I caused a scene at BestBuy today...

[slick]

I shop at BB a lot. I have 300+ DVD's, tons of CD's, even the new HD DVD and Blu Rays, not to mentioned tons of electronics and such, I am there atleast once a week, love the store.

I know the routine at BB. Walk in, get a greeting. Walk around, get asked if I need assistance. And then, while checking out, get asked if I want 8 free issues of one of the following magazines. I always decline.

Today was different. Jackass manager was hanging around the cashiers. There were 3 cashiers, and behind me in line, about 7 customers.

I go to the next available cashier, hand the product over, she asks if I have a Reward Zone card. I do, and give it to her. She scans it, along with $10 in Reward Zone coupons I had, and then starts to scan the movies.

Manager walks over. He says "Sir, did you get your free subscription to these magazines?". I told him no, I didn't want them. He asks the cashier "Did you offer them to him?". She said no. He gets pissed at her, WHILE SHE IS STILL DOING MY TRANSACTION! And seriously, who reprimands employees in front of customers anyway?

He looks over at me and says "Sir, this will just take a minute, and we will have you ready to go." I was pissed.

I argued with him, first words out of my mouth were "Why don't you leave her alone and let her do her job?". I guess it wasn't my position to say anything, but the magazine thing is ridiculous. I got $100 worth of stuff on the counter, let me be, I don't need to be hassled over some damn magazines, and neither should the employee.

The manager was trying to be nice, telling me that he "has" to tell her how to do her job right. I argued some more, letting him know he was doing his job wrong (girl looked upset, but not in tears), he should speak to her in private, not in front of the store.

He finally tells me to "mind my business" and I snap, never been so upset, I told him to go back to his office and get me the number for his district manager. He turned red and asked why. I told him that I wanted to have a chat with this person about improper behaviour from the stores employees (Never pointed at him spefically, it was a threat and a vague one).

He leaves. Girl finishes checking me out and thanks me (I have seen her a few times that week, she recognized me). She says "he's a dick, I can't stand him, he started last week and is getting on my nerves".

Manager comes back with a card for the district manager, I put it away in my wallet, thanked him, and left.

I love BB, and will continue to go there, but seriously, I have never seen this at that BB, must be this new manager, I look forward to seeing him again.

[HawaiianShirts]

That's way out of line. Reprimand an employee in front of a customer? Stupid! Bad manager! No more vendor spiffs for a month.

That's inconsiderate of the customer and the employee. This is probably the same kind of manager who "trains" by telling employees everything they're doing wrong but mentions nothing they're doing right nor demonstrates the way he thinks the process should be done. Good for you for telling him off. And the district folks ought to know what's going on. Bad managers lead to unhappy employees, and unhappy employees lead to broken processes and unhappy customers.

I wonder if it's a manager I know... There is one manager I know who has been jumping from Best Buy to Circuit City to CompUSA and back again, with a couple of other stores like that in between. He's just that kind of jerk. I know. I worked under him for about half a year, and not a day went by that I didn't imagine doing some form of either yelling or violence directed at him (though I only went through with it once--a yelling match about how I shouldn't be written up for a problem he caused).

And, yes, the magazine subscription offers are annoying. They're a good way for the stores to make an extra buck, though. There was a Media Play here I used to frequent before it closed. The first few times, I had to decline the magazines three or four times per transaction before I found the secret. Now, whenever I'm given that offer (wherever I'm shopping), I say, "No, thanks. I'd never read them. They're not magazines I'm interested in. Now if you offered *some obscure magazine*, that would be a different story. Have you ever read *some obscure magazine*?" Change the subject before they have a chance for a rebuttal. Simple.

[powerboy]

I would have the same exact thing. Infact, I have done something like that before. And at a BB.

[Estil]

Did the "manager" (if the dick even deserves to be called that) ever think, oh, I don't know, maybe the checker knew you as a regular customer and knew not to ask you about the magazines? I mean, it doesn't make sense to offer something to a regular customer that you know the customer does not want, and in fact you'll risk annoying the customer if you do, especially for some sucker's gimmick like the so-called "free magazines". :P

[MrSunshineState]

I hate that magazine offer too. However I rarely go into stores to buy DVDs anymore. I usually do my shopping online.

[JustADude]

Did the "manager" (if the dick even deserves to be called that) ever think, oh, I don't know, maybe the checker knew you as a regular customer and knew not to ask you about the magazines?

Yeah, really. Back at my days with The Big Blue Ticket, we had a bunch of regulars that we all knew on sight. They got what we jokingly called Expedited Checkout, which is basically:

1) Personalized greeting
2) Witty banter on movies during the 'make sure they brought up the right ones' phase, amount adjusted by line size.
3) Exchange money
4) Say you'll see them on the next day they usually stop in.

The SM and even the DM had no problem with us skipping the promoting and pimping with regulars. According to DM his reasoning was that they were usually Rewards members already and they spend enough there in rentals that the few extra $$$s we might get from them in candy/soda sales isn't worth risking them going off to NetFlix because they hear the same offers 2-3x a week and get sick of it. This is all before BB-Online, of course, but I like to think they're still cool like that. Stories like this make me so glad almost all my jobs have had cool managers, and the ones that weren't were still at least professional when they bitched you out.

[Catwoman2965]

Good for you! That guy sounds like a complete ass (and i'm being nice here!). If a manager feels an employee needs some "coaching" or otherwise, do it in private - not in front of everyone, other employees AND customers. Great way to build morale and relationships with the people who you'll be working with!

And as for thos magazine offers; yes, i understand they have to ask, but it is annoying. My store has our own charge, and we are supposed to ask if a. customers are using it to pay that day, and if they don't have one b. extoll all the benefits of opening one...i never do. most of them already have it, and i hate pusing stuff on people. i figure there are enough signs at the register, if someone wants one, they will ask. surprisginly, never gotten in trouble for not asking.

slightly OT: recently came back from a cruise to the caribbean, and before i left, called both credit cards simply to inform them i would be out of the US, and if they see any charges from that area, its me. both of them tried to "sell" me additional products, upgrades to gold card, etc etc etc. - while i know they have to do it, its quite annoying, when all i need should only take about 15 seconds once they've verified who i am. my one card is espeically bad, am i thinking of buying a house, we can offer you good rates on a mortgage, etc. if i want or need any additional services, i will call you and ask!

[Gurndigarn]

By the way: you did get the DM's number and follow through, right?

[MoonChild2007]

Boy, I have BEEN there and then some! Well, not defending cashiers but having supervisors or managers reprimand me in front of customers Too bad nobody has ever defended me...EVER.

Good for you!

[Gravekeeper]

I really wish I knew what the corporate strategy was behind Best Buy ( and its long lost inbred Canadian cousin, Futureshop. ). Because in my experience it seems to be "Lets try and completely annoy everyone that steps foot through the door until they leave pissed off.".

I'm occasionally forced to shop at Futureshop when it comes to electronics and I've never once gotten in and out of there without being annoyed by the staff. You're either getting The Push(tm) where they're trying to sell you some crap you do not need, want, nor would have any use for. Or they circle you like vultures while you're trying to shop and ask you if you need help once every 45 seconds.

Last time I was there I was asked if I needed help roughly every 30-60 seconds by 5 different employees total even though I had not left the same aisle ( Checking out satellite radios ). Then 10 minutes later when I DID need one of them to get something out of a case for me it took me forever to find one ( Well, the right one. None of them were the "right dept" even though they were standing in it, working the computer station in it and opening some of the cases from it. )

Needless to say I only go to Futureshop once a year on average and thats only if I can't find something anywhere else at the mall.

[Bloodsoul]

Did the "manager" (if the dick even deserves to be called that) ever think, oh, I don't know, maybe the checker knew you as a regular customer and knew not to ask you about the magazines? I mean, it doesn't make sense to offer something to a regular customer that you know the customer does not want, and in fact you'll risk annoying the customer if you do, especially for some sucker's gimmick like the so-called "free magazines". :P

Doesn't matter; we go through the same spiel at my store with their internet coupon. Wether the customer is a regular or not, it doesn't matter, we have to ask anyone. Why this company is so entrenched on the idea of losing money is beyond me, especially since the repeated questions only serve to annoy customers, as you've pointed out.

[protege]

Most managers I've worked for, well, at least in retail or camp...have been uptight assholes who always felt like they had something to prove. These people enjoy pushing others around, or making them look like idiots in public. As such, if I get great service from someone, and then see them get into trouble over some bullshit complaint, I will stand up for them about it.

For example, does anyone remember the nasty black "lady" (and yes, I'm trying to be nice!) at Pep Boys some time ago? I'm sure she went to complain to management about the "racist" working the counter. (He supposedly wouldn't stop helping the Jewish customer get tires...even though he was there first. And yes, I did tell him later that if he got into trouble, I'd have a little chat with the manager.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

How is it not your business when HIS BS is what is holding up your transaction?

Oh, yeah, I'd have a nice long chat with his district manager. Good for you for standing up to him.

Wouldn't it be so awesome if sometime whe could go check out somewhere, hand the cashier our money, get our crap, and just LEAVE? Man! I know that's crazy talk, but I can dream, can't I?

[Polenicus]

I really wish I knew what the corporate strategy was behind Best Buy ( and its long lost inbred Canadian cousin, Futureshop. ). Because in my experience it seems to be "Lets try and completely annoy everyone that steps foot through the door until they leave pissed off.".

I'm occasionally forced to shop at Futureshop when it comes to electronics and I've never once gotten in and out of there without being annoyed by the staff. You're either getting The Push(tm) where they're trying to sell you some crap you do not need, want, nor would have any use for. Or they circle you like vultures while you're trying to shop and ask you if you need help once every 45 seconds.

Last time I was there I was asked if I needed help roughly every 30-60 seconds by 5 different employees total even though I had not left the same aisle ( Checking out satellite radios ). Then 10 minutes later when I DID need one of them to get something out of a case for me it took me forever to find one ( Well, the right one. None of them were the "right dept" even though they were standing in it, working the computer station in it and opening some of the cases from it. )

Needless to say I only go to Futureshop once a year on average and thats only if I can't find something anywhere else at the mall.

Future Shop is a rant in and of itself GK. I notice they're slowly bringing Best Buy into Canada, so I suspect the days of the Future Shop banner are numbered. But I can rest easy knowing that the name may change, but they will always have the same great service.

... I actually managed that with a straight face too.

Every time I've got into Future Shop (Or one of the Best Buys that have cropped up in Toronto) I feel unclean. I'm always amazed at the unique blend of agressiveness, discourtesy and complete lack of product knowledge this place displays. And it always has.

Way back in the day when I was 16, I applied for a job at Future Shop. I had already had many encounters with their customer service, and I knew it was crap. Having a salesman try and tell me how many megabytes a monitor had, and why that made the baud faster kinda had me applying in self defense. I figured there NEEDED to be one person at that store who knew a 'SCSI' (Scuzzy) cable didn't need a good scrubdown.

In the interview, I got all the way through. I did pretty well I think. I answered all the questions as my job interview guide suggested, I got lots of nods and interested looks from interviewer, I was in the right age range, and I was neatly pressed, dressed in a suit and smelled good. But then I nuked the whole thing.

He asked me why I thought they should hire him.

I couldn't help myself. I said 'I've shopped here before. Frankly, you need me'.

End of interview right there.

[Lace Neil Singer]

You people have a lot more patience than I have; honestly, if people kept bugging me every 5 seconds while I was trying to shop, I'd be turning on them and telling them to off after the first few times.

At the garden centre the IM would tell people off in front of customers; all it would achieve was for an entire queue of customers to be saying, "What a dickhead" and sympathising with the worker. Tho I would have prefered one to tell the IM he was a dickhead to his face, it's better than nothing.