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Inside Best Buy

Service Plans - Pro/Con

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Mark of Los Angeles writes:
I was suspended for not lying and cheating a customer at a Best Buy store in West LA, CA. All because my customer didn't want to buy a 3-year service plan through Best Buy, he was told that if he returned the product under the 14 day return policy that he would have to pay a 15% restocking fee on the unopened item. My customer signed a statement for me stating that I knew how to do my job and how the others were lying to him. The manager was told by the other employees who lied to the customer that I asked for the customer to sign a statement for me.

The manager demanded that I surrender the statement and the sales invoice that the customer allowed me to make a photo copy of. I refused and therefore I was suspended for what they call insubordination. I was suspended for refusing to hand over damaging evidence on how customers are treated when they don't want to buy the Best Buy 3-year service plan.

I informed the regional manager regarding the issues and how badly the customers who didn't want to buy the 3-year service plan through Best Buy have been treated and lied to ...

• How they have been told that MSN was down and the customers couldn't sign up for the 3 year contract with MSN and get the $400.00 dollar discount there in the store.
• How we the sales people are told to tell the customers that the product is not in stock when it is.
• How to put them in the longest lines and tell them that a lot of the parts on the computers aren't covered under the manufacturers warranty.

It really hurt to see people leave the store around the holidays that wanted to buy a computer for their kids and use the MSN to get the $400.00 off the price that day in the store. That's not right, and I refuse to lie for anyone, even Best Buy. It's wrong for them to suspend me, and they are now talking about firing me over these issues. I do have an audio tape of what goes on in the store as well as invoices of activities going on within the company.

"Drifting" of Wisconsin writes (7/20/03):
I have worked for best buy for almost 3 years now and I am outraged at some of the stories I have read on this site! I love working for Best Buy and I love working with customers. I have never put undue pressure on any customer to purchase an extended service plan, nor would I. To be honest, in most cases it is a good investment (service plan) but it is their choice to purchase it or not.

I have never had my job threatened if I didn't sell these plans. Obviously, Best Buy does make money on these plans, that is what retail stores do (sell products and services to make a profit). It is strictly against policy to force any service on the customer if they do not want it, and I have personally let a few employees go for just that. I also have had numerous customers come back to our store religiously because of the excellent service they receive. I also have recieved many compliments on the service they have recieved due to their service plans.

I admit that not everyone will get what they want from Best Buy due to the fact that there are so many stores and employees out there. My advice to you is to ask exactly what the plan covers and read the brochure, you will most likely find out that it is a good value. I would have to say that the majority of customers are happy with their service and/or buying experience or this company would not have achieved the success it has in the past 20 years. It is my personal goal to service every customer with the same level of service and respect that I would expect for myself. My mgmt. staff are also dedicated to this principle.

Best buy is a fun and exciting place to work and shop and I will continue to assure that it stays that way in any store that I work in. I'm extremely sorry that not everyone can have that experience, but I guarantee that anyone who shops in my store will.

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