It is with great frustration and disappointment that I have to write this complaint. Recently the area I live in experienced a power outage. At the time my home computer was on sleep mode. After the power was restored I kept getting a startup repair window and my computer would not log on. About six months ago I had a virus and took my computer to Best Buy and Geek Squad. I still had an active tech support account. I brought my computer in to have the startup repair issue looked at on 6/23. I spoke with a Geek Squad representative that went through the options. He asked me if I wanted to pay extra for the backup service.
It was just a yes or no question. No other information or explanation was given for the backup service. I declined this option because I could not afford it at the time. I was told that I would receive a call within 24-48 hours when the issue was resolved. About four days later I had not heard from anyone so I called and was told my computer was ready to pick up. I came into the store and picked it up. I was told the issue with the startup was resolved and no other information was given. I returned home and hooked my computer back up.
When I started my computer up for the first time since picking it up I was shocked to see that everything I had ever put on the computer was gone. All the photographs of my now five-year-old daughter, ITunes account, user names and passwords, my resume, Microsoft Office, Norton Inti-Virus, everything was deleted. It was like I had just bought the computer and turned it on for the first time. I brought the computer back to Geek Squad and spoke to the representative that I had dropped it off with. I told him what had happened and he informed me that they were the ones that deleted everything on my computer. He said they deleted everything to fix the startup repair issue. He asked me if I had received a call prior to the deleting which I replied no.
He stated that because I declined the backup option they were not legally liable. He told me that I could ship my computer off to one of the main offices and pay anywhere from $160-$1,600 to have the data recovered. I asked for a manager and while I was waiting I told the story to another representative that had helped me before. After telling him, he looked at me and said, " Man thats not right. Let me go talk to someone for you. Someone should have called you." Before he got to the back of the office the manager came out and she also asked me if I received a call prior to them deleting everything on my computer.
I told her no and also told her that I would have gladly drove down in fifteen minutes and paid for the backup prior to them deleting everything. I also brought her attention to number 5 of the service order that states, " Notify me for approval of all service that will exceed the minimum approved amount stated on the service order before my product is repaired..." All three representatives I spoke with that day said that someone should have called me. This should have been common sense to call me prior to deleting everything I have ever done with this computer. Again, I am in complete shock that this happened. My friends, family and co-workers also cannot believe that this happened.
One phone call and I would not have lost everything, Geek Squad would have gotten more money from me and a customer would have been happy. I would like to know what can be done to make this right. I understand that Geek Squad may not be liable for the damages caused, but there is a big difference between legal liability and basic customer service, legal liability and doing the right thing. I also understand that there is always a risk of data being deleted when it is being worked on but in this instance Geek Squad knew they were going to delete everything and made the decision not to call their customer. Thank you for your time. Please contact me with any questions.
Tyson *
Service Order: 00249-962982976
6/23/11
Best Buy information:
2727 W Thunderbird RD.
Phoenix, AZ 85053
Phone: 602.843.3420
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