Best Buy & Geek Squad Policies

[dyurescko]

I don't know... maybe AJ was a manager that really cared about customer service and could have taken the time to look up who sold the item or which store it was sold at and take the time to coach the associates in the proper sales practices. Or MAYBE AJ was a manager that cared about the customer and was just going to take the time to appologize on behalf of his company because sometimes an applogy goes a long way to mending bridges with an irate customer. OR maybe I was lucky to have missed AJs call because he was just calling to argue with me and make excuses, or maybe tell me if I don't like what he has to say I can GTFO of his store. How can the associates on the floor be expected to act with integrity and care about the customer when they have someone like you as an example. If I, as an angry customer, ever walked into a store with a complaint and had to deal with a manager that was only interested in making excuses and trying to change the subject and then by their own admission might lose my number and never call me back, that store would not be getting my business again. Is that what you tell your customers Nokia?? "If you don't like what I have to say you can stop coming here" ?? You are really unbelievable.

I ONLY bought that extended warranty because I was lied to after I declined it the first time. I don't NEED to try and pull a scam on Best Buy like they pulled on me!  Trust me, I can afford to buy another $150 Nano for my son if I wanted him to have the newest one. I came here originally looking for information because I couldn't find my documentation. It turned out that the sales pitch was a LIE which caused me great disappointment with the COMPANY. Not with the plan, with the practices that are obviously encouraged a in your company. I expect some massaging of the facts from a used care salesman, not my electronics store. Since you are clearly more interested antagonizing me and implying that I am trying to get something out of this, I have included the text of the PMs for you. As you can see I never asked for anything and after I stated clearly that I was unhappy with Best Buys fraudulant sales practices Allan explained what the process should be and took it upon himself to contact the manager at the Fairview store. I was returning AJs call as a courtousey because he took the time to call me. The fact that I left so many messages and he couldn't take the time to return my call even once, and the fact that I called so many times and noone bothers to answer the phone is ridiculous. The fact that I have a legitimate complaint and you are more concerned with arguing about job function is ridiculous. The fact that I was lied to in a last ditch effort to get me to buy this plan in the first place is RIDICULOUS. Congratulations Nokia, you have successfully undone any good that Allan managed to accomplish and made a bad situation infinately worse.

"Hi Allan,

You are correct; my son remembered us telling him about the plan and noticed that a new Gen was coming out. I no longer had the documentation so I came here seeking information. While I appreciate your willingness to facilitate a resolution for this, it was not my intention to seek an exception to be made on my behalf. I simply wanted what I paid for. Unfortunately it now appears that what I paid for was a plan that does not cover much at all.  That being said, my disappointment is not even with the plan per se... it is what it is; my dissatisfaction lies squarely with Best Buy's fraudulent sales tactics. If this was an isolated incident that would be one thing, but I get the hard sell for these plans LITERALLY every time I purchase something at Best Buy. I have been told they cover everything from dropping it in the toilet, knocking off the table, to running it over with a car. I even had one associate tell me “it pretty much covers everything except theft or loss because you have to have something to turn in”. After reviewing the documentation at the Geeksquad.com website, I see that NONE of those things are covered. This practice is so wide spread and aggressive that I can only assume that the associates are actively coached to sell as many as they can by any means possible. After all as long as you don't put it in writing, the customer can't prove it right? I may have been remiss in not reading the documentation but I am not stupid. I can put two and two together. I consider this to be a very dishonest practice and although I have liked shopping with Best Buy in the past I am really reconsidering if this is where my money is best spent.  Unfortunately the loss of my business is unlikely to change Best Buy’s business practices… those dollars are not even a drop in the bucket, especially considering how profitable those plans are.

Sincerely,

Dawn

Hi Dawn,

The fact that you don't want an exception made for you speaks to your integrity as a person, and I truly do admire that in a person. I have to also say that losing your future patronage really does matter to us, and I will freely admit that you are a very good customer of ours!

I will also admit that I have never been a sales associate in one of our stores, and would be unable to speak to what our associates are coached to sell. I can say that no store should ever be coaching sales associates to lie to customer's to get the sale, and I can also say there would most likely be disciplinary action taken against any Best Buy® employee misrepresenting one of our service plans just to get a sale (the only reason I say most likely is that any disciplinary action taken against an employee is treated privately between them, HR, and the person they report to; being such no other employees would ever be aware of this action).

From a personal standpoint I am constantly impressed with the integrity and commitment that our employees show me, and our customers', on a daily basis. I have sent the management of the store you purchased the iPod from an email conveying your complaint, and linking them to your post so they can read your accounting first hand. I really do wish I could do something to resolve this for you, and as always if you have any specific requests for me just send me a message!

Thanks,
Allan
Community Connector
Best Buy® Corporate"

[dyurescko]

Another one... I wonder how many people just went into the store and were turned away?

http://www.forums.bestbuy.com/t5/Best-Buy-and-Geek-Squad-Policies/we-can-trade-up/td-p/57524

[dyurescko]

"I never accused you of any kind of scam." ...."I never accused you of trying to get something out of BB"

"Also, you have stated you do not want any exceptions made for you. What outcome would you like to see

So what exactly was the intent of that comment? Just because you left it hanging as an implication instead of saying it straight out doesn't make it less offensive to me, the customer.

"I never suggested you should go to the store"

"I know if I was in your position, I'd be going down to the store and waiting until AJ arrives"

Again, the implication is that since AJ cannot return a phone call, going down to the store and just waiting for him to arrive is not only reasonable but desirable.

"As I said before, I do not represent BB in any way, shape, or form, and I do not post as an employee but as a customer."

"I wanted to point out that "the guy that stands at the front by the door all day" is an Asset Protection associate, and he is there to deter theft. There is no way for a customer to be transferred to him. That extension is internal only. When you call, the call goes to a Sales Operator, who either answers your question or transfers the call accordingly.

Many customers think they are basically the BB equivalent of the WM greeter, which is a great disservice. They have a very tough job, one of the toughest in the store actually.

If the phone is not being answered, the Sales Operator is not doing their job. That issue should be taken up with them. Giving their responsibility to someone else certainly would not solve the problem.

I know currently there is a customer I need to call, but I cannot locate his phone number."

First of all, you did NOT say you did not represent BB. As a matter of fact, you spoke several times to an intimate knowledge of Best Buy staffing policies and store procedures as well as implying that you were a manager of Best Buy. Claming you don't speak on behalf of Best Buy after the fact does not change the impression you have given me about Best Buy.  Everytime you post on here you have the opportunity to create favorable impression or an unfavorable impression. You have already tried to gain the upper hand in this exchange by cultivating the  perception that you a manager Best Buy, do you really think that just saying you don't represent them is now going to change my mind? It would appear you are really just more interested in arguing with me and trying to prove you are right than you are in trying to preserve good relations with a Best Buy customer.

[799AP]

Hmmm,

I am an AP at Store #799 and when the Sales Op doesnt answer by the 5th ring it get forwarded to the Cust Serv extention and then to the AP extension on my desk located at the front of the store. 

This happens everyday! 

-Ted