Best Buy Responds To Fury Of Internet, Decides Not To Hold Data Hostage

Remember that couple who tried to get Best Buy to fix their CD drive, only to have lost all their data and be charged $1,500?

Well, the internet didn’t take too kindly to the plight and suddenly Best Buy decided maybe doing that to customers isn’t such a great strategy. So the general manager of the store in question has gone and made things right.

Diana gloats:

I am writing this letter as a follow up to a letter that I wrote last month. You may remember my story: my husband and I brought our PC to Best Buy for a CD player to be replaced, and the Geek Squad changed the entire hard drive, causing us to lose everything. I read all of the comments on Consumerist regarding my letter, and I actually agree with much of what was posted, as it was a huge mistake on our part not to have backed up our data….even when going in for something as simple as a CD replacement. We have learned our lesson and are researching the best way to back up our things. There were other comments implying that my story was false, that I had made it up, etc, and I can assure you that this is the real deal. I would never purposefully hurt another person, or a business, and in no way did I make it up….

Having said that, I would like to say a HUGE thank you to Mr. Kevin Grant, the General Manager of the Best Buy store in Salem, NH. Mr. Grant was alerted to my posting on Consumerist and contacted us immediately. He was very professional with my husband, and really cared about the situation that we were in…he even gave us his cell phone number! His communication was fantastic, and has kept in touch, just to make sure that we are all set. Mr. Grant did everything in his power to right this situation, although, in my opinion, it was not his wrong to make right. Mr. Grant made phone calls and tried to rectify the situation, and ultimately, has paid for us to have our data retrieved from our original hard drive, along with the external hard drive. I understand that paying for this $1,700 mistake will take away from his profit/loss for the month, but it is clear that his number one goal was to make us happy and to make up for the mistakes that the Geek Squad had made.

I am still annoyed that Mr. Grant had to take the hit for the mistakes of the Geek Squad, but am so pleased in the manner that Mr. Grant has helped us. I am grateful for his response and professionalism. I tried to find my original posting on your web site, but was unable to…could you please post this for me? I want Mr. Grant to know how much we appreciate his efforts.

Thanks for helping us! Diane and Joe.

Done and done. So remember kids, no need to back up your data before you take it to be repaired because the powers of public shame will solve all your problems. Just joking — never, ever, ever, never, ever allow a computer mechanic to monkey with your business unless you’ve backed that *ss up.

(Photo: Scurzuzu)

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