Complaint Review: Best Buy

The following detail relates to ongoing problems I am having getting my laptop computer repaired by Best Buy Store #581 in Mays Landing, NJ. I purchased the computer November 3, 2003 with a 3-year Performance Service Contract (contract cost: $249.99).

In November 2005 I started having problems with the power connection to the computer. I found that the computer would just shut down if the power cord was moved the wrong way. In addition it would not charge the battery. On December 1, 2005 I took the computer to the Geek Squad service counter for repair (Repair #1) and they were going to send it away. At that time I reported the problem with the power cord along with the battery not charging (see attached service order).

When I got the computer back the power cord now worked but the computer would still not charge the battery. I returned the computer to Best Buy and they shipped it out again (Repair #2). When I came back two weeks later I was told that the reason the battery would not charge is that the battery was defective and I would need a new one. I purchased a new battery directly from the manufacturer (Battery #2). When I put that battery into the computer it also would not charge. On January 21, 2006 I took the computer back to Best Buy and was advised by the service agent to let them order another replacement battery through my service contract (Battery #3). The battery would be sent to my home.

When that battery arrived I put it into the computer and it also would not charge. On January 30, 2006 I once again took the computer back to Best Buy and they sent it away again for repair (Repair #3). At that time I explained in detail that there had been three different batteries in the unit and none of them charged. I instructed the service agent to convey this information in the service order and asked that they instruct the service center to look for a cause besides a defective battery.

The service center sent the computer back stating the problem was a defective battery. (This would be the third consecutive defective battery.) The service technician stated would have to order another Battery (Battery #4) directly from Compaq. He was confident that if it came right from the factory it would work in the unit. His confidence did not wane when I explained that I had already ordered a battery directly from the company (Battery #2) and that had not worked. Regardless, the service agent would have the battery shipped to the store and call me when they had it working in my computer. (Several different power cords/converters were used throughout this process, all with the same results.)

On Friday, February 17, 2006 the service manager Javier called me to let me know that Battery #4 arrived andsurprisingly--it also would not charge. He informed he believed the technicians might have damaged the computer during one of the previous repair visits. (This doesn't explain why the battery wouldn't charge before I took it in for repair however.) He was sending the computer out again (Repair #4) asking them to address this.

At this point I referred Javier to the service contract I had which stated: No Lemon Policy: After three service repairs have been completed on an individual product and that individual product requires a forth repair, as determined by us [Best Buy], we will replace it with a product of comparable performance, not to exceed the original purchase price.

Javier said he was aware of the policy but the replacementor junk-out as they call itwould have to be authorized by the service center so he would have to send it out a 4th time for this to happen.

On Wednesday, March 1, 2006three months after I first took it inI called to inquire my computer's status. I was informed by the service agent that the computer was still at the service center in California however he told me he received notice that they had denied a replacement request.

On Thursday, March 2, 2006 I received a call from Dennisa customer service manager--at store #581 telling me he could not understand why the repair center was denying the replacement order because the computer had clearly exceeded the requirements of the No Lemon Policy. He stated he was putting an expedited service order in requesting that they issue a replacement. He also advised me to contact Best Buy Corporate Service Center (at 1-888-Best-Buy) to express my dissatisfaction and urge them to honor their No Lemon Policy.

On Friday, March 3, 2006 I called the Corporate Service Center and spoke with a service representative who defended the company's decision by strategically misquoting the No Lemon Policy. She informed me the policy stated After three qualified service repairs have been completed on an individual product When I stated that the word qualified was no where in the policy she informed me that it certainly was and thento add insult to injuryadmonished me to read my contract and I would see it was there. When I read the contract verbatim to her she apologized but maintained that Best Buy only counts qualified repairs and since two of my four repairs were determined to be the fault of a defective battery those two repairs did not count. Consequently, my computer only had two qualified repairs to its credit.

When I asked the woman where I could find the stipulation of qualified and unqualified in their No Lemon Policy, she informed it was not in writing however it was their policy all the same. Additionally, I explained that at no time was any battery ever defective with my computer. I explained that the technicians who indicated this were wrong; at no time was the problem the battery and if she were to consult the repair orders she would see this. When I asked who at Best Buy Corporate had the authority to override this judgment the woman informed me that no one at the corporate level could override the service technician's decision. The woman then stated there was nothing more she could do except turn me over to a supervisor.

After 10 minutes on hold I was connected with Tim, a supervisor at the corporate customer service center. Tim also defended Best Buy's unwritten policy of qualified repairs statingas his charge had before himthat since two of the repairs were for defective batteries they did not count as qualified. Tim then referred me to a portion of the No Lemon Policy that stated This plan does not cover loss or damage to stored data, repairs related to installed software adding that Best Buy interpreted (he actually used that word) this to imply anything related to a non-hardware or battery-related issue. When I asked where I could find this in writing, he stated it was not in writing.

I then, as before, referred Tim to my service orders which stated that several new batteries had been used in the computer and the issue was not the battery. This seemed to bring him around. He stated he would personally handle this issue and pursue another request to issue a junk-out order. He stated he was emailing the technician and would contact me personally to let me know the results of his efforts.

On Tuesday, March 7, 2006 I received a telephone call from Dennis the customer service manager at the Mays Landing store who informed me he had just received an email from the service center denying the junk-out order from March 3, 2006 because two of the four repairs were not qualified. Since my computeras of this most recent triphad been at the service center and assigned to a technician for nearly 10 days I asked Dennis if they had yet repaired it and when could I hope to get it back. Dennis then informed me there was no indication that they had done anything yet and it could be 4 to 6 weeks before it would be ready.

I believe I've been more than understanding and have kept up my part of the service contract (which cost $249.99, by the way). At this point the issue does not seem to be as much with store #581 as it does the corporate customer service center and whatever company handles their product repairs. Best Buy appears plagued by abysmal internal communication, shoddy, non-responsive repair services, as well as creative, on-the-fly policy revisions and customer service procedures that are clearly far more motivated to serve the needs of a sadly dysfunctional system than that of its customers.

I'm asking that Best Buy honor their end and issue me replacement for my computer which has exceeded the number of visits stipulated by their own policy. I'm simply asking that they honor their written policyas opposed to how they choose to interpret the unwritten ones.

David
Cape May Court House, New Jersey
U.S.A.

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