Manufacturer Warranties and Protection Plans

[rmarcella]

To whom it may concern,

My name is Rob {removed per forum guidelines}. I have been a Minnesota Resident for 35 years, to say I have been a loyal Best Buy customer is a fair statement. I have read Bootstraps to Billions, and have always been impressed by Richard Schulze's creation of what Best Buy is today. It is for this reason I am writing. I had a situation happen today that I believe should absolutely be addressed on a Corporate level. I will explain...

My wife purchased her Smart Phone from Best Buy 6 months ago. We were told not to go with Sprint's protection plan because Best Buy Geek Squad coverage was superior, and they will usually just give you a free phone if they can not fix your problem. These phones are expensive, I have always had insurance on them, so my wife and I agreed to use Best Buy. The case cracked, from a dropped phone. Easily, a covered item per the policy. An easy fix, but it will have to be sent in... Inconvenient, yeah, but understandable. 

A work ticket is created and we are sent to the Mobile Department for a loaner. This loaner requires a $150 deposit. Again, inconvenient, yet understandable. We then sit through the process of changing the data on the phones and switching the information from the card. This process has taken us over 2 hours by the time we leave the store. 

We are told 5 days to get the phone back. It was back within the time. My wife and I are newly married and her new last name was not on her drivers license and although she had many forms it was on, the Geek Squad Member made it very difficult for her to get her phone back. Inconvenient, and unnecessary. 

As my wife started making calls, she was unable to be heard, there is a problem with the microphone on the phone. I brought the phone in. I was told again, 5 days, it needed to be shipped in again.  A new work order ticket and process starts again. I then go to the Mobile department where I am told they need a $150 deposit from me again.

I asked to speak with a manager at the Geek Squad after being told they can't expedite this at all. I waited for 5-7 minutes and decided to speak with the store manager. The Maple Grove Store MN General Manager, who had the ability to waive this fee after the explanation of the problem stated that it was the Geek Squad Manager would have to do something. 

I was told that if it comes back again and is not fixed, then he will get me a new phone immediately. My questions are these, why do I need to go through all of this pain to just have what should have already been fixed, fixed? And why if only after I go through more pain, will a manager tell me he can fix it immediately then choose to act to correct the situation. And my most important question, why when talking with the employees about the Geek Squad Black Tie Protection Program, did they tell me how ridiculous it is, how many people complain about it, when they are the same people who sold it to me. 

I don't want anything from Best Buy, please don't misinterpret my message. I just want my wife's phone back as fast as possible. I don't want to hear about the store's policies on the deposit for a loaner phone, and how many times people have stolen them. I am not a thief, just a longtime consumer of your company. As a store manager and a GM on top of that, do you not realize we have a credit card through you, we come here for all of our Electronics purchases, and that this stupid small problem can cost a customer forever? I will shop at Best Buy again, I just think about how many have stopped because of something so tiny like a loaner phone, or a problem that could be easily solved.

I look at this company who I have grown up with, show such a small fraction of interest or conceren in what to myself and my wife is so important. Our Smart Phones. 

Thank you for your time.

Respectfully,

Robert {removed per forum guidelines}

[Ryan-BBY Senior Social Media Specialist]

Hello rmarcella -

Doug from our Social Media team, will be reaching out to you regarding your concern. Thank you for your continued patience!

[Douglas-BBY Community Connector]

Hello rmarcella,

Thank you for your long time loyalty and for sharing your story with us here on our Community Forums.

I’m sorry that we needed to swap your phone out for a second replacement. Each phone should go through testing to make sure that it is back up and running like new before we ship it out to you.  It sounds like there was something that was missed and then we didn’t step up to get you a phone as quickly as you expected under the circumstances.

We do empower our local management team to make exceptions when it is possible or necessary, but I can’t speak to why our management team in Maple Grove made this particular decision.  I can say that I appreciate hearing your perspective on how this has unfolded and left you feeling. We aren’t always sure that there is an issue until you tell us and I will be sure to report this to both our management here at corporate and to our local management so that we can work to improve.

I hope that we have the chance to serve you again soon and that we can restore some of your faith when we do. Please don’t hesitate to let us know if you have any other questions or concerns in the meantime.

Regards,

[debbmoss]

I totally agree I feel like they sold me are there plan and did not even tell me about the other phones plan and then did not even back me on it. Bestbuy is to big of a company to treat there customers like crap !!!! But I feel like I was crap on being nice with my words!!!