Testimonial #25: Another insider's story

I actually used to work for Best Buy (yes, unfortunately.). I completely forgot about your website (which i learned about while working/slacking off during my shift from one of the tech bench guys. We sat there and laughed and completely agreed with you...while wearing our shirts.). Anyway, turns out my friend (who just so happened to work LP/Security when I was there too) has to write a term paper for his marketing class and what not, and he's writing it on what's wrong with Best Buy.

I will admit. I'm only 19 right now. I worked there when I was 16, and it was my first job ever, and they put me on the lanes. Half of my job was to sell PRP's and PSP's. and deal with bitchy customers of course...but i am unusually friendly, and customers

loved me (not to sound "cocky"...), and I rarely sold a PSP or PRP unless the product REALLY would have benefited from it (ie a really expensive electronic that has a tendency to break and replacement really isn't that much of a hassle...as hard as it is to believe). But anyway, I eventually moved over to Wireless/PDA--that's right, the department from where you bought your PDA/cell phone and your hatrid for Best Buy began!

Floor people are supposed to sell PSP's. I will be honest with you--I could sell those things like no other. Our department always had the second highest percentage of sales. Here's the thing though--I was 16. Dude next to me was 17. We're young, we don't care. I can't tell you how many times we've switched out a broken PDA because the case was cracked. I don't know what Best Buy you went to, but our Best Buy, we actually didn't always try to dick over the customers. In fact, we tried to dick over Best Buy because well...Best Buy sucks! (no just kidding). The only

thing about our store was we were genuinely, completely 100% honest with the customers. "No, trust me, don't buy the PSP for that. The only thing worth buying the PSP for is a cell phone" (which is absolutely true, because it covers the batteries...or used to. That's the only PSP I've ever bought. ANd i put it to good use! I've switched my phone out six times baby!)

Okay so now you're thinking "why the hell is this girl babbling on and on and on" yeah i'm thinking the same thing too, trust me. it's 3 am, i should be studying for finals but instead i'm sitting here cracking up at your site. All in all...

--There are a lot of shit people out there. You will find a lot of them working at Best Buy (why do you think a lot of the people there are dropouts/scrapping for change? not to sound rude or spoiled or snooty, but Best Buy isn't exactly the most lucrative place to work you know?).

--There really ARE some good people there. Most of the

times, the good people are the ones who have been there forever, or the young ones who have just started (because they are all about following the rules and not being rude to customers most times). Maybe at least at our store (that would be Best Buy Gaithersburg #288) had a lot of good-hearted employees. I still keep in touch with past employees, and that's from two years ago! --The reason a lot of the people are dicks is because quite frankly, they a) don't give a shit about customers and only care about their numbers, or b) don't know the correct answer to your inquiry, and therefore try to BS their way through (a lot of times this happens when someone has just transferred depts). Time's like these are when I would tell the customer, "Ha...I have no idea. But here, let me ask Armando for you. Or better yet, here's the guide they gave me with all the charts and info on our products. It will be more of help than I will" (seriously though... I did do that a number of times)

--to be honest, a lot of times the salesperson is just focused on ringing up that PSP. once you walk out the door, they don't care. They'll never see you again. ANd if you do come back in, the management will probably get the shit end of the stick. It just is that way, and it sucks.

To sum up my summary....sorry you had a shit experience with best buy. hell, we all have. while there are some horrible lying manipulative people working there, there ARE also some good people who really do think in the best interest of the customer.

hope you have some better luck next time (if there IS a next time...)

kelly

PS sorry this email was so long and pointless. i'm not exactly thinking straight right now PPS--if you ARE going to buy the PSP...I would say only buy it for cell phones because they really do change it out for you!

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