Best Buy — Local services in Greenville

I visited the Best Buy located in Greenville, NC on May 31, 2022 I had an appointment with the geek squad at 3:20 pm to have my phone checked out. I had recently damaged my phone and was hoping to see if it could be fixed. The young man helping me was polite enough; he let me know he was a trainee and it was an overall okay interaction. On the contrary, the veteran geek squad member who was training him was rude. While I was in the store I witnessed an interaction he was having with an older lady that he was helping. I heard as he repeatedly spoke sarcastically to her and at some points even spoke down to her. "That's why we ask our friend," he replied, which confused her, and she asked whom? In response, he said, "Google, is he your friend too?" He made unnecessarily rude comments. I could tell at first the woman was trying to be polite and smile but as he kept saying more and more rude things it was obvious how uncomfortable she was. I was not helped by that associate but the trainee helping me would have to ask him for help at times. I really didn't like how he spoke to that older lady he was helping. Overall, they told me I need a new phone. I innocently, without much thought, asked when they would have the latest iPhone in stock. I had no idea whether a new iPhone was out or not, nor when it would be out but I figured that the geek squad would probably know. What I did not expect was for them to laugh at my stupid question. They blatantly laughed at me in my face. I understand it might have been a stupid question but that is not good customer service. They made me feel embarrassed and humiliated. I have worked in customer service before and I would never ever laugh in a customer's face regardless of how stupid their question may be. After laughing in my face the experienced geek squad associate had the nerve to sarcastically tell me that the new iPhone would be out sometime in September. This was the same guy that was being sarcastic to the older lady. I felt like he was just making fun of me and getting the other geek members to laugh with him. In what world is that okay to do to a customer? He easily could have just told me "oh apple hasn't announced a release date yet." I was already upset enough by the fact that my relatively new phone was unfixable. Having the geek squad laugh at me in front of my face topped off a horrible day. I would not recommend anyone I know to go to this Best Buy Geek Squad. I have never been treated this badly in any other retail setting. Seeing as how the employees feel brave enough to laugh in customers' faces, it seems that customer service is not a priority at...

I went to buy a remote start a few weeks ago, since it was in a great price, big opportunity. Geeksquad was very helpful in showing me the options and what I would need. I finally came around it and bought what they suggested online a couple of weeks ago and booked an appointment for today. I arrived today as told 5 minutes early, but they weren't open yet. When they opened, I received information that my installation wasn't going to be done by a professional, but instead by a trainee, that the work wasn't going to be 2 hours as offered by sales and geeksquad 2 weeks earlier, but 5 hours. I refused to get my installation done by the trainee and that I would wait 5 hours. I paid for something and they should deliver. The installation person then said that he refused to service my car and that the customer has no say on who installs the product. Even worse, he said that installation was free, what should I expect. I had a manager called and the first one said there was nothing to do and that he was busy with another customer, and the second one "heard" the two sides of the story. In the end, she said I had to return the items and that they won't service my car. She processed the return and had me bring in the items. Even though I didn't agree on the return, she continued the process. When I denied accepting to return it, she went ahead and pressed the return confirmation button by herself. She gave me the receipt and told me that I could go to Knightdale, because I wasn't going to be serviced by them in that store ever. This is borderline direct discrimination from their part, just by asking to do what was offered. I asked for a formal complaint form, and she told me to call the 800 number or in the webpage. As I left, I immediately called the 800 number. As I was on the phone, I checked the refund, and gues what, they didn't refund the total, just partial because the installations guy time was blocked, when he refused to do the work himself. The first manager approved the full refund, and after a few attempts they got it through. Now I would like to know who is responsible for the time lost, the borderline discrimination, awful experience and state of mind, and the money. I mention the money, because I needed the product installed today, and went to another supplier, that charged me over $85 more than what I had paid in Bestbuy, for a lower version of the same product. If I went for the exact product, it will cost me $190 more. The case was opened, and now I am waiting for a response...

What a difference a month makes. We gave a harsh review the last time we visited this Best Buy - it was understocked, employees avoided eye contact, and an lethargic miasma hung over the entire store.

We walked, and ordered the microwave we'd come for from the local Lowes - when its delivery got pushed back another month, we reluctantly ordered one from stock from this store.

Immediately, it was a different experience, an employee walking by carrying product greeted us:

"Welcome to Best Buy - I'm helping someone now, but will be free shortly."

"Just tell us where Customer Pickup is..."

They nodded towards our left:

"Over there, underneath the sign."

15 seconds is all it took to make a much more positive impression. We thanked them, walked up to the service desk, paperwork in hand, ready to slay a bureaucratic dragon.

The sales rep opened their mouth - flames didn't come out:

"Hello, which product are you here to pickup?"

"An LG microwave, here's our invoice and ID."

The rep carefully checked our papers and ID on their computer, turned to the shelves, and extracted a large box:

"Here's your microwave. There's a ding in the outer box, LG packs the glass turntable and accessories in a separate box that's wedged inside the micro, and nothing rattled when I picked it up. I believe it's all OK - but we'd be glad to open it up for your inspection."

Impressed by the rep's obvious concern and product knowledge, we accepted it as-is with noted 'box damage' on the receipt.

This is exactly the sort of retail experience that makes loyalty - fast, efficient, friendly, and utterly painless - it adds almost nothing to the incremental cost of goods sold, and returns both immediate and future benefits.

So two employees did great work, made for a very pleasant purchase, and did much to raise our opinion of Best Buy - hats off to them, one hopes that management has seen the light and will pull the whole store up to this level.

Oh, and the blessed microwave that launched a thousand characters - works quite well indeed - thank you all...