F*CK you Best Buy

Seth53

Well-Known Member
I posted the following on their FaceBook page (since they do not have an on-line complaint/resolution portal. Cripes almighty, what the hell has happened to customer service these days? And no, no answer back. I left my full name, email and phone # to boot.

Dreadful experience with Best Buy (BB) in Coralville, Iowa.

My wife and I wanted to do a dual-car audio upgrade. As a Totaltech member ($200/year to join) we purchased most of the hardware through BB and were set up for two installations at the Coralville, IA BB on Saturday, March 28th. I had taken time off from work to drive the NINETY miles to get this done. We had patiently waited for SIXTY days for the appointment day.

Upon arrival, we were informed the installer had been called away for a family emergency and wasn’t available. I asked why we were not notified and the answer from the Service Manager was that the Geek Squad manager, Kaleb, stated he had called everyone. Nope. Not a whisper. I was then asked if the call might have gone to “spam”….huh? Emails go to spam, voice messages do not.

I was given a $175 refund for our time and trouble of driving two vehicles. I was told the Geek Squad manager, Kaleb, would call me when he arrived at 11am. Nope. Not a whisper.

I wanted to re-schedule obviously, so, on the ninety-minute drive home, I spent the entire time either on hold, getting transferred multiple times, getting transferred to the BB worker’s comp hotline, and/or getting cut off completely using the Geek Squad Totaltech customer service phone number. When I finally got ahold of a scheduler (no, Kaleb never did call), I was told there wasn’t anything available at the Iowa City or Davenport BB’s for audio install until late May or early June.

Seeing how I was turned away, not communicated with beforehand, not called back as promised and being on hold for about two hours total, I would think some consideration might be made to get us in sooner. Nope.

Finally, there is no email or online customer-communication (complaint) site to work through. Why is that? Sorry BB, I won’t schedule any more installation services…business will be going elsewhere. Highly doubtful we will be renewing our Totaltech membership. Sorry, but your customer service is an F+
 
I know you had to pay for gas and shit, but $175 seems pretty fair. Your generation is retiring en masse and our society has ruined a bunch of kids and there are basically no incentives to work a lot of the jobs our economy has created. The installer's mom could have died or something and they don't have any backups. Shit happens, bro.

People are just going to have to materially lower their expectations on stuff, especially if you're dealing with some huge company. Let's just hope these problems don't start manifesting themselves around critical infrastructure.
 
I know you had to pay for gas and shit, but $175 seems pretty fair. Your generation is retiring en masse and our society has ruined a bunch of kids and there are basically no incentives to work a lot of the jobs our economy has created. The installer's mom could have died or something and they don't have any backups. Shit happens, bro.

People are just going to have to materially lower their expectations on stuff, especially if you're dealing with some huge company. Let's just hope these problems don't start manifesting themselves around critical infrastructure.
I have no problem of course with the fact the installer wasn't there. (But my shit still isn't installed and now I have to go through the hassle of going somewhere else...not throwing a dime to BB after this).

My issues are:
- Nobody called me about the cancellation and then they lied about it.
- The Geek Squad manager was supposed to call me to re-schedule. That same day. He didn't. Another lie.
- You absolutely CANNOT get through to anybody who speaks decent english, or, speak to a store rep directly. I was on the phone for 90+ minutes and didn't get a re-scheduling resolved.
- BB has automated everything and sometimes you need to un-automate things like this.
- BB does not have an on-line complaint/issue portal. You can't lodge a concern on line, or, email one. Instead, you have to call, and guess what, you're on hold and then on the phone for a very long time. That's why I posted what I did on their FB page.
 
Sadly, this is not uncommon. They just don’t care. Over the years, especially since I retired in 2007, I have fired numerous vendors and service providers. Now I have a much reduced lists of companies I will deal with. I know. Have my actions caused change? Yes. I don’t spend a lot of time pissed off. Or on hold.
 
I am not a fan of BB either. Luckily I have other options.
I'm actually a Totaltech member and have used their consultant services a few times for in-house surround sound setups, etc. But this was always with a personal consultant who we met in person and had a direct line to if need be. TT costs $200 a year and does have advantages.

However, this thing yesterday was basically big-corp demonstrating they really don't want to resolve an issue other than throwing money at it. Sad.
 
If they have a 3 month backlog they literally don't give a solitary shit if they missed your appointment. Can't say I blame them.
 
I posted the following on their FaceBook page (since they do not have an on-line complaint/resolution portal. Cripes almighty, what the hell has happened to customer service these days? And no, no answer back. I left my full name, email and phone # to boot.

Dreadful experience with Best Buy (BB) in Coralville, Iowa.

My wife and I wanted to do a dual-car audio upgrade. As a Totaltech member ($200/year to join) we purchased most of the hardware through BB and were set up for two installations at the Coralville, IA BB on Saturday, March 28th. I had taken time off from work to drive the NINETY miles to get this done. We had patiently waited for SIXTY days for the appointment day.

Upon arrival, we were informed the installer had been called away for a family emergency and wasn’t available. I asked why we were not notified and the answer from the Service Manager was that the Geek Squad manager, Kaleb, stated he had called everyone. Nope. Not a whisper. I was then asked if the call might have gone to “spam”….huh? Emails go to spam, voice messages do not.

I was given a $175 refund for our time and trouble of driving two vehicles. I was told the Geek Squad manager, Kaleb, would call me when he arrived at 11am. Nope. Not a whisper.

I wanted to re-schedule obviously, so, on the ninety-minute drive home, I spent the entire time either on hold, getting transferred multiple times, getting transferred to the BB worker’s comp hotline, and/or getting cut off completely using the Geek Squad Totaltech customer service phone number. When I finally got ahold of a scheduler (no, Kaleb never did call), I was told there wasn’t anything available at the Iowa City or Davenport BB’s for audio install until late May or early June.

Seeing how I was turned away, not communicated with beforehand, not called back as promised and being on hold for about two hours total, I would think some consideration might be made to get us in sooner. Nope.

Finally, there is no email or online customer-communication (complaint) site to work through. Why is that? Sorry BB, I won’t schedule any more installation services…business will be going elsewhere. Highly doubtful we will be renewing our Totaltech membership. Sorry, but your customer service is an F+
You're gonna be mad when you read this, but the instant any retail place meets a guy like you (the, "I WANNA SPEAK TO A MANAGER, I'm going to write a letter and complain-type of customer), you went right on the "do not call back" list. Companies have literally thousands of customers in line for every service and they'd rather ignore you than deal with you being a pain in the ass. They could literally fill your spot in 30 seconds and not have to deal with a Karen.

As said above, I don't blame them. Some college freshman kid working for $12 an hour screwed up and forgot to call you, and you went in guns-a-blazin' pissed off and throwing around your "I'm an elite person" spiel about some $200/year fake service plan that isn't an exclusive thing. Your Totaltech deal...that's just a ripoff scam you fell for like paint protection at a car dealership. Those companies just rip old people off making them feel all warm and fuzzy about being "protected" and they know very well those services are all BS and they'll never honor it. $200 is the price of business for a Karen to come in and rant and rave and yell at people for a few minutes because they're mad.

You also sound like the type of guy we run into frequently where I work. The type who's never happy with anything and will call back 12 times with 12 different insignificant complaints like, "Your worker's shoe nudged my floormat out of place AND NEVER EVEN INFORMED ME OF IT!!! I had that floormat in the perfect spot for my wife who has arthritis in her ankle and she CANNOT get comfortable now! I've tried 45 different locations for the floormat and NONE OF THEM work. I demand a partial refund for my time and a personal phone call from your manager!" No retail place wants to deal with folks like that. They're money ahead just to let you go home and throw a temper tantrum.

If you get my gist, I wouldn't expect a phone call back. Pain-in-the-ass customers go to the bottom of the queue. If you had not gone straight to pissed mode and tried to be cool about it, and realized that the dudes working there make barely over minimum wage and are just guys and girls half a notch up from the Taco Bell drive thru, you might have been better off. And don't tell us you weren't a pain-in-the-ass customer. Pain-in-the-ass customers are the only ones who can't see that they're pain-in-the-ass customers. Kinda like the old saying, a pig can't smell a pig.
 
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You're gonna be mad when you read this, but the instant any retail place meets a guy like you (the, "I WANNA SPEAK TO A MANAGER, I'm going to write a letter and complain-type of customer), you went right on the "do not call back" list. Companies have literally thousands of customers in line for every service and they'd rather ignore you than deal with you being a huge pain in the ass. They could literally fill your spot in 30 seconds and not have to deal with a Karen.

As said above, I don't blame them. Some college freshman kid working for $12 an hour fucked up and forgot to call you, and you went in guns-a-blazin' pissed off and throwing around your "I'm an elite person" spiel about some $200/year fake service plan that isn't an exclusive thing. Your "Totaltech" deal...that's just a ripoff scam you fell for like paint protection at a car dealership. Those companies just rip old people off making them feel all warm and fuzzy about being "protected" and they know very well those services are all bullshit and they'll never honor it. $200 is the price of business for a Karen to come in and rant and rave and yell at people for a few minutes and you fell for it.

You also sound like the type of guy we run into frequently where I work. The type who is literally never happy with anything and will call back 12 times with 12 different insignificant and unreasonable complaints like, "Your worker's shoe nudged my floormat out of place AND NEVER EVEN INFORMED ME OF IT!!! I had that floormat in the perfect spot for my wife who has arthritis in her ankle and she CANNOT get comfortable now! I've tried 45 different locations for the floormat and NONE OF THEM work. I demand a partial refund for my time and a personal phone call from your manager!" No retail place wants to deal with folks like that. They are money and frustration ahead just to let you go home and throw a temper tantrum.

If you get my gist, I wouldn't expect a phone call back. Pain-in-the-ass customers go to the bottom of the queue. If you had not gone straight to pissed mode and tried to be cool about it, and realized that the dudes working there make barely over minimum wage and are just guys and girls half a notch graduated from the Taco Bell drive thru, you might have been better off. And don't tell us you weren't a pain-in-the-ass customer. Pain-in-the-ass customers are the only ones who can't see that they're pain-in-the-ass customers. Kinda like the old saying, a pig can't smell a pig.

Yeah, pretty much this. They have a 3 month backlog. The guy who could do the job couldn't do it on the scheduled day. Only recourse is to get back in line. It's a car audio thing, it isn't an HVAC system or water heater or something that really matters. I use every possible effort to avoid buying anything from Amazon, Wal Mart, Target, Best Buy, Home Depot, etc. I try to buy from a local business first and if that won't fly I try smaller regional or national retailers like Academy Sports or Tractor Supply.

For anything related to car electronics, I would go to a local place called Rogers Stereo. They did my wife's tint during the Germ and were super awesome. Ownership and management is all local and they completely live and die by reputation and word of mouth. Best Buy is basically a phone reseller now, they don't give two shits about their car radio business. I don't know what local options exist for services like that, but you lose a bunch of the local businesses as the population of areas like eastern Iowa/western Illinois empties out or flatlines.
 
Seeing how I was turned away, not communicated with beforehand, not called back as promised and being on hold for about two hours total, I would think some consideration might be made to get us in sooner. Nope.
Also, lol...lemme get this straight...

Because you got mad, now you expect to be able to cut in line and bump a whole bunch of other people out of their scheduled spot? That's a Karen move if I've ever seen one.

You know what? They had spots they could've gotten you in. We're talking 90 days here..

They just told you they had nothing open because you were a PITA and they wanted to be done with you. And it worked.
 
Best Buy Geek Squad desks are apparently a joke. One person I know bought their laptop there, took it in when they had a problem and the Geek took a quick look, declared it couldn't be fixed without a major hardware repair, etc. They then took their laptop to a local computer repair shop, who fixed it in about 60 seconds.
The lack of ability to phone any local BB store direct is, of course, also BS.
 
Also, lol...lemme get this straight...

Because you got mad, now you expect to be able to cut in line and bump a whole bunch of other people out of their scheduled spot? That's a Karen move if I've ever seen one.

You know what? They had spots they could've gotten you in. We're talking 90 days here..

They just told you they had nothing open because you were a PITA and they wanted to be done with you. And it worked.

Nothing was more harmful to our society than the proliferation of the phrase "the customer is always right" that started in earnest in the '80's. When you give a Karen the idea that she has some sort of power it just never ends well. Poor Kaleb could have gotten T-Boned by a Cambus on his way to work and be laying on a meat counter and Seth would still be ranting about how customer service has fallen off.

The store manager can never possibly take Seth's side, either. The store manager needs a manager for the stereo department. You call Kaleb into the office and chew his ass over this and next thing you know Kaleb is running the produce department at Hy-Vee and now the Best Buy manager has to moonlight in the stereo department until they get a new guy.
 
I was actually very calm about it.
They offered to have the manager call me that day, which he didn't.
They also fibbed when they said the manager had called me to tell me the installation was cancelled.
Finally, their telephone customer service sucks balls. Big balls.

To you guys busting my balls, do two things for me...

#1--go back and actually read my post. The cancellation wasn't the deal. It was being fibbed about being called, then no call back, then being shined-on with a discount then no follow up to reschedule is what frosted me. Plus I'm still holding the bag on hundreds of dollars of equipment gathering dust.

#2--See #1. And feel free to read the multitude of BB complaints lodged against them. Same theme....can't get a person to help in the stores, can't get anyone to help on the phone, no other way to contact them.

BTW...the manager finally called me yesterday at 6 pm. Said something about not getting the message. Uh huh.
 
Best Buy Geek Squad desks are apparently a joke. One person I know bought their laptop there, took it in when they had a problem and the Geek took a quick look, declared it couldn't be fixed without a major hardware repair, etc. They then took their laptop to a local computer repair shop, who fixed it in about 60 seconds.
The lack of ability to phone any local BB store direct is, of course, also BS.
No apparently about it. It's systemic and not isolated to "poor ol Karen Seth." Far from it.
 
Also, lol...lemme get this straight...

Because you got mad, now you expect to be able to cut in line and bump a whole bunch of other people out of their scheduled spot? That's a Karen move if I've ever seen one.

You know what? They had spots they could've gotten you in. We're talking 90 days here..

They just told you they had nothing open because you were a PITA and they wanted to be done with you. And it worked.
I wasn't mad. I simply wanted to reschedule and needed someone to call me. Which took them 36 hours to do so...after I spent 90 minutes on the way back from IC getting *no where* on the phone. NINETY minutes. Try it sometime...you'll see.
 
I was actually very calm about it.
They offered to have the manager call me that day, which he didn't.
They also fibbed when they said the manager had called me to tell me the installation was cancelled.
Finally, their telephone customer service sucks balls. Big balls.

To you guys busting my balls, do two things for me...

#1--go back and actually read my post. The cancellation wasn't the deal. It was being fibbed about being called, then no call back, then being shined-on with a discount then no follow up to reschedule is what frosted me. Plus I'm still holding the bag on hundreds of dollars of equipment gathering dust.

#2--See #1. And feel free to read the multitude of BB complaints lodged against them. Same theme....can't get a person to help in the stores, can't get anyone to help on the phone, no other way to contact them.

BTW...the manager finally called me yesterday at 6 pm. Said something about not getting the message. Uh huh.
Most on this board are quick to type and slow to read. Not sure what you were expecting to gain in taking the time to type your post................I've learned this the hard way.
 
I was actually very calm about it.
They offered to have the manager call me that day, which he didn't.
They also fibbed when they said the manager had called me to tell me the installation was cancelled.
Finally, their telephone customer service sucks balls. Big balls.

To you guys busting my balls, do two things for me...

#1--go back and actually read my post. The cancellation wasn't the deal. It was being fibbed about being called, then no call back, then being shined-on with a discount then no follow up to reschedule is what frosted me. Plus I'm still holding the bag on hundreds of dollars of equipment gathering dust.

#2--See #1. And feel free to read the multitude of BB complaints lodged against them. Same theme....can't get a person to help in the stores, can't get anyone to help on the phone, no other way to contact them.

BTW...the manager finally called me yesterday at 6 pm. Said something about not getting the message. Uh huh.
Literally every chain store is the same. You would've gotten the same treatment from Circuit City, Best Buy, Target, Walmart, Dunham's Bass Pro Shop, JC Penney, Home Depot, and the list goes on. Doesn't matter what they're selling. Those stores are nothing more than a bunch of super low-paid help with zero knowledge of the product they're selling trying to barely make their car payments on 2005 Celicas. Would you give a shit what a customer is mad about and go out of your way to help the guy for minimum wage? Nope.

All of those chain stores have a scam "club" you can join where they fleece old people into thinking they're getting a bunch of benefits, they only need to get your $200 and don't give a shit about the few complainers that come back in demanding some sort of resolution. You got scammed, and like Dave Ramsey says it's actually a good thing if it only happens once and you learn from it...it's called a stupid tax. I'm going to guess that you also buy extended warranties and "protection plans" at the register. Good luck getting any of those to work. Yet another scam.

Newsflash for ya, no one at Best Buy...not even all the way up to upper management--gives two shits about the reputation of Best Buy, and they don't care if you get upset or not. They have crappy low-paying jobs and they just wanna get through their day and not have to listen to whiny customers anymore. Same for any chain store . It's the way it is. Retail is hell and no one cares about your (or my) problems. The sooner people figure that out the better.

Go look at ANY online presence of ANY big retailer and you'll see the exact same litany of complaints as Best Buy.
 
Literally every chain store is the same. You would've gotten the same treatment from Circuit City, Best Buy, Target, Walmart, Dunham's Bass Pro Shop, JC Penney, Home Depot, and the list goes on. Doesn't matter what they're selling. Those stores are nothing more than a bunch of super low-paid help with zero knowledge of the product they're selling trying to barely make their car payments on 2005 Celicas. Would you give a shit what a customer is mad about and go out of your way to help the guy for minimum wage? Nope.

All of those chain stores have a scam "club" you can join where they fleece old people into thinking they're getting a bunch of benefits, they only need to get your $200 and don't give a shit about the few complainers that come back in demanding some sort of resolution. You got scammed, and like Dave Ramsey says it's actually a good thing if it only happens once and you learn from it...it's called a stupid tax. I'm going to guess that you also buy extended warranties and "protection plans" at the register. Good luck getting any of those to work. Yet another scam.

Newsflash for ya, no one at Best Buy...not even all the way up to upper management--gives two shits about the reputation of Best Buy, and they don't care if you get upset or not. They have crappy low-paying jobs and they just wanna get through their day and not have to listen to whiny customers anymore. Same for any chain store . It's the way it is. Retail is hell and no one cares about your (or my) problems. The sooner people figure that out the better.

Go look at ANY online presence of ANY big retailer and you'll see the exact same litany of complaints as Best Buy.
And I can say without any remorse...most likely the only reason I got a call back 36 hours later is because my FB complaint circled back and somebody got their ass chewed.

Not unlike dealing with a typical government entity (SS office, DMV, DFAS...you name it)...the quickest way to get past an indifferent employee is by asking..."who's your supervisor." Amazing what happens at that point.
 
The store manager can never possibly take Seth's side, either. The store manager needs a manager for the stereo department. You call Kaleb into the office and chew his ass over this and next thing you know Kaleb is running the produce department at Hy-Vee and now the Best Buy manager has to moonlight in the stereo department until they get a new guy.
Guarantee you after he left:

Store MGR: Did you call that guy and let him know Pete was sick?

Kaleb: I'm pretty sure I did.

Store MGR: F it, man, we're full enough. Did you hear that guy? Jesus.

Kaleb: You want me to have regional call him back and set up a new time?

Store MGR: No way in hell. If Rhonda calls from regional to see what we have for appointments tell her were out to late June. Hopefully he goes somewhere else. I have better shit to do on a Saturday than deal with that shit. I don't get paid enough for that. He'll probably go on Facebook and leave a 1 star and put a big post up. At least we don't have to mess with it.

Did anyone move those fridges out of the store room so we can fit Tuesday's truck load in there?
 
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