12/12 – Washing machine fails during washing cycle. The washing machine is covered until April under an extended warranty plan.
12/15 – Placed call to 888-Best Buy to notify them of issue. An appointment was set up on 12/18 for a service group to come out and inspect the machine.
12/16 – Call received from service group who indicated the 12/18 date was no good for them because they do not make calls in our area on that day. A new appt was set-up for 12/19.
12/19 – ASAP Appliance Service group visits our home, inspects washer, and indicates the control panel is “fried”. He does not have the part with him, and he will need to order it.
12/23 – Called 888-Best Buy to get an update on the replacement part. Customer service rep indicates the part has been ordered, but they cannot give an estimated delivery date. We asked to speak with the CSR’s boss in order to escalate the issue. Spoke with a supervisor named Amanda who called the service group on our behalf to get an update. She also assured us the part was on order, but could not give us a deliver date. We asked for the contact information for ASAP so we could speak with them directly. Called ASAP and spoke with Tina. Tina told us that the part had only been ordered that day because the field tech didn’t turn in his order until Monday (12/22) (the service appt on 12/19 was a Friday). I asked if they could expedite the part and have it sent over night. Tina told us the Parts Manager was in charge of that, and she couldn’t do anything. I asked to speak with the Parts Manager, and she informed me that he doesn’t take calls from customers. Called 888-Best Buy again, and after explaining issue to CSR, I asked to be reconnected to Amanda who had given me her ID number. The number she had given me did not connect, but I was connected to a Kim who was also a supervisor. Spoke with Kim at length about the issue, and our expectations of having the part expedited. Kim called ASAP, and then confirmed since the part had been ordered, she could not change the method of shipping. The only thing she could do was order the part again, but said they wouldn’t do that because 2 parts would show up when only 1 was needed. Exasperrated, we ended the call with every assurance that the part would come and the appliance would repaired by Jan 2.
1/2 – Spoke with Tina at ASAP again to get status on part. She indicated that our part had not shown up, and that all other parts that they ordered on 12/22 and 12/23 had shown up. We were left with the impression our part had not been ordered. Called 888-Best Buy and went through the story with their CSR and asked to speak to a supervisor. This time we spoke with a Scott, who could not explain why they part had not been ordered, or when we might get the unit repaired. We decided to involve the store at this point, and went to the Gunbarrel location where we purchased the washing machine and extended warranty. We met with Matt (Appliance Supervisor) and explained the whole story. I asked if he could just call the 888 number with me and listen to the ‘run-around’ we were getting. He offered to call them, and call me back – he could not believe we were not getting the help needed. Matt did call me back within 10 minutes of me leaving the store and told me he had requested the washer be ‘junked out’ meaning that they would just replace the washing machine with a new one. He told me their process was to issue a return authorization number (RA#) and that we should get that within 3 – 5 business days. When we got that number, we were to return to the store to pick out our new unit.
1/11 – After waiting nine days, we went back to the store to see Matt. He was surprised that we had no reply.in fact, we had not received any contact from Best Buy during this period. He offered to again contact their 888 group and put in a store-level ‘urgen’ request for the RA number. This was on a Sunday, and he asked that we wait at least until Wednesday for the return call.
1/14 – Wed. Received a call from Best Buy indicating they were calling to update us on our claim, but that their computer systems were down, and they could not update us.
1/15 – Thursday. No other updates, so I called the store again to talk to Matt, but he was not in. I did speak with another manager named Zach Turner. I explained to him the whole story, and concluded that our last update was their systems were down. At one point, I asked Zach did I have an legal options, and he promised that if I said that phrase again, he would have to hang up and would not be able to speak me again. I just told him I felt like I was out of options, and that in addition to not having a working washing machine for more than a month, we were also spending $40-45/week at the laundrymat. He took my information and offered to call the corporate group again. Zach did call back, and said the replacement group wanted to send another service group out to verify the unit could not be repaired. I asked when this would happened, and he said by the end of the day Friday. Zach also mentioned that he would let his GM know about this issue. I asked who that was, and he said Joe. Zach also offered that the next time we come in the store, he could give us a gift card for our troubles. He was apologetic (actually, all Best Buy contacts have been professional, polite and apologetic during our mini-saga).
1/16 – Friday – having no update, I called 888 Best Buy to try to find out what we were to do. Spoke with the CSR who was nice, but could not tell us much and asked to speak to a supervisor. Ended up speaking with Ricky who indicated he was a supervisor at the Corporate level. Ricky reviewed our log and then informed me that when the replacement request was submitted on Jan 2, it was done incorrectly, so the ‘system’ had kicked it out. He told us that he would enter it in correctly and make sure it went through this time. I could not believe what I was being told, and so I asked Ricky how in the world did Best Buy now expect me to believe anything they told me. For a month, we had been given one story then another, and all of them end up being not true. Promises and commitments are made, but no follow-up is done.
1/17 – Saturday – no update, no calls from Best Buy or service group. I went to the store again. Found Matt, and again replayed the whole thing. Matt could not believe we did not have an RA number by now. He took 15 minutes to call and see what could be done, but his update was no better. We were to wait for the service group to contact us, and since we had involved the 888 number, there was nothing else they could do at the store level. They have a process, and nothing can be done until we get our RA number. I suggested that they give us a loaner machine, bring ours back to the store and wait for the RA number themselves – we are desperate at this point. Matt could not agree to anything like that, so I asked if we could talk to the GM – Joe, and Matt brought him over. Finally, we were talking to the General Manager, Joe Y. Joe listened carefully to our whole story. He apologized, and took our information, excused himself in order to call someone. When he returned, he gave us an update that he had asked for management support to intervene on our behalf, and he promised we would get a call back today, but that the process of getting an RA would take up 2 business days to complete. I summarized our frustration with Joe the best I could. That evening, I received a call from Loretta who introduced herself as part of the Best Buy management team. She indicated she would personally follow up with the replacement center on our behalf until the issue was resolved.
1/18 – No update
1/19 – No update
1/20 – Loretta called today and indicated she had followed up with the service group about the part in question. Since the part was not available, she indicated that we would be receiving an RA# within 24 hours for a replacement washing machine.
1/21 – 24 hours have elapsed without any word from Loretta or Best Buy. We continue to wait.
1/22 – No answer from Best Buy, called 888 number again, spoke with Tiffany in customer service who elevated the call to supervisor named Chase. Told Chase whole story and that we were expecting a return call & RA number from Loretta. He said he didn’t see why we would get an RA number when the part had been ordered. He called the service center who said they did not have the part, but they were expecting it any day. Once the part was received they would call us to set-up an appointment. This is the same story we started hearing back on 12/23/08.
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