The Crazy Rants of Samantha BurnsCommendable Best Buy Staff
I think they only have this store in Canada and the US, but perhaps people reading this from other parts of the world will have a similar experience at another store.
I was at the local Best Buy store the other day and was shocked... well really, how shocked can one get when they are bombarded by employees in a store?
Nonetheless, I looked around and every which way, there were little blue vests with screaming - "no, this isn't a fashion statement, I work here" - yellow Best Buy titles printed on them.
The floor sales personnel were in full force that day. I mean, I couldn't step an inch without nearly tripping over one and creating a domino effect, demolishing the whole crew in one single step. I'd be walking towards the isle I wanted, computers (said as I gurgle like Homer does with donuts), and have about four or five employees at a time surround me. It reminded me a little of the Alfred Hitchcock movie The Birds *shudder*. They were coming at me from all angles.
Although it could get annoying if I were visiting that store more often than I do, it wasn't bad seeing so many employees eager to help me out. And, I've been told that they don't work on commission, so their enthusiasm is particularly noteworthy.
I believe they must have some sort of incentives deal in the store, however, because twice I heard a rubber ducky squeeking and all the employees began to clap. I didn't bother to ask what it was all about, but I assume someone in the Best Buy world got their wings or perhaps a new gold trimmed blue vest instead of the lowly yellow.
Cheers to all those Best Buy guys and gals, you put other stores like Walmart to shame where their employees practically hide from you when you need assistance - at least here they do. Just don't let it get to your head because as nice as it is to have the help when we need it, it could get a smidge irritating if it's too forceful.
Don't forget the three-foot rule; I mean, some of you were so close you were practically falling in my lap. I know I'm cute, but....
Comments
I worked in Japan for just over a month, and visited stores near where I was working. Very much the same deal. I dont know if you have Moe's Mexican food places near you, but strange thing happens when you walk in there. . .you push the door open, and everyone working in the place says, " welcome to Moe's " . . .. Follow this link, and listen to the intro. .. http://www.moes.com/ Enjoy!!
Posted by: Richard Smith | August 22, 2005 03:08 PM
I have fond memories of the (relatively) local Best Buy myself, as it's situated next to the DSW (Discount Shoe Warehouse). While the wife shopped for shoes all afternoon, I'd be wandering around the Best Buy in videogame/DVD fugue. Ah, good times, good times.
Then we bought a house, and all that disposable income dried up.
Posted by: Dave D | August 22, 2005 03:31 PM
I remember going into a best buy when on holiday in florida, still not as bad as here we have IKEA stores which show they have no fashion sense
Posted by: ALan Kennedy | August 22, 2005 04:02 PM
LOL! Okay Sam, what's the point?
Scorpius--
Posted by: Scorpius | August 22, 2005 06:43 PM
I was a Best Buy supervisor for two years. No, they are not on commission. The little squek you kept hearing was probably someone who sold a d-sub (magazine subscription, internet, image lab card, napster, netflix or various other digital subscriptions they offer) or if you were in computers it might have been a platinum service plan on a laptop ($500).
As far as their eagerness to help you even though they are not on commission....they're reward for doing so is they get to keep their job. You don't fuck up very many times at Best Buy before you get axed.
Posted by: Stan | August 22, 2005 07:23 PM
Also, there is a "10 foot/30 seconds" rule that is in effect at all Best Buy. When a customer is 10 feet away you have 30 seconds to contact them. Then proceed to say, "Hi my name is Blah Blah Blah, What brings you into Best Buy today? Have you been in before? Then you should know that we aren't on commission. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions to make sure we get you set up with the right product?"
Posted by: Stan | August 22, 2005 07:27 PM
... well, you can have hyper-helpful salespeople at Best Buy, or ... come to Asia, or at least in many places in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where the salesgirls can be seen to eye you suspiciously and actually tail you all around the store as if you were gonna somehow shoplift all those clothes or accessories or something... then again, sometimes it's worth it to enter these places just to practice keeping a straight face when they ask "Ken eye hep chew?" (translation: "Can I help you?"). *grin!*
Posted by: lynne | August 22, 2005 07:52 PM
Wow, must be a Canadian thing... Here in the Pensacola store, BestBuy employees are arrogant snobs who hate you. Aside from one tech guy they have there...
Anyway, I was yelled at, insulted and almost kicked out of a BestBuy for asking if a wireless card worked in linux....
I shop at Office Depot now.
Posted by: Abbie Gonzalez | August 23, 2005 04:44 PM
hmm, slightly different experience here as well (from the US on a bordering state :) ). the rare times I've gone into best buy, very little if any staff have accosted me, and the ones that have... i would have preferred they didn't :) techie person so I may have slightly higher standards of "help", but they were almost universally disinterested and rather uninformed (to be kind).
to be honest however, they were high school kids that almost certainly had other things on their minds, hehe. I only frequent best buy when I know exactly what I want (usually basic stuff)... in those instances they're fine. if I'm wavering on new techie stuff, I'll go to a smaller store that I know has good and experienced service, far better results.
example, went to a smaller regional competitor, was looking at photo quality printers, one of the vendor reps was there, had his own pictures printed out on each of his brand of printers with differing paper quality (and didn't rip the competition). now that's useful.
Posted by: kelly | August 25, 2005 07:20 PM