Geek Squad Decides Your Clearly Broken iPod Is Fine, Dares You To Pay 3rd Party To Prove Them Wrong
Geek Squad told reader Dave that he didn't have the "technical expertise" to diagnose his clearly-broken iPod. The 30 GB unit wouldn't play when docked or connected by USB cord, something Dave though might be covered by Best Buy's Product Service Plan. Geek Squad first tried replacing the hard drive. This solved nothing. Dave brought the still-broken iPod back and asked the agent to write into the notes a request to call him if the problem was misunderstood. Without calling, Geek Squad again returned the iPod with a note saying that the agent "could not duplicate the problem." With this firm diagnosis in hand, Geek Squad decided they were done and wouldn't perform any additional work. When Dave objected, he was told that his 'only option was to pay for a third-party to test the iPod and prove the Geek Squad technician wrong.'
Dave writes:
Let me begin with the below quote which is copied directly from the FAQ section of the Geek Squad website. This will resurface later in this email."If you notify us within the stated time period, we will work to remedy your problem quickly and at no additional cost."
Now, I have always been a huge fan of Best Buy and have shopped there religiously for years. Maybe it's due to the fact that I get memorized by the electronic goodness when entering the store. Or maybe it's because I've just never been a fan of the layout of Circuit City stores.
Anyway, I recently took my 30gb iPod in for servicing at my local Best Buy in King of Prussia, PA. The iPod was not performing properly when connected to a docking station or iPod USB cord (sound only came out of the left speaker channel, no sound from the right speaker channel). It was covered by a "Product Service Plan" that I purchased from Best Buy with the iPod, so I explained the issue to the Geek Squad employee in the store and they sent it out for repair on November 10, 2008. I received it back on 12/10 and found that they replaced the hard drive, which did not fix the issue. I had it sent out for repair again on 12/8/08. The service note stated that the technician should call the customer (me) for details about the issue if there was confusion. No phone call and one month later, the iPod was ready for pick-up at Best Buy. The issue? The Geek Squad technician "could not duplicate the problem."
I asked the store Geek Squad representative why I was never called, and he stated that it's because the technician couldn't find an issue with the iPod. That's all fine and dandy, but had they called me, I could have explained the issue in greater detail since the Geek Squad store reps tend to write extremely vague descriptions on the Service Orders. Blank stare from Geek Squad rep. I then told the store the rep that I could show him right then and there that the iPod is malfunctioning by plugging the iPod into my car stereo, and by using my wife's iPod in comparison as an example of one that works perfectly fine. His response was that they don't repair the items in the store so showing him wouldn't do anything to help the cause. He recommended that I call the 1-800-GeekSquad number and take it up with them. So I did, and this is where things get good..
I called Geek Squad on 1/13/08 and spoke to a Customer Service rep. She was very nice, but she couldn't help me. She told me that I needed to go back to the store and explain my issue to them (even though I had already told her that the store directed me to call Geek Squad). She offered to transfer me to the Customer Relations department, and I spoke to a gentleman in that department. He told me that he could not reverse the technician's decision, but that he could offer me $60 store credit towards a new iPod. This irritated me because it's like I was being offered a consolation prize, when in reality, all I wanted is for my iPod to be fixed. I told him this, and his next response was that the best he could do is offer me $100 store credit instead. Again, I don't want store credit, I just want my iPod fixed because after all, I did pay a pretty penny for the service plan and the iPod as well. He couldn't help me, so I asked to be transferred to a Customer Relations supervisor.
Enter "Tony", a Geek Squad supervisor with a "customer is wrong" mentality. I explained the situation to him, and he said that he cannot overturn the technician's decision. I then asked why I was never contacted, and he told me that Geek Squad technician's aren't allowed to call customers. That strikes me as odd, because years back I had a surround sound system that was acting up and had it serviced by Circuit City under a similar type of service plan. Their tech called me numerous times so I could help him understand the issue I was experiencing, and so he could fix it appropriately and in a timely manner. It strikes me as odd that a Geek Squad technician is not allowed to contact a customer, when Best Buy and Geek Squad represent the service as if customer-technician relationships are common day. Have you seen their tv commercials? It's as if the Geek Squad tech is your best friend..yet they can't call a customer about a Service Order?
Tony then told me that since I'm not a technician, I have no right to say that the technician didn't fix the iPod, because after all, the tech "could not find an issue with it." I told him that I don't need to be a technician to realize that my iPod isn't working. Common sense tells you that when you plug it in and it's not working properly, and then you plug numerous other iPods in and they work perfectly fine, that the iPod is malfunctioning. Tony repeated the message again…I, as a customer, have no right to say that the technician didn't fix the iPod because I do not have the technical expertise that the technician has. The technician's decision is final. Seriously? This guy is basically telling me that I'm dumb and shouldn't question the FACT that their technician did not fix my iPod.
Remember the quote I began with earlier in this email? Apparently Tony the supervisor isn't on-board with this philosophy. I'll paste it again for reference:
"If you notify us within the stated time period, we will work to remedy your problem quickly and at no additional cost."
He told me the only option I have is to pay for a third-party to test my iPod and prove the Geek Squad technician wrong. Whaaaaat?!? I now have to pay someone else when I already paid for a service plan that should be addressing this issue? What kind of customer service is that?
I'm now stuck with an ipod that wasn't fixed by Geek Squad, and Tony the Geek Squad supervisor is telling me that my only option is to pay for someone else other then Geek Squad to have it fixed. What's the purpose of paying for a service plan if they refuse to properly service my product? I thought they work with their customers to "remedy your problem quickly and at no additional cost"..?
Geek Squad = FAIL.
Apple has a product service plan too called AppleCare. The difference? Apple cares. If they can't fix your iPod, you usually get a replacement, not a runaround.
We understand that since you already paid for a service you don't want to buy a different one. Since Tony the Geek Squad Supervisor won't help, go over his head and try asking Best Buy's executive team for help.
(Photo: Ian Muttoo)
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Comments:
Simple, call apple. Problem solved.
Do the techs even have the tools to do basic tests or is Best buy to cheap for that. Did the tech have any clue on how a Ipod should work? Other then seeing the screen trun on and hearing some sound but testing for full sound on all channels and they don't have / don't let techs have Ipod docks / Itunes software?
Make an official looking report with a letter head for a technical sounding fake company in word and write down the exact problems and how to duplicate them. Then take that back to the store with the ipod. If they keep the letter with the ipod, it should get fixed.
Buy Apple products from Apple! I much rather meet with a genius than some 17 year old Best Buy kid with braces who could care less about my problem.
Niece had an iPod, purchased online thru the Apple store. This Christmas present never did work. My sister never bothered to get it fixed. Last MAY, on a whim, I took it to the local Apple store. Explained the situation to them, that it was purchased the previous Nov as a Christmas present, etc etc. No receipt.
They said 'no problem'. In minutes I had a replacement iPod for my niece. Nothing out of pocket. No questions asked.
Customer Dave notwithstanding, I do not believe for a moment that the Geek Squad has the "technical expertise" to diagnose anything, let alone a malfunctioning iPod.
Well the Geek Squad tech probably will not call you due to the fact that Best Buy is not the one trying to fix your iPod. More than likely it is a 3rd party repair facility contracted by Best Buy or Apple. This is just speculation but your Bust Buy extended warranty is probably "AppleCare" purchased through Best Buy. Whatever the case you should have taken Best Buys $100 hand out and still pursued the replacement iPod.
Yeah, at this point all he can do is the EECB. Maybe that will force Best Buy to live up to their end of the contract.
Let this be a lesson to everyone, though: buy the AppleCare. You can even buy it online separately, even if you bought the iPod at Best Buy. It's the only extended warranty I've ever seen that's worth the money.
Take the iPod to the King of Prussia Apple Store. Explain the problem and that all you need is for them to document that the iPod has a problem. They are unlikely to charge you if you explain the situation. This should be proof from the manufacturer that there is a defect. Heck they might even surpass your expectations by replacing it.
I also seriously doubt they swapped out the hard drive.
if its been under a year then then it goes to Apple, if its been over a year it goes to a Best Buy service center. Geek Squad does have the tools to properly diagnose most problems in the store. Also another option is to send your iPod in and get a refurbished one sent to your home within 3 days. At the store I work at they would already have given you a brand new 6th generation 80GB just because its been so long.I would go to a different store because to me it sounds like the management at that one sucks. Although mabye he IS wrong, after all we're only getting his side of the story.
I can't comment on Best Buy's track record for customer support or technical support. However, given the circumstances you describe, what they did is not only abysmal, but abusive.
What they owed you was a solution; not a way to make you the problem. It's unfortunate when this type of "customer support" occurs, yet this is not uncommon, and not only in the tech industry.
Your experience is only one reason why Apple makes customer support a priority, even if people sometimes have to pay for it. They've always come out on top in terms of customer service, and that service has served them well in bringing in new customers as well as in keeping customers who already like what they do.
I'ts more than a shame that other companies can't learn from this. With all the copying that other companies do vis-a-vis Apple, they'd do best to copy Apple's attitude toward customer support.
Is it just me or are all the dates messed up? How can he get the ipod back on the 10th but send it back in for servicing on the 8th?
I am by far a Mac Fanboi but I do have a 80GB Classic and a new iTouch. My 80GB had died twice since I purchased it in 08/2007. In 01/2008 the Apple store in SLO replaced it. Just a week ago my replacement died and even though the status showed no warranty when I brought it back for service, once again I was given a new iPod.
Even without this story I could have told you Best Buy sucks and this is what you are to expect from Best Buy service wise.
I use to work at the Montgomery Best Buy-I would suggest going there, they are much better IMO. First of all you should have 2 options when fixing an IPOD, to actually send it out to get fixed, or Rapid Exchange. With Rapid exchange you get a refurbished IPod in about a week-most people would do this.
Second, before I would send out IPods I would try to reproduce the problem. This is esp. important if it was being sent out for actual repair. I would then make a note in the ticket. Also the notes field had a character limit on it.
OP please take it to Montgomeryville Best Buy and ask for Andreas, he is the Geek Squad Supervisor. Tell him Katherine sent you...he owes me a favor or if Carey can put Dave in touch with me I will be more than happy to help him as best I can as a ex-employee. I quit due to a promotion at my full time job but loved working at BB.
I wonder why he did not option for a rapid exchanged Ipod. The first thing that is offered is that so the customer does not have to wait so long for a repair. Something smells fishy about this story as I'm betting there is more to it like physical damage to the ipod. Notice, he says it won't work when plugged into his car stereo but works all other times. Sounds weird to me.
He get's "memorized" by the electronics?
@Joeb5:
they should have a tech computer with itunes on it.
there should be several if not quite a few docks on display out on the sales floor that would work for testing.
if the agents arent that smart....well, they aren't very smart....
Haha, I said "get's".
@snowmentality: i disagree. i think he should do exactly as "tony the twit" suggested, except take it to another local best buy and have them plug it into a computer to verify if it works or not.
if it doesnt, have them write up the issue and take that form with him to show "tony the twit".
If the device is used as a Mass Storage Device, it must be ejected before it will operate normally when docked or otherwise attached to a USB port.
If you want to just plug it in and go, you must disable that feature in iTunes.
This does kinda sound like the user enabled the feature in iTunes and didn't understand the repercussions.
@fantomesq: My guess is they won't touch it b/c they can tell by SN where it was sold from-at least that is what I was told by people who tried to call Apple when they bought their IPods from Best Buy.
Worth a shot though...but KoP Apple store is crazy!
@gaya2081: Apple Store Genius Bars support Apple products... it doesn't matter if you purchased them from Apple directly or through another retailer like Best Buy. OP should go here:
And make a reservation for the Genius Bar. The KoP store is always busy, but service is by reservation, so even if it's packed with customers, OP should show up 5-10 minutes before the reservation time, check in, and he will be seen.
@Teapotfox: Also... Apple stores do about 90% of their repairs in the store itself, so the iPod won't have to be sent away for a month, and it certainly won't be returned to the OP still broken.
@gaya2081: I would recommend bringing along with you something you can show that issue, the car stero is great, but something like an iHome that you can bring into the store is better. Just a thought
Every time I had a problem with the iPod I went on line scheduled an appointment at the Apple store, went and they swapped it out. Applecare all the way!
Why not try a different Best Buy, and a different Geek Squad?
There are 4 in the area.
The KOP Best Buy? Why, that's the very one that had me swear off shopping at Best Buy after getting into it with one of their cashiers trying to push the "rewards" program on me and calling me "stupid" for not signing up. Imagine that, someone writing in here to complain about the service there.
I'm not going to defend Worst Purchase or blame the customer, but I think his ipod might be operating correctly. When you plug your ipod into a USB port, the ipod's screen will say "Do Not Disconnect" and you won't be able to play any songs. To get around this, you can do one of two things:
1.) If you need to add some songs to your ipod via iTunes, do so and then disconnect the ipod. You can now safely remove it from your computer and you're good to go.
2.) If you just want to charge your ipod through USB, you can go into "My Computer", right click on your ipod and select "eject". This will unmount the ipod so iTunes won't see it, but it will still charge the battery through the USB connection. As a result, you can play music on your ipod again.
It's sad that no one at Worst Purchase could explain this. It's completely understandable why this would be confusing to a normal customer. I have a Computer Science degree and I had to look this up the first time it happened to me...
"Now, I have always been a huge fan of Best Buy and have shopped there religiously for years."
Now, that statement itself clearly shows that the author is ASKING FOR IT.
What's wrong with shopping online?
@endless: well, the "agents" are the sales people at the local best buy store, who can install and run spybot/adaware/etc
they outsource to some other tech repair center, run by true techs - that's why it takes a month for best buy to fix anything, it needs to be shipped out to a 3rd party :/
Just go straight to the EECB. That's how I got mine fixed. I'm surprised they actually replaced the hard drive - I was told they simply do "Rapid Exchanges" for the broken one. The trouble with the rapid exchanges is they're sucky refurbs.
Ultimately my EECB resulted in my getting a giftcard for the purchase price. I sent in my EECB as a success story to Consumersit, but it's not been published.
There are plenty of email addresses for Best Buy here and on Google.
@snowmoon: my understanding is that he has plugged it in to his car (or something like the iHome) via dock port, and audio is only coming through the right channel.
if he had it attached to his PC as a storage device, it wouldn't play sound at all.
from what i'm reading, it definitely sounds like a hardware issue
Ask the store manager to show you the technician's Apple certification. Apple requires any technician servicing Apple products under warranty to be certified on a yearly basis. A non-certified technician working on your equipment can actually void Apple's own warranty.
I would bet Worst Buy's Goon Squad probably hires wannabie technicians and not anybody who is knowledgeable. I work in the field of education and even I have to have Apple certification to perform in-house warranty repairs.
Just another reason I won't buy from Best Buy ... cause they ain't!
I used yo be a BB technician, and their policy was to call the customer when we had a unit that had no apparent issue. Also most Ipods were sent out to Apple for servicing. They are just giving you a BS story.
The part I liked was where the store said to call the 800 number, and the 800 number said to talk to the store.
I had a similar situation with a pay-as-you-go cell phone recharge card I bought at Office Depot. We'd bought a similar one at another Office Depot, and when we tried to apply it to the phone, the automated system said that card had already been used. So I was forewarned.
We went to Office Depot and bought a new card, got the activation slip from the cash register, and then stayed in the store and tried to apply the recharge to the phone. Same thing - "this card has already been used". I immediately called the card issuer on another cell phone and was told, "You'll have to sort it out with the store." I asked them to hold a moment and asked to see an Office Depot manager. One came over and asked what the problem was. I explained about the card, and she said, "You'll have to sort it out with the card issuer" and started to walk away.
I then turned on the speakerphone on my cell phone, and said loudly enough that everyone in the store could hear, "You just sold me this card and it was already used. I have the card issuer on speakerphone right here. I expect you two to sort this out immediately." And then I handed the manager the cell phone.
You know what? It took them about twenty minutes, but they figured it out and got the phone recharged!
@Jon Klein: OP should take the iPod to Apple, have Apple say it's broken, then take that explanation back to Best Buy. If Best Buy says that Apple is not qualified to tell whether or not an iPod is broken, take Best Buy to court.
Most of the Geek Squad employees are not trained to handle anything computerlike. There is only one A+ certified tech and the rest are his slaves. An A+ tech is only trained to work with, the run of the mill, standard i386 units.
As a tech myself, the problem is 99.9% userend.
Try it with the cable, different dock, and different mac.
@shakes: Best Buy, with the exception of large appliances, has their own repair centers that things go to. They get put in big plastic tubs and shipped off on trucks to the repair center.
At Best Buy, you have two avenues for iPod repair, actual repair at a Dallas based third party facility or a rapid exchange (refurbished). If you choose to do a rapid exchange, you get a refurbished within a week and your service plan still is covered under it. If you do the Dallas based repair, you AND best buy are at that repair centers mercy, period.
Btw, Best Buy is not a fan if your product comes back no fault found because the store is then charge $35 for wasting the service centers time. And for the record, at no point did they tell you that you owe $35 because no fault was found, they simply ate the money.
Try going to another Best Buy. Same type of thing happened to my with an Ipod at one store, took it to another store and they replaced it now questions asked. They did not even test it they told me to grab a new one and bring it to them for exchange.
DO NOT BUY SERVICE PLANS - YOU ARE PURCHASING UN-REGULATED INSURANCE, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU ARE REALLY BUYING NOTHING MORE THAN A PROMISE
I just want to point out that by offering you a $100 voucher, they are basically saying that they will pay for what a 30 GB ipod is worth. Also, if the contract was for some amount less than 100, its basically a refund.
but c'mon people, stop buying the crummy insurance, everyone together now, No thanks I'll skip the service plan.
@Corporate_guy: This is exactly what I have done in the past in this type of situation. I usually use my work cell phone(or wife's) as a contact number on the letterhead and turn the cell off. I change the voice mail to whatever the imaginary company's name is, and have never had a problem from there.
@jmndos: As a former Geek Squad employee I will tell you this, A+ certified people are very overrated. The original Best Buy store I was at had three of the best computer repair techs you'll probably ever meet. They got their A+ certs while working there (as well as I did), no big deal.
We hired a couple different people that had A+ certs but no prior work experience other than "I built computers", HORRIBLE. I could coach my g/f for a couple hours and she'd probably end up passing the A+ test, no joke either.
A: Go to a different store, Tony is a jack@$$.
B: Bring your PC in and reproduce the issue there.
There is no need to bash the Geek Squad or the techs that work there. The amount ridiculous people and questions they deal with everyday must be overwhelming. While not every tech has the same experience or specialty they are still techs none the less. I am tired of people bashing and crying about there situations. If you are not savvy enough to fix something on your own then don't complain to us! BE A MAN!
Why do non best buy employees refer to their technicians as "agents"?