Best Buy & Geek Squad Policies

[txaggiese]

As near as I can tell BB's overworked customer service agents are reporting into a black hole and the folks in MN are so frostbitten they don't care.  Or maybe there is so many things screwed up they are overwhelmed. 

Abbreviated issue (lots of annoying small screw ups omitted for brevity):  1 yr old Toshiba LCD with intermittent screen issue, brought in for repair, spent weeks at the depot, but then weeks at the store w/o anyone calling.  When picked up - it was damaged.  Attempts to provide constructive criticism have been thwarted by web site glitches, customer service mis-steps and further lack of communication from the store.  This is becoming an issue to get even....

Key issues:

1. Is it legal to sell an extended warranty that allows for the depot to avoid responsibility when causing cosmetic damage as part of a repair? 

2. Why did the store insist on removing the unit from the original packaging so the unit could be damaged?  Needed room on the truck?  In the store?   If the store called me during the 10 days the unit sat on the floor maybe it wouldn't have been trashed? 

3. Why ask for customer feedback via email on a repair when the website won't accept the service number?  And why make a big deal about a $5,000 giveaway that ended in May 2009?

4. Why are the stores left to make good on the mistakes at the Depot or Corporate?

I want to know.

[starhelper2587]

One of the Community Connectors (BB corp employees/forum moderators) will be able to assign your thread to someone this week to work w/ you towards a resolution and document your concerns.  Keep in mind threads are assigned in the order they are received and CCs don't work weekends, overnights, or holidays.

1. You can file a claim with BB's insurance company if the store caused the damage when the unit was being repaired.  You can start the claim process by waiting for a CC to respond to this thread.  You may also call 1-888-BESTBUY and ask for Consumer Relations (corp call center).

2. I guess I need more info to answer this question.  If you brought the unit in in its original packaging, the store would have removed the item to test it there at the GS counter to determine if the problem could be fixed there, if the unit did need to be shipped off for repairs, or if it needed to be replaced.

3. I'm not sure why that survey link is still on the service order receipts.  We get calls about it from time to time in HT scheduling at 1-800-GEEKSQUAD and usually just refer the client to Consumer Relations if he/she needs a complaint or compliment passed along.

4. I'm not sure what you mean by this question.  Again, you may want to explain the issue in more details so the CCs can properly assign your issue to someone.

[UncleHarpoon]

Clarifications:

#2 Unit was brought in using the original packaging.  I had a CD with still and video showing the intermittent failure.   They didn't do a diag at the store, they took my word and stripped the panel of all packing except for the panel bag.  They taped the CD (in its sleeve) to the system and referenced the CD in the work order.  The CD was lost enroute. The depot contacted me because I left business cards in the LCD bag and the CD sleeve.  I had to email the depot the stills and they were able to determine the panel itself had failed.  Later saw the repair transcript - an electronics module failed too.  This is a 1 yr old Toshiba that had suffered intermittent problems for most of the year - hence the pics/video to help diagnose the issue.  The unit came back NAKED, except for 3 stickers and the service order masking taped to the bezel and laying across the naked LCD (masking tape and paper were touching the LCD).  The bezel had clearly been scuffed with some force as it was scratched for the entire bottom left half of the unit.  The goo all over the bezel wasn't too cool either.

#3 Email sent the day we retrieved the unit (after it sat for about 10 days at the store):

http://pages.tracking2.geeksquad.com/page.aspx?QS=5c591a8916642e73345dcbb6efc129ac3ea9a24fb6aefbf2&C...

This site doesn't accept my service # and further insults me by talking about the $5,000 give away that ended in May 09.

#4 I called the store after getting the run-around at Customer Service (see below).  Found the store manager, talked to him and arranged to come in when he and his Geek Squad manager would be there.  I gave him the case #'s so he'd be ready.  The local store is wall to wall on Saturdays but that's when they wanted to meet.  i came in with the panel and gave my tale to the GS Manager.  He took the unit (last Saturday the 20th) and was going to clean up the goo and try to polish or replace the bezel. They reminded me that the Depot is not responsible for cosmetic damage.  They lamented the fact that they were held responsible for the depot.  They were going to call the Depot and let them know about this and I think the District Manager.  As the store GM is out this week I understand that it may be a week before I hear from anyone up the retail chain.  However, it's been a week and the GS Manager hasn't called me back.  Tuesday I'll go looking for him.

Because the Depots are not part of the retail channel, and possibly not part of Geek Squad and due to the web/email phone screw ups I did try to deal with this at a corporate level.  Here's what happened before I gave up and called the store manager:

One of the several times I talked to them I was told they would call the store, get the manager, arrange a time to meet with me and then call me back that evening.  The next evening I called to find out what happened.  The case had been closed.  The Rep who took my call retrieved the case and read it to me.  The case said the first rep talked to a <omitted> at the store and then they (the rep) couldn't reach me.  We were home, we have voice mail, and our number is what is used to file the issues.  The 2nd rep said they were only an inward call center and the first rep couldn't call out.   Someone did call me - based on the email sent a week prior - and when I spoke to them about all the mistakes made at all levels - I was given a "sorry and all issues are read by management"..  When I got to the store to return the panel, I asked who <omitted> was - neither manager knew......   Didn't leave me with the warm and fuzzy's. 

[starhelper2587]

I'm guessing you have 2 accounts on here?  UncleHarpoon, are you the OP under a different sign-in name?  I'm confused, LOL.

[UncleHarpoon]

Yes, two accounts and darn if I can tell which is which.

Well another frustration is the fact that my attempts to login are not entirely successful. 

Yeah, a black cloud of static follows me around

[starhelper2587]

The warranty doesn't cover cosmetic damage that doesn't affect the unit's performance ... but I would *think* if the store was responsible for the damage, it wouldn't matter if the unit's performance was effected or not since it was of no fault of the client's.  Did you try speaking w/ Consumer Relations yet?

 The store would be financially responsible up front for the repair facility's mistake, yes, but it seems like the store kind of mis-represented the repair facility.  I'm about 95% sure your unit was probably sent to Geek Squad City (I believe they're in Kentucky) which is party of GS and BB.

[starhelper2587]

I looked at the cases you were talking about.  The reason the people at the store probably didn't know who it was that had supposedly called and left you a message was because that person was from Consumer Relations.  Consumer Relations is a call center located at BB corp.  The notes from corp didn't indicate that either rep addressing the issue had spoken w/ anyone in particular at the store.  One just mentioned that you had called in and the other stated you had "wrote in," which I'm assuming that mean e-mailed.

[starhelper2587]

OP - Check your private messages under your UncleHarpoon sign-in.  Click on the envelope in the top right hand corner of any screen within the forums.

[Dorothy-BBY Community Supervisor]

Hello txaggiese/UncleHarpoon -

I have asked Kyle, from our Community Connector team, to reach out to you regarding your concerns.  I appreciate your patience until he is able to contact you.  Thank you!

[Kyle-BBY Retired: Senior Social Media Specialist]

Hello txaggiese/UncleHarpoon,

I’m really sorry for the delayed response here.  It’s disappointing to hear that your Toshiba TV came back from service with cosmetic damage.  We do have measures in place to ensure that your machine is handled with care during the whole repair process but it sounds like something out of the norm happened with your TV.  We certainly wouldn’t expect you to just deal with those scratches if they were caused by us so I’m glad to hear that our store management stepped in there.

We appreciate you notifying us of this occurrence because it gives us the opportunity to address it with our service center.  I will also be sending you a private message to ensure that everything is being taken care of so you can watch for that in your forum inbox by clicking the envelope icon in the upper right hand corner of the site (must be logged in for it to show up).

Sincerely,