The Best in Best Buy

A week back I posted about my terrible experience with Best Buy...you can read the details here.  Well, it was no surprise when Best Buy called me a few days ago to say my 2nd camera is now being "junked" and I need to come to the store and get a new replacement!  Many people read that and think, "Well that is just awesome, she's getting a brand new camera!"  or "She should be happy with this type of service, she is getting a brand new camera out of it!"  What you NEED to know is that a) I've been down this road before, see this will be the THIRD new camera from Best Buy!  b) It is not so easy as get in the van, drive to Best Buy, get new camera and leave!  c)  There is ALWAYS the explaining phase and I am tired of hearing myself talk about what is wrong with all of these cameras...NO PICTURES...does that sum it up!

So I leave the hubby at home with the kids and even kiss them goodnight, because I just don't know when or if I'll be back!  The short version of this very long drawn out saga is that there is no replacement camera in the store.  But...wait for it...then Marty the Manager comes on the scene.  Finally, I get a hint of what is meant by Best in "Best Buy".  I know by now that Best has not referred to their products, their prices, or even their customer service.  Which pretty much leaves me wondering how they ever came up with the name, but then I met Marty.  He is all things one wants when you are at the brink of dealing with this ongoing problem.  

My favorite things about Marty:

                  1)  He listened to what I was saying and let me finish my thoughts.

                  2)  He apologized for what I had previously encountered.

                  3)  He told me he would personally make it right for me.

                  4)  He gave me his contact info and took mine.

                  5)  He said he would call me when he found a solution...and HE DID!!!!

I would like to say that everything is peachy now, but I can't because Marty doesn't live at Best Buy and he has a life that he leads outside the store.  Therefore, everything can't go smoothly because I happen to choose the one day Marty has off to go and pick up my camera.  OH MY WORD!!!  Painful is a bit dramatic, I get that, there are way worse things going on then little ol' me having to deal with this camera for 13 months, but it was ridiculous!  I was shuffled from customer service to GEEK Squad agent, back to customer service, and by the time I had been in the store for 40 minutes I finally spoke to a new manager.  Well Mr. "Not Marty" the Manager told me since I didn't have an appointment I would have to wait.  Really, well what is the 40 minutes I've already been sitting here called, and that isn't what Marty told me.  Then, Mr. "Not Marty" says, "Well, Marty misinformed you and he should have told you that you needed an appointment!"  At this point, I go all, "Nobody puts Marty in a corner!" Swayze Crazy and inform him that "Marty is the ONLY one who has handled this situation appropriately!"  Mr. "Not Marty" knows he has crossed a line and ushers me to the computer area where I am promptly taken care of as quickly as their Geek Squad fingers can type, and sent on my way with #3 "Best Buy" camera.

Now this is where most people are just relieved this whole debacle is over...or at least until #3 breaks down on me which is very likely given the track record Best Buy already holds.  But I am not normal, and I decide to give Marty a call (refer to #4 above on my favorite list about Marty).  I, of course, apologize for calling him on his day off, but I just had to tell him about this fiasco.  Once again, the ONLY part of "BEST Buy" that is the BEST is dear MARTY!!!  He apologized again, and was disappointed at what had occurred at the store.  He told me he had only been over this particular store for 3 weeks so it will take some time getting people better trained. I appreciated his concern, and believe that he will truly try to make the customer service better.  In my book, Marty is the BEST!!!