Stickin' it to the Man

College Kids,

I had a shitty experience at Best Buy the other day. The manager there just gave me the run-around. What can I do?

Geoff
20 years old
Dover, NH


Dude,

I've had more than a few years' experience in retail, I know how to handle this situation. Call em up. Climb the chain of command until you get someone useful. You are a customer with money and access to the media. Believe it or not, someone at that company cares very much that you are not happy. When you call, be polite and calm. No matter how much they drag their feet, keep your composure. This way you will retain the upper hand. Just keep asking for a manager until you get someone who'll help. Remember, the second you raise your voice or swear, they will write you off as 'another crazy customer' and no one will take you seriously.

Of course, when you do call, make sure you know what you're doing. Know your complaint, know your facts (product numbers, names of employees, ect), be sure of how you want to be compensated. Make a hard, fast, surgical strike on their giant corporate fortress.

Here's a website that has a great collection of hard to find phone numbers for many large corporations, including Amazon, eBay, Microsoft, Best Buy, Enterprise Rentals, and more. Extensions to relevant departments are included. Remember, you can often skip the robot and get a real person by pressing 0.

http://www.hardtofind800numbers.com/

Good luck, and remember: don't take crap from anyone, anywhere, anytime. Cheers!