Best Buy Deceptive Service Plans and Warranties Selma, Texas

This is in response to the consumer who commented on my complaint.  Best Buy is not in the business of explaining to you how their 2 year warranties work is correct.  This is how they make a lot of their profit.  I actually don't have a problem with that.  In order for a business to succeed and turn a profit they have to cover all of the bases and look for customers everywhere.  BB did exactly that.  My problem is the Geek Squad services.  From my own experience and the outrageous number of other people complaining about them it is obvious that they advertise one thing and sell another.

It all started with the commericals and the cute name of "Geek Squad".  Best Buy advertised the Geek Squad services very successfully.  The commercials led us to believe that BB had the smartest computer people working for them.  They probably do have some of the smartest guys working for them.  The problems is the employees while they are friendly and knowledgable they participate in the scam.  They try to encompass what the customer wants into one of their overpriced service plans.  It's not Burger King; you cannot go in and order it your way.  BB doesn't let you know this though.  Consumers are definitely better off going to a real computer repair store. This way they get what they want and how they want it.  Not some overpriced service plan that pays for some fat old dude a lot of money so he can feed and indulge his undoubtedly fat kids and grandkids.  Probably the same people that no one likes because they are pompous idiots.  Sorry, kinda got off track there.  
Don't worry about me shopping at Best Buy anymore though.  They lost a long time customer when they pulled this stunt on me.  Good riddance. 

I have an update on my complaint.  Best Buy replied to an email that I sent to them and pointed out that I was given an even exchange for my GPS unit.  Fortunately for me I save my reciepts so I quickly dug it out.  Well much to my surprise the reciept clearly showed that it was an even exchange.  I  really thought that I paid them for that warranty so much that I checked my credit cards to see if I had paid for the warranty with a credit card.  Both of my credit cards showed no charges from Best Buy during that time.  I still think that I must have paid cash because I wouldn't have come up with a story like that.  However, in all fairness I cannot prove that I paid for the warranty again so I must apoligize to Best Buy on that account.  It hurts to say that but I remember just yesterday when I picked up my computer from Best Buy and the punk manager wouldn't admit to anything being wrong on their end.  It upset me even more that he didn't have the common courtesy or at least business sense to not offend the customer so I feel obliged to apologize when I am wrong. 

As for my computer here is the email that I sent Best Buy's customer service.  It explains how things went when I picked up my computer and voiced my complaint.  All I wanted at that point was a sincere apology and the offer to help me get as much of the data that I lost back onto my computer.  I even told them that I did not want my money back.  I was especially disappointed in the manager.  You could tell that he was either new at his job or too inexperienced to combine the store's policy with some good old fashioned customer relations.  He was more worried about the $200 than I probably was.  I hope some of you can learn from my bad experience.

Ma'am,
 
           Thank You for the prompt reply.  After work today I picked up my computer from Best Buy as I had already recieved a phone call the night prior saying that it was ready.  As luck would have it Curtis was working.  He is the service technician that helped me when I dropped off my computer.  Curtis did a good job of explaining the service to me before I purchased it.  I did a better job of explaining to Curtis exactly what I wanted before I purchased the service.  I simply wanted the virus removed so that I could save the data that was already on my computer.  Curits wrote  on the Service order "Unit is in for a virus removal and norton installation.  Patron states that he has an infection.  Due to new check process, I did not verify anything."  After reading your email I do not think that we are on the same page.  There was no misunderstanding between the Geek Squad Agent and myself of what I wanted.  I made sure that we took all the time we needed so that he knew exactly what I wanted and I knew that he understood.  That is my definition of clear communication.   I could have simply restored my own computer; I have done it before on other computers and it is a really simple process.  I know how to back up computers.  I have a 500 G external hard drive in which I backed up my old computer; which I purchased from Best Buy, before I purchased my Toshiba computer which I purchased from Best Buy also.  The only reason I did not back up my computer after I got the virus is because I do not know if my movies, music, tax files, and pictures would carry the virus forward.  That's why I paid Best Buy $200 to remove the virus and not restore the computer.  The Geek Squad Agent and I were on the same page when I left that store.  I paid the $200 upfront because I felt comfortable with your service and your reputation to get the job done.
 
       When I picked up my computer tonight I talked to Curtis for a minute (and he was as nice and friendly as a person could be) about what happened.  He went and got the manager; a guy name Erik, and I explained to him step by step what happened.  Erik was empathetic enough that I was upset but otherwise was more concerned about if one of his guys hadn't told me that I could come get my computer so that I could back it up before it was restored.  From what I gathered he was making sure that there wasn't a miscommunication on his guy's part about the appropriate steps to take in that situation.  Cudos to Erik for trying to stop future problems before they happen.  The problem is that it was the wrong time to be concerned about Best Buy's problems.  He should have been more concerned about the customer standing in front of him. Leadership comes with experience.  I told him up front that I didn't want my money back that I just wanted him to know why I was upset with the service.  He told me that I couldn't get my money back anyways because a service was already rendered.  Apparently the service was finding the virus and figuring out if it could be removed.  I rhetorically asked him if I had paid $200 for a diagnostic exploration.  What is frustrating me still at this point was that I made myself very clear up front about removing the virus. Curtis knew that I wasn't paying $200 for a computer restore; I wanted the virus removed.  If Best Buy couldn't do that without a $200 investigation it should have been explained up front.  Curtis turned my computer on and we talked about it for a while.  I left the store thinking the expert had all the information he needed to know in order to guarantee that the virus could be removed.  If you will notice I keep saying "I made myself clear" and "on the same page".  I keep saying that because I am not mincing words here that is exactly what I did before I shelled out $200.  This is where a majority of my frustration is coming from.  This situation shouldn't fall under the "iffy" category.  I made sure of that by not leaving until Curtis was able to express back to me what I had told him that I wanted.
 
    I also noticed in your email that you said "The data backup, it is not included in this Tech Support service, again, I sincerely apologize if this was not clarified to you at the time of the purchase."  This is also frustrating because it seems that you are paying the same amount of attention to my complaint as the Geek Squad did to my service request.  I did not ask for them to back my computer up.  I know how to do that already by myself.  Why would I pay someone who I think ripped me off already to back my computer up for additional money?  I was surprised that the guy who called me offered to do that as an option.   Once again, when I dropped my computer off I had explained to Curtis at least twice that I knew how to back my computer up.  Curtis did not have to clarify this point to me when I left from dropping my computer off because he knew that I had already stated at least twice that I did not need this service.  I was not confused about what the service was or is. 
 
     Now as for the GPS device.  I found my reciept from the Rockwall, TX store location.  As you indicated the receipt shows an even exchange.  I still believe that I had to pay for another warranty on it.  I checked a couple of my credit cards that I use the most and I could not find a charge from that Best Buy Store.  I think I may have paid cash for it at this point.  But fair is fair.  Since I can't find anything to prove that I had to pay for another warrantly I will edit my complaint to reflect what happened.   I will not be a poor sport and beat around the bush even though I am really angry about my computer still.   Give me three or four days at the most but I will change it or update it to reflect only what I can prove or know for a fact.  If the website won't allow me to do either I will remove it alltogether or repost. 
 
     One last thing, I am mailing my $200 service plan in to your corporate headquarters or customer service department basically which ever adress that I can find first.  I will include the receipt, the service order, the folder with all of it's contents that was given to me tonight.  Best Buy can keep it.  I don't want your service, I don't want my money back, I don't want your apologies and I especially do not want any more emails from your company.  In the last six or seven months I have purchased a 32GB Ipad, a Garmin Nuvi, this Toshiba laptop and all the little gadgets, programs and extras that complete them.  Best Buy will not be hurt one bit by the loss of my business but it is a matter of principal on my part.    

Here is the initial email that Best Buy sent me.
 
> Date: Mon, 23 May 2011 12:11:42 -0500
> From: cr@bestbuy.com
> To:
> Subject: Re: Returns / Exchanges (KMM15780422V70646L0KM)
>
> James,
>
> Thank you for contacting us!
>
> I just received your e-mail regarding the experiences you have had with our store, I am very sorry to hear that those experiences were not pleasant.
>
> I was able to read your complaint you wrote on the Complaints Board, I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience that you went through when you had the issue with your GPS and also when you brought in your computer to be serviced.
>
> I very much appreciate you took the time to write us as well and share your experience with us. Customer feedback, such as yours, is one of the most important tools we have at our disposal to identify opportunities for improvement. I will make sure to forward this information to our store management team so they can be aware of what happened and make the arrangements they deem necessary to prevent this from happening again. I have also documented your complaint and comments here in our corporate office for internal and further review.
>
> I was able to pull up the information on the exchange of your GPS and I noticed that our store in Rockwall, TX did an even exchange and did not charge you for another Protection Plan at all; your GPS still has the Protection Plan valid until 3/23/13.
>
> Regarding the computer, I am sorry that the service our Geek Squad agent offered you was not explained to you at the time of the purchase. The service you bought is our Tech Support service that can be used on up to three devices; this will cover any software issue you may have, therefore, they should have been able to remove the virus. In fact, I checked your service order and the service has been completed, the store has contacted you and left you a message to let you know that you can pick up your unit at any time.
>
> The data backup, it is not included in this Tech Support service, again, I sincerely apologize if this was not clarified to you at the time of the purchase.
>
> I would like to help you in the best way I can, please let me know what I can do to help and I will do my best, also if you have any further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out!
>
> Have a great week,
>
> Vanessa
> Best Buy Consumer Relations
> Case 86412679

BBY is not in business to explain to you how your "2 year plan" works or how the mfr warranty comes in to play; sell it to you and pray the customer never has to use it.
You paid for 2 years from the date of purchase - yes - once BBY replaces the unit, this satisfies the plan (details in the nebulous terms and conditions online).  The problem is that replacing it may have not been the best option for you - your DC adapter's fuse could have blown, or if no physical damage (this is what you paid for), you could have sent the unit to the mfr to repair or replace. The unit has a one year mfr warranty.  In that regard, you paid for overlap.  The bulk of the $69 fee is for the physical damage component.
As for the computer, there are plenty of forums both in CNET and Microsoft websites where others have had the same problems.  A lot of fixes involve starting the PC in safe mode and deleting the offending files or restoring the PC to a prior date.
Many posts here detail the shortcomings of the Geek Squad; shop elsewhere so you don't have to deal with the nonsense from associates looking to clean your pockets and overpriced  and deceptive "services."