off on Tuesday, 24 March 2026 at around 08:00, and was warmly assisted by Ms. Thola. Unfortunately, the problems began once the car was handed over to Ernest, whose lack of communication and customer care quickly became evident.

On 31 March 2026, I requested an update on the turnaround time in line with their standard operating procedures. Despite sending multiple WhatsApp messages, Ernest has struggled to provide this information, only repeating that he would “check with the production manager.”

This delay is especially distressing as I brought my car in before my mother’s burial, and now I need to return to work in Pretoria. From the way things are progressing, it seems unlikely that I will get my car back anytime soon. Ernest has shown little concern about informing me when the job will be completed, forcing me to extend my leave due to this poor service.

This experience is unacceptable, and based on it, I cannot recommend SMG to anyone expecting reliable communication or quality customer service.