Circuit City: Customer Service Stops Here

Whatever happened to the customer is always right? Today, the reality appears to be that Customer Service is going down the tubes or getting all tangled up in the wires at Circuit City.

So today I was in a pleasant mood, excited to be home for the holidays. My mother, sister, and I decided to accomplish some errands before our annual Christmas trip. First stop, Circuit City to return the USB chord for my camera and the webcam that my mother spent an eternity picking out and talking to Circuit City representatives (plural) who guaranteed they would work.

"I can help you over here," the unenthusiastic cashier said as she directed us to her register. She then proceeded to tell us that because it was past the 30 day return policy she could only offer us store credit. The amount was over $250.

My mother firmly replied, "That is unacceptable. That is way too much money for store credit only. Can't you offer us a refund?" The unhappy, underpaid cashier pawned us off to another employee, which we could only assume was her manager. We waited at least 15minutes as she helped another customer and went back and forth between some secret back room and the customer service desk. Finally, she came over to us and curtly explained that they had a 30 day return policy and we were overdue. My mother explained to her that she spent a great amount of time picking these items out with several employees. She had brought in model numbers letting them know the exact laptop and camera that the items were supposed to be compatible with. Then she gave them to me at school in LA and they didn't work.

"We weren't going to ship them back and forth just to return them."
"You couldn't have returned them in LA?" The (assumed) manager asked in a tone which can only be described as heated.
"I didn't have the receipt nor the credit card it was bought on nor a car to get to the Circuit City," I replied. Plus hasn't she heard of a little thing called midterms or finals?

Obviously, stumped as to what to do with us, the lady disappeared in to the secret back room once more. In her place appeared a very large man with the name Eric displayed on his name tag. He exuded anger. He walked over to us and firmly placed his hands on the counter looking my mother squarely in the face and explained that what he was going to do was offer her store credit. Apparently, the nark (aka the aforementioned manager) had had a little pow wow with him in the back office and already visibly agitated him and there was no negotiating.
My mother ignored this and stood her ground, informing him that that was not good enough. We had patronized this store and spent a lot of money in previous trips here. Furthermore, she had spent time and energy (with help from sales assistants) carefully choosing these items that, in the end, did not work. Her daughter was away at college without a vehicle and we waited until we got back to return it. And that was a large sum of money for store credit. Is it so unreasonable to ask for a refund?

He then tersely informed us that it could have been returned in LA without the receipt or the credit card because they could have looked up the number and yadda yadda yadda. How was I supposed to know that? Does he not have any sympathy for a college student who is struggling to pay tuition as it is?

"The return policy is clearly stated on the receipt," He spat. (I'm serious. I think I saw a little spit fly out of his mouth.)
Is it now? Is all of that technical information clearly stated on the receipt? I assumed I had to have the credit card to return the items. That is how it is at most stores. So why would I waste time and money trying to figure out a way to get to a Circuit City in LA just to be told it couldn't be returned without the credit card used to purchase it.

"I can offer you store credit," he said, acting as if he was doing us a favor by even accepting the defected items. The cashier was going to give us store credit. That is not good enough. It is too much money for store credit.
"What so I can spend it on stuff that won't work anyway? I want a refund."
"I cannot do that. Is there anything else I can help you with, Ma'am?" he said sternly. He said Ma'am like it was a vile word contaminating his tongue. A few expletives crossed my mind but I abstained from expressing them.

And so the stand off began. My 5' 2'' mother and this 6' 2'' man each looking each other directly in the eyes. Neither side giving in. The cantankerous man simply repeating "I can only offer you store credit. Is there anything else I can help you with Ma'am?" over and over again like a recording machine. "No, I want a refund." My mother reasoned, If he can repeat himself, then so can I.

Apparent that we were getting nowhere, my mother asked him what his position was there. A little flustered at having to stray from his well-rehearsed message, he stumbled before relaying his title. We then asked for his manager's name and if his manager was in. "Dakota Page and no he wasn't in."
*raised eyebrow* hmm...not in...riiigghht. I contemplated walking up to one of the other employees in the store and asking them to direct me to Dakota Page. Plus...he? Isn't Dakota a girl's name? As in Dakota Fanning. hmm...

We finally conceded to take the store credit along with his manager's name and contact information. He set his jaw and huffed over to the cash register where he proceeded to pound the keys.
Determined not to wave the white flag just yet, my mother and I loudly discussed telling everyone in the store not to shop here. (I swear the pounding got louder.) When he returned, he grudgingly showed us the receipt and the gift card with the $250 some dollars on it.
"Wait. What about your manager's name?" I asked.
His jaw tightened, the little vein on his forehead bulged, and his hand shook (I'm guessing with anger) as he wrote down his boss's name and mumbled something about having forgotten.
....mhmm...yes...conveniently "forgotten"
And we left, vowing never to come back to this particular Circuit City again.

Why did he refuse to give us a refund? Is policy the law of the land? Or does Customer Service trump all? Does it matter that it's the holidays? (I ask Eric, what happened to the Christmas spirit, Mr. Grinch?) Does it matter that we are in an economic crisis? How does he know we don't need that money to pay our bills? Especially with this economic downturn, that is a large chunk of money to have to spend at the store on items that most likely won't work anyway.
He had the power to give us a refund and he refused. He had the authority to overlook the fact that it was past the 30 day return policy and take in to consideration the busy holiday season, the difficulty of returning it while I was away at college, the fact that the other employees were wrong about the products (despite the model #'s my mother brought in), but he flatly refused. Policy is policy. There is no bending of the rules. No gray area.

It seems to me Circuit City is so regimented that they have forgotten Customer Service.

Now we know why they are going out of business. If you want our business back...bring back your customer service.

Reality Bytes.

8820 Grossmont Blvd
La Mesa, CA 91941-4027
(619) 463-0214