Apologies in advance for the long post...
I purchased a 42" Panasonic plasma television in January of 2006, and along with it an extended warranty policy that lasts 4 years.
In mid-January 2009, I noticed that the television had begun acting erratically—occasionally, portions of the video would jump across the screen, almost like the video processing was rearranging the image incorrectly. Additionally, at random times large groups of pixel rows on the screen would flash white. This happens regularly for 10-15 minutes, then stops. Later, a different set of rows will do the same thing. Finally, the HDMI input would randomly cease to function, and require the TV or video source to be powered down before I could see video again. All of these problems were verified when the video source was either Blue Ray or Digital Cable, as well as can be seen when the video source was YCbCr, HDMI, composite, etc… All cables have been switched, and the TV still exhibits the same issues. I have video’s of all of these issues occurring.
I called Geek Squad for service in late January. I scheduled a call for the following Saturday, January 31. That morning, I received a phone call saying that the technician was sick, and I would need to reschedule. I rescheduled at that time for the next Wednesday, Feb 4.
That Wednesday 2/4, during my second scheduled visit, a technician by the name of Tech 1 (name deleted) visited, and did verify the problems I’ve outlined. At the end of the visit, Tech 1 said he would contact Panasonic and get back to me. I waited 2 days, and when I had not heard from Tech, I called GS on 2/6, and was told that Tech 1 had not entered any data into their system. GS then paged tech 1 again. I called GS again on 2/11, and they paged Tech 1 again. He then called me back a few hours later, told me that he/Geek Squad had lost all my paperwork, and that I needed to tell him the model number of my television before he could do anything. As I was at work at the time and did not have access to this, I called GS again for this information. After waiting on hold for 20 minutes, I finally received this infomraiton. I then called Tech 1 back, left yet another voice mail with this information, and did not receive a call back. I left two more voice mails for him, one on the 11th and the second on the 12th.
After five attempts to contact tech 1, each time leaving a voice mail or email, and not receiving a call back, I contacted GS again arrange a different technician to visit my house, and expressly told them I did not want tech 1 involved in this repair anymore due to his lack of attention. I scheduled the call for Feb 21st, a full 10 days later. This was now the third time I have scheduled a visit to my house by a technician.
On Feb 21st, during my third scheduled visit, a different technician visited by the name of Tech 2. Tech 2 was very helpful, immediately saw the problem, and told me he was going to order a part from Panasonic. Tech 2 told me the part would take approximately 2 days to arrive. True to his word, Tech 2 did order the part, but it took 10 days to arrive. I called GS again, to schedule my fourth in-home visit on March 7th.
On March 7th, the fourth scheduled visit, Tech 2 arrived on time and replaced the part he had ordered. He was prompt and courteous as before. After replacement, the TV appeared to be performing normally. With this, he left. A few hours later, I noticed that the problems were still present. I immediate contacted GS again. I was told by Best Buy Person 1 that a visit would be scheduled for a warranty replacement of my television. This visit was scheduled for Match 14th, my fifth scheduled in-house visit.
On March 14th, I received a call from Tech 1, the original technician who refused to return my calls—the same one who I asked specifically to not be involved in the repair anymore due to his lack of attention. The time that he told me he’d be arriving was outside of my service window time. When asked, he told me that the schedule was rearranged and that he couldn’t change it back. I then had to rearrange my schedule to accommodate his. He arrived, again saw the problem, and told me he’d call Panasonic the following week. After I pressed him about already saying this to me, he agreed to call them immediately. He was unable to reach them, and told me that he is not authorized to provide a replacement, as I had only been visited once. I disagreed with this, as I have a documented history of visits. He then told me he’d call me on Monday—I ran through the events of his last visit and his refusal to return phone calls, to which he responded “well, I have a lot of customers”, with no apology. This was completely unacceptable—in my job, I return every call, not matter how small the customer. At this point, there seemed to be nothing more he either could or was willing to do, so he left.
After he left, I made another call to GS that same day (March 14th). After explaining everything that had happened, the rep told me that he was putting in a warranty replacement request. After I questioned him that I had been told the same thing on March 7th, the rep told me that the request for replacement has not been processed, and that it was only a service request. The rep told me that what he was doing was putting in a replacement request, and that Best Buy would contact me in 3-5 business days (March 18-20th) with a number that I could take to one of their stores to get my warranty replacement set.
I received a call from Best Buy person 2 (name deleted) on March 20th, and was told, contrary to what I was told the week before, that I am not eligible for a replacement because only 1 repair had been attempted. When I explained to her that I had already had 5 scheduled and 4 attempted visits to my house, she said that didn’t matter and policy was policy. I asked to speak to her manager, only to be told she was the manager. I asked her why Best Buy Person 1 told me I was eligible, and she had no answer other than policy was policy.
I find that answer of ‘policy is policy’ to be ludicrous in the face of the hurdles I had gone through to get this TV fixed.
Making matters even worse, I was told that Tech 1 was the technician scheduled to visit. I requested a change to Tech 2, and Best Buy person 2 told me I would be called back on or by March 24th to confirm this. I was not contacted as promised.
On March 28th, a visit was scheduled to fix the TV. Tech 1 arrived on time, and replaced a PCB. After repair, the TV appeared to be working correctly. Later that day, I noticed the TV had begun to display the problem again.
I contact Geek Squad again on the 29th, and was initially told that I was eligible for a replacement. After explaining to Best Buy person 3 my situation and that I didn’t think I was, she researched and agreed. She then told me she would contact the technician (Tech 1), as well as his manager, and that I would expect a call back within 2 days.
I did not get the call back.
I called Geek squad again on the 31st, and again requested a call from the Tech 1 or technician’s manager. I was told I’d be called within two days.
I received a call on the 2nd from GS person 1 at Geek Squad, who told me he’d personally contact the technician, and scheduled a visit for service on 4/11. He also told me he’d call me back beforehand to let me know what was going to be repaired. I expressed that I did not want a simple visit--only service visits, given two different technicians have verified the issue, and that multiple visits had been made for this. He agreed that this visit would be a repair visit only, and that anything else was a waste of both parties time.
GS person 1 called again on 4/7, and left a message that we was still waiting on the technician to call him, but that the part was in stock for repair.
I called Geek Squad the morning of April 10th, and the operator confirmed that there was indeed a part to be repaired.
On the evening of April 10th, I received a form letter from Best Buy in the mail, stating I was not eligible for a lemon replacement, and stated an incorrect number of service visits. After all the problems I have enduring trying to get you to live up to your end of the warranty I purchased, I feel a form letter is out of place. Next time, save the $0.42 stamp.
On April 11th, I received a call from Tech 1, who told me that there was not a part to repair, and that the visit was purely an evaluation. I immediately called geek squad, and was told that my only option was this. I elevated the call to a manager (manager 1), who indicated that there was no part to repair, and would not agree that an evaluation visit would be a waste of everyone’s time. She frankly seemed to have no interest in doing anything but sending a technician to my house. After 1 hour of not getting anywhere with her, she promised to follow up with the technician the following Monday (April 13th) and contact me back that day. She told me she would personally handle it.
Tech 1 arrived, with another technician, out of the service window time (for the third straight time), and again verified the problem. He left promising to order parts. The previous operator, GS person 1, left me a voice mail following the visit, asking if the repair had gone smoothly. I found this message extremely irritating, as Best Buy/Geek Squad seem to not even know when your technicians are doing, nor what you actually have in your system slated for customers. GS person 1 again promised to call me back the following business day.
I did not receive a call back from Manager 1 as promised on Monday the 13th, nor from Matthew.
Geek Squad left me a voice mail on April 15th, saying that they needed to reschedule my service visit. Curious as to what visit they were speaking of, as I did not have one scheduled, I called back and confirmed a visit a week and a half later. With the operator, I again confirmed that I cannot host visits during the business week, as I cannot take any additional time off of work to handle this issue, and feel I have been more than accommodating to this point. Tech 1 also left me a voice mail, and when I called him back he told me they attempted to schedule a visit without a part to repair being available.
I scheduled a visit for 4/25. Tech 1 arrived on-time, and was able to fix the problem (hopefully, as it has not reoccurred as of today.
Best Buy/Geek Squad has repeatedly not come close to meeting my expectations.
· Tech 1 refused to return phone calls 3 times from me, twice from your own staff during February. He did not return two calls at the end of March either, or even the basic functions of his job in February.
· I was told, TWICE, that I was eligible for a lemon replacement of my television, only the first time to be rudely told that I wasn’t because of your policy. I had to correct your operators on two separate occasions of your lemon replacement policy. When your customers know your policies better than your operators, that is a huge issue with your company,
· In a reoccurring theme, Tech 1, BB person 1, and Manager all promised to return my phone calls and update me on status. BB person 1 was the only person to follow up on his promises, and did not do so within when he promised.
· It took 95 days for me to get my television repaired. It should never take that long.
· I have had to call Geek Squad 13 times. Why does a customer have to call you 13 times for a repair?
Elizabeth-BBY
Private Message
