Best Buy ripoff Best buy Fires employees for not participating in dishonest behavior to consumers, employee fights back Westwood California
To who it may concern,
I am writing this report because I don't know what else to do, I started working at Best Buy in the fall of 2001 in princton new jersey it was a great experince I then in the winter of 2002 transferred to the best buy in westwood california and thats when things went down hill. Imediatley after being there I noticed that the enviorment was different, it was a much more preasure oriented place than what I was use to.
The rule at this best buy was simple, if a customer did not want to buy a service plan I WAS TOLD to tell them "we do not have the itiem in stock" even if there were hundreds of that itiem in the stock room i was told not to sell them without service plans.
This began to worry me, so I talked to the Manager Dave phillps and I told him that I felt uncomfortable doing this kinds of things he told me "our numbers is what matters nothing else"
He then told me if I have any problems with the policy then I should simply call him over when a customer rejects the service plan and he would take over the sell, and thats wht i did for 3 months, when a customer came to me and told me they did not want the service plan I would make up a lie why I had to talk to the manager and then find some bs reason why he had to come over. Dave phillps, would then come over and completely lie to the customer and convince them to buy a service plan.
after about the 3rd month i started to feel really bad about this and I told the manager i did not feel comfortable anymore. they then transferred me from pcho to 5 other departments in a 2 month period, it kinda became the joke in the store " what department is he in today and how long will he stay there" They finnally suspended me on aug, 6th because I told them I felt uncomfortable being switched around from department to department. I wrote a letter to the district manager and regional manager and i called the corprate office in minssota so much that the operater knew my name.
I went to an attorney and told him that i was being harressed at my job because I would not particpate in illegal activity. I then told him what the activity was , he then told me after a few days that he would take the case he just needed me to find more people who have been victimized by best buy. He told me if I could find more people who where willing to speak out against being harressed over service plans and being lied to at best buy then it would not be just my one word agaist theres.
I have one other employee who is going to do this with me but it would help if I could get as many people who have been victimized by best buy service plans and lied to, to speak up and join me maybe we can make a difference I have witness some things as an employee but i can't do it alone i need help, can someone please help by joining me.
Anthony
los angeles, California
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Kevin
Fayetteville,Arkansas,
U.S.A.
Numbers DO matter, but knowlege is valued
#3UPDATE Employee
Fri, November 19, 2004
In this report and the rebuttal after it. I noticed a few statements that could have been misleading.
I noticed that the rebuttal contained a sentence stating that knowlege isn't valued. Well, I was hired because of my strong knowlege in circuits and audio as an installer and product specialist of car stereos. My knowlege is greatly appreciated and I can tell by my ineractions with customers that they appreciate what I have to tell them.
I do understand that we DO push the sale of the PSP (performance service plan) and that it IS important to THEIR numbers. But man I'm an everyday Joe like you, and I think it would be morally wrong for a company to harass and victimize you for that. It's terrible that a company such as Best Buy which seems to care a lot about its employees (at least where I work, Corporate, and the Princeton store) would be so ill-represented by one man who JUST cared about numbers. Yes they do matter because they regulate how many hours we work, but under no circumstances would I or any of the men and women I work with ever refuse to make a sale because someone didn't believe they would ever need it.
I'm sorry that your manager did this, he wrong and I'm glad to know that someone is doing something about it, maybe with him (your manager) gone, Your store can become a little more respectable. It sucks that you had to endure this and have such a negative feeling about what I feel is a great place to work.
respectively,
Rob
Tucson,Arizona,
U.S.A.
Cherry picking
#3UPDATE Employee
Fri, January 17, 2003
I read the employee's letter, and what he was experiencing is a west coast practice of "cherry picking" The Best Buy western region is run by some very ambitious folks who's histories go back to the Federated Group a now defunct sleazy retailer of electronics.
Many of the "tricks of the trade are being used to make the "numbers" look good to the stock holders mostly, and to ensure fat bonuses to the district and regional managers. This practice of "cherry picking" customers started in california, mostly San Diego area and South Bay stores, the practice has now infected Arizona stores in Phoenix and Tucson.
The company officially takes a hard line take against this practice, going so far as to threaten people's jobs for it. The truth of it is no one has been fired yet, and most likely never will.
The mantra of all Best Buy managers is "It's all about the numbers", they have no care what so ever for the customer, none...A good employee is one who will get what they can from a customer by hook or crook, no ethical barrier considered. Product knowledge is not valued, ethical sales practice not valued, truthful presentation not valued, good customer feedback not valued. The sales format on the west coast is a sleazy operation, making used car salesmen look like Boy Scouts.
I get by on real talent, I don't need to lie to get a sale. This practice is born out of laziness, they do not want to spend time teaching real salesmanship, they rather take shortcuts to get the maximum bang for the buck.
Buy on line if you can to avoid this bad business practice.
Sadly I think even the competition has picked up this habit.