OK I'm seriously disgusted with Best Buy, Geek Squad, and Precision Camera right now...
Why?
I share my abbreviated complaint with you below:
I bought a $1,200 camcorder a few years ago with a black tie premium plan. I've been a loyal customer with best buy since 2002 and I ALWAYS get the extended warranties. Sometimes I end up needing them and I've been impressed with the service for the most part.
Last month, however, I needed to use the camcorders service plan for a repair and it's been a NIGHTMARE. October 5th I took my camcorder in because the internal hard drive was having problems and I kept cutting off. That was the only problem at the time. I was extremely concerned with the timing of this problem because I record weddings and in a little over a week I was going to be recording another wedding. Geek Squad assured me that within 7 days they would hear back from Precision Camera (the company handling the repair) on whether the camcorder would be repaired or if a replacement was in order. Also of note is that this is the second time i have had to go to Geek Squad for this problem on this camcorder. Well they took the camcorder and I waited. 7 days later (October 12th) I received a email from Geek Squad saying my product "was in good hands". Upon using the service order number given to me I discovered that the only entry was that the device was checked in and awaiting shipment on October 5th!
I called Best Buy and Geek Squad assured me that the device had been shipped and gave me the direct number to Precision Camera to see for myself. I called the number and using the service order number given to me I was told that the device had been repaired and sent back to me back in 2009! upon further inspection they discovered that the same number was referencing a older camera I had repaired in 2009 and that they had no record of my current camera.
I went to Best Buy in person to explain the entire situation and Geek Squad sent a "Escalation" to find out what happened. Two days later the site updated and said that on The 14th my product was received. The same day It was assigned to a tech.
In the mean time I had to borrow money to buy a temporary camcorder to film the wedding and a $500 camcorder cannot compare to a $1200 model.
On the 18th the site updated with the status "Final Inspection, Awaiting Shipment" followed by "Picked up and Closed" and I immediately became panicked because I received no phone call and did not pick up anything. I went to the store and they told me that in they're system UPS delivered it to my house, a delivery that I DID NOT ask for. They then noticed that the delivery was post marked for the same day and that it would be impossible for a Texas to Baltimore MD delivery that quick, so they found a tracking number to give me. The next day my camcorder came in the mail and it was in worse condition than when sent. the LCD screen flickered badly and from the looks, the hard drive was worse too. With another event days away I was VERY irritated.
I took it to best buy and Geek Squad said all they could do was send it back out. They said they would escalate it and it would be their the next day to get repaired.
I had to once again buy another camcorder and pray or the best. According to the website it was shipped on the 19th and Received on the 24th (not next day as promised.) On the 25th it was assigned to a tech and as of November 3rd I still wait.
I have a larger event this weekend and no decent camcorder and I have lost all trust in Best Buys protection plans.
Don't get me wrong Geek Squad seemed very helpful but they can care less about the fact that you are without a product that you invested long and hard for over a month, and that they're only solution is o come up with more money to buy a temporary solution. If I was that rich I'd already own 2 thousand dollar cameras!
Rant over... update to be posted whenever this is resolved...
