Elpresidentepez

I know there's a couple of CC threads already, but I didn't want to hijack someone else's thread with this story. My friend/co-worker Sidney told me this story when i arrived at work yesterday (Saturday 24th). She's really shy and won't go complain.

She went to the Fairfield, CA CC yesterday morning before work and went to buy a GPS system that was in their ad. They were out, but she saw another one she liked. Another guy looking at them said it was on sale at Best Buy and they could price match. They both went to the counter and the cashier price matched the GPS for the dude. Sidney walked up and asked if she could do the same and the girl said "Oh, we don't price match." Sidney goes "Well you just did for that guy." and the Cashier goes "We don't price match." Sidney left and did nothing. Now my friend pointed out that the cashier was some kind of manager so she didn't think complaining would do anything. Also, she went to high school with this girl, she barely knew her, but she recognized her.
I kept asking her for the exact words of the conversation, Sidney's not one to embellish or lie. If anything I could imagine her toning the story down. Any other store I don't think I could believe it, but this company and from personal experience I can see this happening. I told her I would be happy to go complain to their GM, but she doesn't want to make a big deal. Plus I can see it being weird me telling someone else's story. This (plus another incident I experienced a couple of weeks ago) was enough for me to NEVER walk back into that place again.

Patman

Doesn't each Circuit City have their price match policy on their wall near the service desk up front?

Elpresidentepez

I believe they do. She ended up going to Best Buy and getting the GPS. My impression is that this CC employee is petty and stupid and that my friend needs to stand up for herself. It doesn't change the fact that this company is going under and while the economy is certainly a large part of that, the customer service is abysmal and contributes to the problem.

JustinCleveland

Bad service from a bad employee does not set a tone for an entire company.

That having been said, your friend should certainly file a written complaint.

movieguru

Some stores will only pricematch if the customer has the sales flyer of the competitor that they want to pricematch from. Did the other guy have a sales flyer, where she did not?

TheMovieman

^ She was right behind the other guy and I assume they both got the same clerk so it shouldn't matter. The clerk doesn't need the ad to do the PM, it's not like there's some kind of bar code she had to scan to make it go through or something.

Elpresidentepez

Exactly right, even if they needed the flyer/ad the clerk let the dude in front of her get the price. The clerk was being petty.

UAIOE

The employee blew it and now someone else got the sale, what exactly is the problem?

Elpresidentepez

I wouldn't write it off that easy. The employee was knowingly lying to a customer, my friend left embarrassed and annoyed. I posted it because it reinforces many of the CC posts about their terrible customer service...this is the "store forum" and all.

I kept meaning to post my bad experience. A few weeks ago to buy Flight of the Conchords. I went to the same CC that Thursday, it's in walking distance of my work. I looked around and couldn't find it. I couldn't find any employees in their media Dept. so I approached the register in the front and asked for assistance. I walked to the dept. and this young lady approached me (there was no one else there), I asked her for the DVD. She gives me this confused look as she walked up to her computer system. I explain it came out this week and it's in their ad. She looks at a pice of paper for maybe two seconds then shuffles through some papers, pulls out an advertisement and goes (in a very annoyed, yet disinterested tone) "could you find it in this ad." I go "Uh, Okay" I find it point it out, she goes I don't see it (mind you she doesn't look anywhere on the floor.) She says "I guess I'll look in the back." leaves for about 5 minutes and comes back. "We don't have any..." then her voice changes from Annoyed and Disinterested to mildly chipper as she hands me a piece of paper..."Go to circuitcity.com and enter out drive to 65 instant win game to try and win the MAzda that's parked in front of our store!" It was like I was dealing with a robot and a new program started...it was surreal.

The following Saturday I went to the Circuit city in Stockton, and they had a copy...bought it...etc.

james2025a

It never ceases to amaze me what absolute morons work in these companies. It is one of the reasons that i never ask for any advice or information. I do my research before i set foot in the store, pick up the item and pay for it. It sounds like the girl was being very petty and i am the type of person that if service is poor or as in this case just plain wrong i immediately complain and follow up with a written complaint to the higher eschelons in the company. Someone like this needs to be fired plain and simple.

Giantrobo

The CC employee was probably a Fat Chick or Weird Chick who's life was a living hell thanks to your friend. This girl saw her chance for payback and took it.

your friend = pwned!

UAIOE

And your friend still got terrible service from an employee who shouldn't be working in retail. Your friend still left CC to go to BB to buy the product.

In that sense, there is no problem. If your friend had bought the item at CC anyway then I would see a huge problem.

The actions of the employee should be brought to the attention of the District Manager, preferably in a letter saying how your friend bought the item elsewhere and that the service there was better. Will this have any effect? Hard to say, but the best thing your friend can do is just not buy stuff from CC based on this experience.

Brent L

Not to hijack, but I don't want to start yet another CC as well. Over the past few weeks, two specific CC employees (Anderson, SC store) have been incredibly rude to me multiple times. It's to the point where if I go in the store, I flat out won’t buy whatever I go in for if it looks as if one of the two will have to check me out.

Is it normal to file a formal complaint for just flat out rudeness? They haven't technically screwed up all that much, it's more just the way they approach their job, and as an effect of that how they make me feel as a customer.

Elpresidentepez

It is normal and justified. In the end, it's management's job to evaluate the situation. If they feel you're being unreasonable then that's their decision. You should bring it to their attention nonetheless. You should always feel welcome to a place of business.

I can't convince my friend to do anything about this. I might write a complaint myself, I know the employee's name.