Best Buy & Geek Squad Policies

[dshelly]

I purchased a refrigerator from Best Buy today for my office. Upon arrival at said office and carrying it up a set a stairs, I discovered some deep cosmetic scratches and heavy fingerprints on the unit after I unpacked it from the box.

I called Customer Service and spoke with a rep named Tia (nice gal, but powerless to negotiate), who eventually handed me off to a supervisor named TJ. Since this product was not sold to me as a used item, I had every expectation to receive a product in new condition. I explained the damage and asked if they could send out a replacement and pick up the damaged unit.  TJ didn't see it that way. He explained that I didn't pay any shipping (which I didn't) and that I was welcome to haul it back to the nearest Best Buy, and they would give me a replacement that I could then haul back to my office, up the stairs and unpack it.

My stance is that the damage is not my fault. That I purchased a new product from them in good faith, that this product should actually look "new,", and that they shouldn't pass the buck and force me to endure the additional hardship of lost time and labor hauling it back to their store.

TJ apparently couldn't be less concerned that this was any type of hardship on me and was openly annoyed, suggesting that I was putting words in his mouth. My words are that Best Buy puts a "value" on time. They do this by marking up the cost of their products so they can pay their overhead, employee salaries (for their time) and make a profit. That's all well and good; capitalism at its best. Yet, they seem to place no value on my time. This gives the impression that I'm not a valued customer. Just an income stream - and not a bad one since I paid them close to $5000 for a tv and blu-ray player.

As a business owner, my company has a policy of "doing whatever it takes" to make our clients happy. This is why we have loyal customers and repeat business. But TJ was unwilling to offer any adjustment to their company policy other than an apology for purchasing a damaged product that they sold. And let me say that returning this product in is not as simple as bringing back a video game or an ipod. It's a hassle, and my being inconvenienced appears to be of no consequence to them. My lost time just seems to be collateral damage and the cost of doing business with Best Buy. 

This is horrible policy. Good for their the Best Buy bottom-line in the short term, but terrible for their long term survival. Their policy sows seeds of dissension and drives away clients who now associate doing business with them as painful, instead of a pleasure. Despite my request to speak with TJ's supervisor or to get a number of their corporate office, he refused to release any of that information, insisting that he was as high it gets, but that he could let me speak to a different supervisor in his department. Very likely, one of his good friends who will also stonewall me.

My recourse is to spread the word about Best Buy's errant policy of letting the customers cover the burden of products that are of unacceptable standards. I'm composing a more definitive complaint that I'll be releasing to 80,000 in my twitter network and ask that they forward this message to others. Additionally, I will be creating a blog on my Facebook page which will give a voice to others who feel slighted by Best Buy's customer service policy. 

[GeraldRose]

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dshelly wrote:

I purchased a refrigerator from Best Buy today for my office. Upon arrival at said office and carrying it up a set a stairs, I discovered some deep cosmetic scratches and heavy fingerprints on the unit after I unpacked it from the box.

I called Customer Service and spoke with a rep named Tia (nice gal, but powerless to negotiate), who eventually handed me off to a supervisor named TJ. Since this product was not sold to me as a used item, I had every expectation to receive a product in new condition. I explained the damage and asked if they could send out a replacement and pick up the damaged unit.  TJ didn't see it that way. He explained that I didn't pay any shipping (which I didn't) and that I was welcome to haul it back to the nearest Best Buy, and they would give me a replacement that I could then haul back to my office, up the stairs and unpack it.

My stance is that the damage is not my fault. That I purchased a new product from them in good faith, that this product should actually look "new,", and that they shouldn't pass the buck and force me to endure the additional hardship of lost time and labor hauling it back to their store.

TJ apparently couldn't be less concerned that this was any type of hardship on me and was openly annoyed, suggesting that I was putting words in his mouth. My words are that Best Buy puts a "value" on time. They do this by marking up the cost of their products so they can pay their overhead, employee salaries (for their time) and make a profit. That's all well and good; capitalism at its best. Yet, they seem to place no value on my time. This gives the impression that I'm not a valued customer. Just an income stream - and not a bad one since I paid them close to $5000 for a tv and blu-ray player.

As a business owner, my company has a policy of "doing whatever it takes" to make our clients happy. This is why we have loyal customers and repeat business. But TJ was unwilling to offer any adjustment to their company policy other than an apology for purchasing a damaged product that they sold. And let me say that returning this product in is not as simple as bringing back a video game or an ipod. It's a hassle, and my being inconvenienced appears to be of no consequence to them. My lost time just seems to be collateral damage and the cost of doing business with Best Buy. 

This is horrible policy. Good for their the Best Buy bottom-line in the short term, but terrible for their long term survival. Their policy sows seeds of dissension and drives away clients who now associate doing business with them as painful, instead of a pleasure. Despite my request to speak with TJ's supervisor or to get a number of their corporate office, he refused to release any of that information, insisting that he was as high it gets, but that he could let me speak to a different supervisor in his department. Very likely, one of his good friends who will also stonewall me.

My recourse is to spread the word about Best Buy's errant policy of letting the customers cover the burden of products that are of unacceptable standards. I'm composing a more definitive complaint that I'll be releasing to 80,000 in my twitter network and ask that they forward this message to others. Additionally, I will be creating a blog on my Facebook page which will give a voice to others who feel slighted by Best Buy's customer service policy. 

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Hello,

First off that is too bad about your new beer holding device,errr I mean refridgerator. I have a question though, are we talking a full size fridge or a mini fridge? By the way you described it it could be either, if it were a small fridge I beleive those items cannot be delivered, where as BBY doesnt offer that service, and therefore perhaps the item wouldnt be accepted when setting up delivery, thats not to say that perhaps someone goes the extra mile and brings another one out to you in their personal vehicle.  If it was a large fridge I am sure a exception could be made, have you considered calling back and gettign a manager, and not just a supervisor?

The other problem/issue, is that unfortunately when BBY doesnt' deliver the merchandise they cannot be certain the damage wasnt as a result of the moving and unpacking of the product. Therefore if the item is damaged and no delivery was set it puts BBY in a hard place.

I would try speaking to a manager and see if that goes better.

[dshelly]

The thing that really bugs is that the supervisor was so smug and arrogant. The idea that I was inconvenienced was of little consequence and his stance seemed to be that a little more inconvenience and wasted time on my part was simply too bad. One of those, "this is how it is - deal with it" attitudes.

This idea of how he treat customers and their issues with damaged products is a corporate policy and reflects badly upon the brand. It is a huge trap that large brands often fall in to when they achieve a modicum of success. They get complacent, lazy, and take their core demographic for granted.

It is very easy, especially in this internet age to create a groundswell of action by unhappy customers who feel slighted and put upon by spending their money and getting aggravation from Best Buy. With a few phone calls to some connected publicist-friends and an active blog with thousands of unhappy, former customers, I can get stories placed in publications that will be picked up by the news  agencies. A grass-roots slap in the face is often a powerful message to prospective Best Buy consumers. If people associate risk and pain with Best Buy, then they're going to be shopping elsewhere. 

Gerald - I spoke with someone in Customer Service (after 30 minutes on hold - apparently I'm not the only one with an issue) at their 800 number. I gave up trying to reach the store after 30 minutes of busy signals. The Supervisor elected to hide behind his anonymity, and insisted that there was no other division willing to help me. That any complaint I had would be referred back to him, personally. And he implied that while I could talk to another supervisor in his department, there would be no one willing to go the extra mile or find a different option. So all that I was given was basically, "We know it's an inconvenience to you, and we do don't care.  We know you're not responsible for the defect, but we don't care. We will give you an apology (though he never did), and give you a new product if you bring it in and pick up a new one (which they didn't have in stock).  The bottom line is that when there's a problem with their products - even though it's brand new - it's the customers problem, not theirs.

Not exactly a winning policy. They have already permanently lost my business. Now it's just a matter of how much time I want to take to use my influence to return the disfavor. At a certain point a "life is short"mentality comes into play. But on the other hand, I don't enjoy being treated with such disdain. 

[SlimJim77]

Welcome to the forum, dshelly.

The moderators of this forum will be with you.

Although I see your point of view, it's not reasonable for a business to subsidize every inconvenience. Paying for/negotioating a delivery would have handled this situation.

[Dorothy-BBY Community Supervisor]

Hello dshelly -

Thank you sharing your experience with us.  Allan from our Community Connector team should be reaching out to you shortly.  I appreciate your patience until he is able to make contact.

Sincerely,

[Allan-BBY Community Connector · Accepted solution]

Hi dshelly,

I can definitely understand not wanting to haul this refrigerator back to your local Best Buy® store, and then having to haul the replacement refrigerator back to your office. I also agree that we should do whatever is within our power t make every experience with our company a positive one for our customers.

It is true that unless you had paid for the refrigerator to be delivered we would not deliver a new product until delivery is paid for. It is also true that we do require that a product be in like new condition in order to return or exchange it.

I contacted the store you purchased it from and they said they will be contacting you in regards to this in the hopes that they can provide you with an acceptable solution to your issue. If you don’t hear from them, or you need my personal assistance in this matter just send me a private message. To send me a private message you should log into the forum, click on my icon, and then click on the send this user a private message link.

Thanks for posting,

[dshelly]

To update - this situation has been resolved. Thanks to Allan for putting me in touch with store management. Best Buy graciously stepped up and a solution was reached. 

My feeling is that if the first supervisor I dealt with addressed this situation constructively, there never would have an issue. Conflict management require options, "I'm sorry Mr. Shelly, but we cannot give you A, but we can offer you B of C."

When a customer has options, he or she feels like they're in control, and a solution is easier and more frequently reached. Instead, I was given a, "It's my way or the highway. Take it or leave it," proposal, which I felt was a slight to a paying customer who did nothing more than purchase a product that had a cosmetic defect. And my paying $100 to Best Buy to return the product and having nothing to show for it was not an option I found reasonable. Nor should anyone else.

The supervisor (TJ) was for all intents and purposes the face of Best Buy, and I could only conclude that he was carrying out a very ineffective approach to dealing with a customer. If any of my employees treated a client in such a belligerent fashion they would be fired or seriously chastised. They would have personally called the client and apologized, and we would have sent a gift certificate for their favorite restaurant, or some other way of letting them know that we appreciate them.

I understand mistakes. We make them at our company, as well. But it is how you handle the situation that defines your brand and how it is positioned in the mind of your customers. TJ simply does not "get it" and should not be in the position to deal with customer relations because his mentality does not compliment his duties. And if he is not replaced, then it's endorsing this type of behavior and not minding its own house.

[SlimJim77]

I'm glad everything worked out for you, Mr. Helly. That's what this section of BB.com is all about.

With that said, I am curious as to why you seek the termination of "TJ". He simply applied current policy. You, in turn, took it about his paygrade, and received a resolution.

Interpersonal conflicts don't warrant termination, unless they become chronic. Your opinion, however, is duly noted.

[dshelly]

Hi Slim,

I do not seek his termination. I said that if he worked for "my" company, he would have been fired if we lost the client, or I would have had a serious sit down with him and explained to him that it is our job to make our clients happy and to make their life easier. 

TJ had a defiant attitude and made no attempt at any time to come up with any options. I wasn't asking TJ to do anything that I don't do every day for my clients. And you better believe that I take it personal when I pay for a defective product and someone treats me like it's my fault, and that I'm being unreasonable because I alone don't wish to carry the burden of lost time and effort. The fact that I do not suffer fools gladly does not make me a bad person. I'm a nice guy, but if someone is being rude or unreasonable, I will stick up for myself.

I get the feeling, Slim, that you and I have very different ideas about what it means to provide customer service. Before I opened my creative agency, I was a creative director for a worldwide advertising agency and oversaw brands with $100 million marketing budgets. My job was to position these brands in the market and advise on critical brand strategy to increase marketshare. So I know a thing or two about what makes a company successful on a global scale.

What I'm sharing with you are not my opinions, but my experience based on 25 years of working with the largest, most successful brands on the planet.

[SlimJim77]

Again, I'm glad everything worked out for you, Mr. Helly. The final paragraph of your post seemed to suggest you wanted TJ removed/reassigned. Forgive me if I misunderstood you.

---"I understand mistakes. We make them at our company, as well. But it is how you handle the situation that defines your brand and how it is positioned in the mind of your customers. TJ simply does not "get it" and should not be in the position to deal with customer relations because his mentality does not compliment his duties. And if he is not replaced, then it's endorsing this type of behavior and not minding its own house."

Your experience and success in business is impressive, and I have no problems accepting your success as factual evidence. Regards.