Best Buy & Geek Squad Policies

[michaelwe6942]

Store refuse to re-check wrongly investigated employee theft which was actually a issue of employee negligence when they left car unsecured.  We noticed the other day that their shop had no one inside working when I entered & about 45 minutes later we noticed Geek Repairman out side working on a Dodge Neon with the windows open and doors open as tech went inside building leaving car vulnerable to anyone who may walk by non-secured car.  This issue is an example of what we were talking about when my car was left unlocked when I returned with my dog, Susie, who had a seizure earlier.  Because of this issue not being followed up on, we are forced to seek help through several state offices and Consumer Affairs.  We noticed that store carries our make & model of digital camera, so cost to Best Buy is considerably low.  They also refused to fix or check any potential damage to my car as noted to store, Corporate by mail & email.  Power shot SX110 IS, invoice was never completely filled out on some level like who the tech was, model number of radio / CD player, Serial Number of unit, but they did fill out things like the fact our Climate Control Fan worked, Air Condition worked, Heater & front head light cover wasn't cracked before they worked on my car.  Window?  We asked them to check why when we left their store our Climate Control Fan adjustments started blinking, but they refused to even talk to me about issues at all even after my letter was hand delivered to manager, other one mailed to manager & Corporate.  In original complaint I questioned what the Zeros on invoice were, but we were told that this means these systems were checked and working before they installed my radio which Climate Fan Control-Heater-Air Conditioner are the same unit which set just below the radio they worked on when they pulled my dash apart to work on radio install.  We were told to go a head and seek help from the Department of Insurance like they didn't care what happened to my car.   

[MobileExpert]

What was that about a digital camera?

[michaelwe6942]

To Insurance & Dept of Insurance:  POLK- PA 500.4, Store won't even discuss or return calls about missing car amp listed on their invoice, damaged concerns etc based on your letter which I assumed only denied coverage of my camera and not other issues.  Issue was actually employee negligence not employee theft. Your letter went no where when it got lost in the US Mail organization because you used the wrong address some how.  Now Best Buy is using it to deny any repairs to damaged vehicle based on your wrongly addressed letter.  Since you have ignored my request for review and help in this matter, I am forced to seek other help, so that Best Buy's store will talk / email to me or return my calls for help.  It is not my fault they left paper work incomplete, but damaged concerns are marked as working on their paper work.  They a least did that much.  They knew electronics were in the car because installer admitted he saw things in the car, but I can not make them do any thing regarding their own negligence & paper work or they would of done so as well as used new wiring harness and adapter I supplied them.  The other day they were working on a Dodge Neon in the parking area out side their shop just the other day with the windows rolled down and the door open with no one in the shop.  Things are not secure in an open area like this vs. doing all work in their shop.   Again as in BBB complaint, my alarm does not work if the window is down & car unlocked.  Shop was negligent which caused losses to me & store carries missing camera issues.  01/18/2009Best Buy stolen items because vehicle was left unsecured out side in the parking lot negligently, damage head light cover, window issue, electronic climate control’s lights were flashing on the way home and trunk release concerns. Items marked working before shop worked on Lincoln & noted in BBB complaint. I requested that corporate review paper work to verify issues in complaint. Why didn’t shop use new wiring harness and dash adapter? Where’s my amp?  Wire handing from the dash, loose RCA in trunk, no pre-sets on radio or remote battery installed & checked, or where is my Polk amp?. When I questioned shop about why remote was not checked, shop personnel pulled down shop door while I was asking about why they never checked remote or listed serial number etc which upset me!

[Entropy]

It sounds like maybe a digital camera was stolen because the car was left unlocked during a radio install?

Hard to tell, it's next to impossible to read these posts as they lack organization and structure, and seem to be lacking fundamental details of what actually happened.

[michaelwe6942]

Sorry about the confusion as parts of post were taken out of large emails to Best Buy, and I was very frustrated.  The shop was empty of anyone at times, and yes store 1499 left my Vintage Lincoln unlocked & out side of shop.  We noticed the other day when I tried to contact original installer that the shop has no one inside when I looked for original installer who was no there.  45 minutes later while walking my dogs, I noticed installer working out side on a Dodge Neon with doors and windows wide open as he went into their shop, so I thought that the store should be more aware of issues creating liability for theft as Tulsa has a lot of crimes etc.  Items marked OK on my invoice like heater/fan/air had blinking lights, but I had no idea what was going on.  I later looked in my Radio/CD deck's box & I found new wiring harness & dash adapter still sealed in plastic which means they did not use new wiring when they replaced my stolen Alpine stereo.  Wire hanging under the dash with RCA's laying unused in trunk from the deck etc.  Any thing stolen or damaged by store whose using a insurance letter sent to some unknown address with wrong date for event to deny any repairs or replacements to car issues.  When windows on my Mark Vll are left rolled down, my factory alarm is disabled.  Then they also sold me fuses for my Reference 1000 that are 60 amp & I found out later that they use 80 amp, so I though they checked amps but apparently I was wrong.  Calls, letters, emails etc to Tulsa store 54 minutes away are ignored.  I did not even think of problems when I returned to my car out side of their shop after taking my dog for a walk.  I opened unlocked car to put Susie, my dog, in car because she just had a Seizure.  After, I went into the shop to pay for work & fuses that they suggested.  When I went back to the car, I started to question why they did not do things like check remote as remote did not have supplied battery installed etc as shop personnel turned & pulled down their shop's bay door which made me very upset.  I did not even think about or notice lights on climate control at first, but we went straight home and noticed some were blinking on fan/heater/air control & then just stayed on.  Store and shop won't return calls & on line customer service use ESIS's wrongly addressed letter as a blank denial of all or any issues that we may have.  I was told I need to go to the Dept. Of Insurance, Consumer Affairs, & BBB for help before going further with issue.  Now, I am just waiting.

[michaelwe6942]

My attempts to get store #  1499 in Tulsa, OK  to arrange a new set up date to fix their bad install falls on deaf ears because Customer Service in store & on line Geek Bad Service Emails, Letters to Corporate CEO, Store Mailed and Hand delivered request have all been ignored.  On line customer service says its because their insurnace ESIS based on a false investigation, wrongly addressed letter with wrong zip code to me that I got just recently, wrong date of incedent etc which deal with only "ONE" specific issue, and it's not a end all answer to all issues of damage or lossed during their bad install.  I even supllied the new wiring harness and dash adapter for install in my Vintage Lincoln, but installer used old risky wired wiring harness from My Old Stolen Alpine deck and put my new wiring harness and dash adapter in my receiver's box still sealed in plastic.  They never set up my deck and left remote laying with its battery on the back seat's floor board - once I found it.  I went through our local Governor's office for help & it's been referred to the Dept. of Insurance.   I even emailed the Insurance AGENT personally, but he to does not respond.  In fact, no one from his company's web site have responded either.  I had other work like changing out my MB Quartz 5.25 separates cross-overs from Maxxsonics, but I am a little scared to go back to the same bad install store.  Canon Digital Camera they carry is gone along with my Polk Amp.  Then there are damage issues like a crack headlight cover, climate control below deck has issues etc., but they will not address even one problem based on their insurance's letter on none of these install issues.  I had in my BBB complaint asked for a different installer or even better a different store on 71st street a few more miles down the street who carry Polk Amps according to my on line information I got.  Its not just Culver City that has issues.  # 1499 has been oberved with no one in their shop & doors opened.  Plus even though shop is empty 45 minutes later, Geek service was performed in the parking lot on a Dodge Neon with the doors and windows wide open as installer went into their shop leaving their customer's car wide open to theft.  I was trying to find same installer to confront him, but he was not there or off that day.  Issue arose out of my BBB complaint which apparently went to Corporate, but they never reviewed installer's invoice & apparently their insurance never read the complaint at all.  Mean while my 1,500 watt stereo is out of service because of a install gone nightmare. 

[michaelwe6942]

Mr. Werner,

Our office will open a file on this matter and contact Esis Insurance on your behalf.  If you have further questions, please advice.

Thank you,

CISR

Analyst Consumer Assistance/Claims Division Oklahoma Insurance Department

Subject: Help request? RE: Message from Mr. Werner-Is contact through the Governor's Office

Best Buy's Insurance Company:  ESIS, PO Box 31097, Tampa, FL.   33631-3097 not only investigate file No. 4631-380-7443360-2 wrong, but they also have a totally different date of event then my receipt has for work.  My emails, letters etc to ESIS Insurance have "ALL" been ignored, so I don't know what else to do because Best Buy now uses their letter for a blank answer to ever concern I have on install work.

Michael D. Werner                                 Date:  3-29-2009

To Insurance & Dept of Insurance:  POLK- PA 500.4, Store won't even discuss or return calls about missing car amp listed on their invoice, damaged concerns etc based on your letter which I assumed only denied coverage of my camera and not other issues.  Issue was actually employee negligence not employee theft. Your letter went no where when it got lost in the US Mail organization because you used the wrong address some how.  Now Best Buy is using it to deny any repairs to damaged vehicle based on your wrongly addressed letter.  Since you have ignored my request for review and help in this matter, I am forced to seek other help, so that Best Buy's store will talk / email to me or return my calls for help.  It is not my fault they left paper work incomplete, but damaged concerns are marked as working on their paper work.  They a least did that much.  They knew electronics were in the car because installer admitted he saw things in the car, but I can not make them do any thing regarding their own negligence & paper work or they would have done so as well as used new wiring harness and adapter I supplied them.  The other day they were working on a Dodge Neon in the parking area out side their shop just the other day with the windows rolled down and the door open with no one in the shop.  Things are not secure in an open area like this vs. doing all work in their shop.   Again as in BBB complaint, my alarm does not work if the window is down & car unlocked.  Shop was negligent which caused losses to me & store carries missing camera issues.  Letter to ESIS on email below and their info@esis.com email were ignored the same as Best Buy has done about “ANY” redoing, review or repair of said work.

Claim 4631-380-743360-2, Best Buy Negligence & Damage to Car Dash Wiring etc  To: rcs@esis.com 

01/18/2009

Best Buy stolen items because vehicle was left unsecured out side in the parking lot negligently, damage head light cover, window issue, Polk Amp, electronic climate control’s lights were flashing on the way home which we were not sure why and trunk release operation in dash concerns.  Items marked working before shop worked on Lincoln & noted in BBB complaint.  I requested that corporate review shop’s invoice work to verify issues in complaint.  Why didn’t shop use new wiring harness and new dash adapter?

Wire handing from the dash, loose RCA in trunk, no pre-sets on radio or remote battery installed in remote & checked.  When I questioned shop about why remote was not checked, shop personnel pulled down shop door while I was asking about why they never checked remote or listed serial number etc which upset me!

I had hoped store #1499 could fix issues, and maybe fix front speakers that need a cross over, MB Quartz 5.25 set.  I am a little nervous about store that left car unlocked which I confirmed when I returned to shop with my dog and doors were unlocked allowing me to put my pet, Susie, in car and go into shop to pay for install and wrong 60 amp fuses still in the car which needed to be refunded because their the wrong part.  They won’t even return my calls when the Manager was left a hand delivered letter similar to this.

I got upset at store because of problems unknown to me on the way home such as blinking heater/fan lights, trunk release & electric window issue.  Heater controller is marked OK on invoice, but I found out later that heater fan’s blinking lights on the way home from said store were a sign of a problem.  I was going to send Corporate a copy of my invoice, but yellow form is impossible to copy and get all checked OK system to show up.  There is no installer listed, serial numbers and form is left some what incomplete which I wanted corporate to review even if they refused to do so at first. Due to air springs accident & poor health beyond my control, I have been unable to get back to store, and my messages for a call back from store # 1499 were ignored.  Then insurance investigated issue wrongly as an in store theft, and then mailed response to some unknown address as noted by copy of said letter enclosed.  Letter was mailed to Corporate as listed below, but because of insurance’s wrongly addressed & investigated letter, they won’t discuss any thing with me now.  POLK- PA 500.4, Store won't even discuss missing car amp listed on their invoice, Their Corporate site refuses to respond to my email as noted below in this email

 MD Werner

Best Buy, P.O. Box 9312 , Minneapolis , MN 55440

The claim was denied because he did not investigate issue of negligence, but of employee theft.  This is not factual at all.  As I wrote the store, in my complaint I had never accused any employee at Best Buy of being a thief.  Didn't management read BBB complaint and attached letters?  It appears the insurance company did not.

Insurance also mailed response to some unknown address and zip code ( 30515 Sustin Road , Henryetta , OK    74387 - letter was copied to corporate directly as well as Tulsa ’s Best Buy ) which took until recently for me to even become aware of fact distorted in investigation letter some how.  So insurance had not addressed issue of my car being left in Best Buy's parking lot unlocked as noted in Better Business Bureau.  It now become another complaint because issues were not addressed and the possibility of needed help from the Dept. of Insurance.  As far as paper work, store did not even list installation personnel, and paper work is in complete, but does list no problems in areas of concern.  Damages to vehicle it's self were "NEVER" addressed at all like head light cover/climate control, missing car amp etc.  Attached is a letter that went to the BBB and corporate, and I will pursue issue as BBB suggested until all claims are answered.  As an employee theft investigation is fraudulent and not what was in BBB complaint by me or any others who may share interest in classic Lincoln Mark Vll.

Mr. Werner, 

  

Regarding your complaint against Best Buy #1499, our office would be happy to get in contact with the insurance company for this store if you would be able to supply it to our office. However, if you do not have, or are unable to get the insurance company information, you may want to consider contacting an attorney regarding your legal options. Another option would be to contact the Better

  

Business Bureau and file a complaint against Best Buy #1499 with their agency.  The Better Business Bureau can be contacted at 918-492-1266.  If you would like to file a complaint against the insurance company, our office would be happy to look into this matter on your behalf. All complaints do need to be in writing, and you would need to fill out a Request 

Complaint or click here.  Please don't hesitate to contact us should you have any further questions.

Tulsa OK
74132
1-888-237-8289
Our Complaint Description was:

BBB Complaint store ignored:  Store install of radio caused electronic climate control below radio to start blinking lights off & on, damaged front right head light cover-crack plastic. Did not secure vehicle when they put car in their parking lot.

1988 Mark Vll has missing items, but we don't claim store took items. We do claim lost because car was not secured when they put it into their parking lot under their care. They had a duty to secure car left in their care because any reasonable person should of foreseen a problem if vehicle was not secured. Their paper work is incomplete, so I do not know names of installers, serial number, but items are checked off in good shape before they worked on car that were damage while in their care.  We repeat, we did not think installer took items, but car was left vulnerable with unlocked doors etc.

Your Desired Resolution: 
Replacement of damaged and stolen items from car & repair / refund of unused wrong parts they sold us.

[michaelwe6942]

I am really scared to have the same shop & installer work on my Vintage Lincoln Mark Vll after all that's happened.  Date of disaster is 1-17-09 not 1-5-09 like ESIS their insurance put down on their letter to the wrong address and zip code which took for ever for me to get.  Even if the store has cameras in their repair bays which I am not sure if they keep them going that far back, how would I know with my car being left wide open if they did not enter vehicle in their parking lot or anyone could of entered my car as the example that follows:  The other day when we at Marshall's with my mom down from Best Buy when I went into their shop to look for installer there was not a sole in the shop with an open bay door.  I really don't trust installer at all.  Store # 1499, later when I took the dogs for a walk behind Marshall's and Best Buy on the lawn area we noticed a Dodge Neon being worked on at Best Buy, but they were working on this car with its doors and windows wide open in the parking lot out side of their closed bay door as Geek service person went in side of the shop for what ever he needed I assume for parts or tools.  Leaving Dodge vulnerable to any passer by, so my question is why weren’t they working on this Dodge Neon in their secured garage bay?    

[michaelwe6942]

To day Best Buy's insuranced, ESIS, called to consider maybe reviewing issues of loss & damage, but I don't want to go back to store #1499 after observing their work out side of protection of their work installation bays which should not be aloud by the Corporation in my opinion because cameras are in side their install bays only.  Installer said he saw electronics in the car, but insurance says that they would of had to writtten everything down on my incomplete invoice to be covered by insurance even if there was negligence.  The amps are written down on invoice 9123451 along with items damaged marked as operational.  2 $40.00 crossovers for  my MB Quartz 5.25 separates are missing along with 80 cents mouting backing that sort of screw on to 5.25 along with 80 cent tweeter wire mess covers, Polk Amp & my Canon Digital camera set up are all gone & even if shop is negligent by leaving a 1window part way down and doors unlocked which I felt they had a duty to protect my equipment it may not be covered even if cost of camera that they carry would be small.  Maxxsonic can replace crossovers for QM 130s MB Quartz & other parts which was going to be the 2nd part of my Best Buy install project.  Electric window motor cost me about $118.00 to replace after its motor got shorted out.  Paper work is incomplete because it does not list installer's name, model of equipment, serial number, quality service checklist is empty etc, but it also does not show any damage to my front driver's side head light cover.  Now insurance is not wanting to fix heater/air conditioner/climate control fan shorted out that sets next to the installed receiver where a bare wire hangs loose.  They did not say if they would refund the wrong & unused 60 amp fuses yet, or if I can get a new and hopefully better installer who will use new wiring harness & maybe the new dash adapter that the other installer put back in my receiver's box.  Due to stress and high blood pressure, I have been fairly well medicate, so please excsue me if my writing is not perfect at times.  So I am not sure how I can proof not wiring system up new with new harness caused shorts, but they say I have to proof why lights on heater fan came on & off on the way home as we left Tulsa and store 1499.     

[Elizabeth-BBY Community Supervisor]

Hi Michael.  Thanks for posting in our Community Forum.

I understand that you are working with Robert in our corporate office regarding this matter.  Please continue to follow up with him directly as he is the primary point of contact for resolving your issue.  I am confident he will do all he can to sort this out for you.  On behalf of Best Buy, I am sorry for any frustration or inconvenience this situation may have caused.

Thanks again,