Below is a semi-redacted message I sent to the GM at the Anchorage Dimond Center store. At no time is it acceptable for the employees to treat customers like this. I have had to edit and redact certain information because apparently quotes of the actual conversation and incident are unacceptable to the "guidelines". Best Buy deleted my last post. So, here is the editted version of the message I sent to their GM in Alaska. Edits are in brackets.
Ms Reynolds,
I was in your store, Best Buy South Anchorage / Dimond Center, yesterday, Nov 5th. I went in to see if you had a laptop that was on a huge sale on your website and pick up a monitor. First, it took forever for anyone to even show up to help me, but I understand being short staffed and it is what it is. A guy named Krill came over and said he can help me. So, I show him the laptop and ask him if you have any in stock, and if not, is there anything else in the store that compares in both features and price. He looked at the laptop in questions on my phone and started to tell me that it's only an 11th gen Intel. I told him that didn't matter to me, I don't need a 12th gen processor. He [rudely] interrupted me to explain the new DDR5 ram was superior. I explained how my current laptop is from 2014, and I really don't care about DDR4 vs DDR5. To which he once again interrupted me, each time getting louder and more forceful, saying, "It's only a couple hundred dollars more to go with a 12th gen processor". I explained I don't care about a 12th gen, if I need more RAM, I'll install it now and it'll be good for the length of use. He then looks up to the ceiling, rolls his eyes at me, grunts, and even louder and more forceful tries to tell me it's about speed and it's only a couple hundred dollars more.
By this time, he's thoroughly [upset me] and is practically yelling at me because I don't want to spend a couple hundred dollars more. Here's the deal, I don't need a laptop, I wanted a new laptop. I have a desktop that is much newer than my current laptop. I was merely looking for something new to replace my current, very old, yet fully functioning, laptop.
However, with all this said, I walked off yelling that he needs to actually help the customer and for him to [take a hike]. I promise, most of the store heard our exchange, because he was loud first. As I was walking away, I say to the home theater design guy, Mike, "This [explative deleted] needs to actually help the client and not fight with them." Krill comes up and says, "I'll take him up to fill out the complaint form". I was absolutely shocked at the audacity and the arrogance that he would walk me up to fill out a complaint. I didn't understand this statement until later.
After calming down, I decided to go ahead and talk to the manager, a pregnant lady (I didn't catch her name, my apologies). I'd already spoken to multiple staff in trying to get a manager, most of whom said they heard the exchange and apologized for Krill's behavior. The most shocking thing about this, is many of [the staff] told me they have had multiple similar complaints about this guy. One of them said, "Yeah, apparently it's almost impossible to get fired from Best Buy, even when you mistreat both customers and employees". I had some of the tell me he treats them the same way. Talking down to them, rolling his eyes during "discussions", etc.
How you allow your employees to treat each other is your business. It may be bad business, but you have that prerogative. But I promise you, it is NOT acceptable for your employees to argue with customers about what they should or shouldn't buy, make implied accusations (through tone of voice) of being cheap because they don't want to spend $200 more on a product, and roll your eyes at them when they tell the employee that they don't care about all the reasons given to buy a more current product.
As an FYI, I will be posting this conversation on the Best Buy Support Forum and making a formal complaint with Corporate. The fact you've allowed this to happen to multiple customers and not disciplined (terminated) this employee speaks volumes about how you run your store. I understand finding people to work today is very difficult, but it's not a license to keep people on that treat your staff, and more importantly your customers this way.
You can feel free to email me, or call me at the contact info below.
Sincerely
[Sighermike]
I later found out his willingness and lack of care to having a complaint written about his was fully due to the fact he has a history of this with no accountability. This is not acceptable behavior.
Ravi-BBY
