SHOP BEST BUY AT YOUR OWN RISK. IF YOU WANT TO BE DISRESPECTED, DO YOUR SHOPPING AT BEST BUY.
Ms. Judy Telschow, Executive Resolution Specialist for Best Buy, reports in her letter of May 4, 2006, "...Our Lansing Calumet store states they have documentation contradicting your allegations Mr. Whiteside pushed your daughter's game onto the floor." From this statement, we can conclude this specialist did not personally view the "documentation". This examples how Best Buy "investigates" its customers' complaints.
Do not be fooled or think you will not lose your rights tomorrow, if they take my rights today.
Update: May 12, 2006
On May 4, 2006 I received a response to my reply from Best Buy. Best Buy supports their customers being disrespected by their management. I have posted their response in the comment section to my second letter to them.
Update: April 27, 2006
On or about April 25, 2006 I received a response from Best Buy. I have posted their reponse, verbatim, in the comment section below. Please read it. I am posting my response to their reply.
April 27, 2006
Mr. Bradbury Anderson, Vice Chairman & CEO
Best Buy
7601 Penn Avenue South
Richfield, Minnesota 55423-3645
Re: Unprofessional Behavior and Character of Assistant Manager Brand Whiteside – Lansing Store #312- Part II
Mr. Anderson:
I received a letter dated April 21, 2006 from Ms. Judy Telschow, Executive Resolution Specialist responding to my letter dated April 16, 2006. Her letter reports my letter to you was forwarded to her for review and response. Ms. Telschow’s response is unacceptable.
Ms. Telschow begins with jargon stating Best Buys’ integral and ethical stance toward customer care, which does not mean anything toward resolving the issue. This is no time for her to advertise your business integrity and ethics. That went out the window when your manager acted as he did.
She goes on to report, “I would like to address your concerns.” She does not address my concerns! She also reports, “I spoke with the management of our Lansing Calumet Store (#312), and although their account of this incident varies significantly from yours, I do appreciate your contacting our offices to share your concerns.” What does this mean? She is sweeping the issue under the rug. What does she expect her management team to say? Does she expect them to admit to what I wrote? If she does, she is just as crazy as the team of managers you have at your Calumet store. She does not suggest an apology to my wife. She does not report what Best Buy is going to do about my daughter’s game being pushed on the floor by your manager. She does not report how my daughter’s game will be repaired from being knocked to the floor by your manager.
This response from your “Executive Resolution Specialist” is outrageous and ludicrous. If your “Executive Resolution Specialist” team is made up of individuals such as Ms. Telschow, you have a sorry team.
I will post Ms. Telschow’s letter, verbatim, in the comment section of my first posting. I will post a beginning script also suggesting the world think about whether they want to shop in a store where disrespect is condoned by the management and the corporate office.
Respectfully submitted,
Fred Nance Jr., ABD, MA, CADC, NCRS
Update: April 23, 2006
Mr. Bradbury Anderson and Best Buy have not contacted my wife about this issue. We believe Best Buy is ignoring our issues. If this is how they operate, the public should consider shopping elsewhere for their needs. If Best Buy violates my interest and integrity with harassment and nefarious behavior today, do not think or believe they will not violate yours tomorrow.
April 16, 2006
Mr. Bradbury Anderson, Vice Chairman & CEO
Best Buy
7601 Penn Avenue South
Richfield, Minnesota 55423-3645
Re: Unprofessional Behavior and Character of Assistant Manager Brand Whiteside – Lansing Store #312
Mr. Anderson:
I, Fred Nance Jr., am writing this letter on behalf of my wife, Darlene Bouyer-Nance. I will write this letter from her perspective. I will also write from the perspective of my daughter, Kristina Gaston 11-years-old, who witnessed her mother being degraded and embarrassed in a store full of customers. In addition, I called and talked to this purported manager. I did not mention my wife in my conversation with this manager.
On April 14, 2006 at approximately 4:45 pm (CST) my wife entered the Best Buy store located at 17151 Torrence Avenue, Lansing, Illinois hoping to get assistance with our daughter’s Play Station II Portable (PSP). This PSP was a gift, which we do not have a receipt. The PSP was bought from Best Buy. My wife wanted your employees to look at the game to see what was wrong with it.
Your employees reported they could not do anything for my wife because she did not have a receipt. My wife requested to speak to a supervisor or manager. The salesperson stated he would let my wife speak to the manager. Mr. Brand Whiteside approached my wife.
My wife stated to Mr. Whiteside she wanted a technician to look at the PSP to see what was wrong with it. My wife informed Mr. Whiteside what she believed was wrong with the PSP. Mr. Whiteside stated she could not exchange it because she did not have a receipt. My wife did not state she wanted to exchange the PSP. My wife stated again something was wrong with it and she wanted someone to look at it. Mr. Whiteside stated to my wife if she wanted someone to look at it the cost would be $80.00. My wife said okay I want someone to look at it.
My wife started feeling like she was being slighted and demeaned by Mr. Whiteside. My wife asked Mr. Whiteside who was his supervisor. Mr. Whiteside stated “I am the supervisor. I am it.” My wife stated to Mr. Whiteside she knows there was someone higher up than him. Mr. Whiteside stated, “We got three managers and I am the only one here.” Mr. Whiteside then informed my wife he would not let a technician look at it anyway. My wife stated again to let her see someone over Mr. Whiteside.
Mr. Whiteside told my wife if she wanted to talk to someone else she should contact the corporate office. The PSP was sitting on the counter. Mr. Whiteside threw his card at my wife and as he drew his hand back he knocked the PSP on the floor on his side of the counter. My wife stated I know you are going to pick it up and I hope it is not broke. Mr. Whiteside walked away stating, “I am not going to pick it up.” My wife stated to Mr. Whiteside she was going to have to walk around on the other side of the counter to pick it up. My wife walked around to the other side of the counter and picked up the PSP from the floor. Mr. Whiteside told my wife to get out of his store. My wife started going toward the exit of the store. A female salesperson approached my wife asking her what was the matter. The female salesperson heard the conversation between her and Mr. Whiteside. My wife stated to the female salesperson I know you have another manager for this store. The female salesperson stated to my wife there really is no one else here.
Mr. Whiteside approached my wife again. Mr. Whiteside heard my wife asking for another supervisor. Mr. Whiteside stated to my wife I told you I am it. Mr. Whiteside stated I am it tomorrow because I am opening up tomorrow. My wife stated to Mr. Whiteside, “I should call the police on you.” Mr. Whiteside looked at his phone stating to my wife do you want use my phone. My wife stated to Mr. Whiteside if I call the police you are the one going to jail. My wife left the store and called me at work. It was approximately 5:10 pm (CST).
I called the Best Buy Lansing store. I asked to speak to Mr. Whiteside. Mr. Whiteside came to the phone. I asked to speak to his supervisor. Mr. Whiteside stated he did not have a supervisor. Mr. Whiteside stated he had a district staff. I asked Mr. Whiteside for his corporate office number. Mr. Whiteside gave me 1-888-BESTBUY. I asked Mr. Whiteside if I could have his district manager’s name and phone number. Mr. Whiteside stated with hostility “I gave you the information you wanted, correct.” I asked Mr. Whiteside “who are you talking to you?” Mr. Whiteside stated, “I gave you the information you wanted, correct.” I stated, “who are you talking too?” I asked Mr. Whiteside if this was the way he spoke to everyone who called Best Buy. Mr. Whiteside stated, “I gave you the information you wanted, correct.” Then he hung up on me. At no time did I mention my wife’s name or the incident above to Mr. Whiteside.
This manager’s character and behavior is outrageous and discourteous. I searched your website to get your name, Mr. Anderson. On April 14, 2006 at approximately 5:20 pm (CST) I called Ms. Sue Busch at 612-292-4000 ext 4. I called Dawn Bryant at 612-291-6119. I did not get an answer at either number. I called 888-BESTBUY. I spoke to Ms. Sras who took my verbal complaint. Ms. Sras informed me Mr. Jim Sipple was Mr. Whiteside’s General Manager. Ms. Sras informed me my complaint was filed under case #26318178.
Mr. Anderson, I know you do not run a company where your customers are disrespected and humiliated when attempting to get assistance or to purchase an item. This humiliation and disrespect took place in front of our 11-year-old daughter. How do you think our daughter felt seeing her mother disrespected and humiliated? This humiliation and disrespect took place around potential customers and the staff of the Lansing store #312.
I informed my neighbors. I had one neighbor tell me he will think twice about shopping at Best Buy if this is the way they treat their customers. I will post and publish this letter on my website at http://clickforjusticeandequality.blogspot.com/. It is my hope to spread this incident to as many people as can be reached. The public needs to know how the managers of your Lansing Illinois store operate. The public needs to know what kind of managers you employ. This is not an isolated incident. Mr. Whiteside spoke to me in an unprofessional way. I did not even mention my wife’s incident. I merely asked for his supervisor. This man is sick. He has no people skills. I can imagine how his staff is treated.
How many people have complained to Mr. Whiteside where he upset them so they started cursing him out? How many people has Mr. Whiteside called the police on after he has prompted them to act out because of his behavior? Mr. Whiteside needs more than training. Mr. Whiteside talks like he is above the law or the concerns of the public who are your consumers. How many staff do you have mirroring this behavior? I know you know in an employment setting the behavior and character of our superiors are mirrored by our staff. This will create dissent among the consumers.
Therefore, I would like an investigation into this matter. I would like to know something has changed in the Lansing Illinois store to prevent consumer harassment, humiliation and disrespect.
In addition, my daughter’s PSP suffered more damage when Mr. Whiteside knocked it on the floor. It is hard to believe a manager acted as Mr. Whiteside did. It is hard to believe a manager would make a customer walk around on the side of the business counter to pick up their merchandise, whether it was knocked over by the consumer or the employee. This is outrageous. Where did you get this guy? Mr. Whiteside should pay for the damages incurred due to the PSP being knocked on the floor. How can Best Buy employ a person with this type of character? I will surely look to buy elsewhere in the future. I hope future customers who read this correspondence on the Internet think twice about shopping at Best Buy. I am mailing a hard copy of this letter on April 17, 2006. I will fax a soft copy to Mr. Anderson to assist in an immediate solution to this matter.
Respectfully submitted,
Fred L Nance Jr., ABD, MA, CADC, NCRS
http://clickforjusticeandequality.blogspot.com/
