YDKF Episode 163: Best Buy

RSS feed links to blog posts, podcasts, and more. This is the only forum visible to non-registered guests. Includes posts from RobOHara.com, Podcast.RobOHara.com, and BigRobsVan.com.
Post Reply
User avatar
m00npie
Posts: 933
Joined: April 23rd, 2010, 7:27 pm

YDKF Episode 163: Best Buy

Post by m00npie »

Title: YDKF Episode 163: Best Buy
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 2015 12:10:06 +0000
Link: http://podcast.robohara.com/?p=588

Description: It’s been 20 years since I worked for the big yellow tag. On this episode of You Don’t Know Flack I delve way back into the memory banks and tell a few stories about what it was like working for Best Buy. Not to spoil things but it was actually pretty fun and it got […]
User avatar
Flack
Site Admin
Posts: 7034
Joined: April 22nd, 2010, 9:42 pm

Re: YDKF Episode 163: Best Buy

Post by Flack »

Believe it or not this was a highly requested topic, even though I'm not sure it turned out that well in the end.
Flack
www.robohara.com | www.facebook.com/robohara | www.twitter.com/Commodork
boatofcar

Re: YDKF Episode 163: Best Buy

Post by boatofcar »

Great episode! I think it would have been neat to work at a tech desk like that back in the "wild west" as you called it, before there were online manuals that you could use to troubleshoot computer problems, and also before computers got to cheap that people could just throw them away when they "broke" and buy a new one, as is the case for the majority of people today.

Though I remember shopping at Best Buy in the late 90s, before online shopping was as prevalent, and being happy with the selection compared to Circuit City, it's always been my definition of retail hell. You've got a ton of (mostly young and unknowledgeable/untrained) employees, stupid zoning rules (I can't help you with computer software, I'm in hardware), and the most irritating checkout process ever (are you sure you don't want a subscription to Sports Illustrated?). I've been to Best Buy precisely three times in the past two years. The first time was to buy a Kindle, where I was informed that the store would not match Bestbuy.com's price, but I could order it online and have it "shipped" to the store. The second time was to take advantage of an iPhone turn-in special, where you could get $100 store credit for any working iPhone (even original and 3G models.) I was warned to print out the step-by-step process to give to store customer service, and it's a good thing I did, because the cashier had no idea what the promotion was and I literally had to walk her through how to do it with the paper in hand. The last time I went was to use that store credit to purchase a vacuum cleaner. I'm sure I don't need to tell you how much knowledgable advice I got from the blue shirt on which vacuum to select. So I did what everyone does, looked up Amazon reviews on my phone and got the one with the highest rating (though paying 15% more to get it at BB).

Now, contrast that with Apple Stores, where I worked just after college and in grad school. Before they even let you out on the floor, you had to go through 40 hours of training on every model of Mac, all the accessories that were for sale (this was pre-iPhone, I'm sure things are different now) and really, really good training on dealing with all different types of customers. Then, Apple paid you to do additional training in back of house so you could stay up-to-date on everything coming to the store. This is why Best Buy is going out of business, and Apple Stores have the highest sales per square foot of any retailer in the country.
User avatar
Flack
Site Admin
Posts: 7034
Joined: April 22nd, 2010, 9:42 pm

Re: YDKF Episode 163: Best Buy

Post by Flack »

I mentioned that the RAM was locked up in the computer area, but I forgot to mention that each area had things that were locked up, and only the department manager had the keys. So when someone wanted to buy RAM for example, someone had to find Tracy (our supervisor) and get him to unlock the display case so we could get the RAM out.

I bought my hand held radio scanner (covered in YDKF 120) from Best Buy. I knew exactly what model I wanted and everything, I even though I knew some people there, I couldn't get anyone to unlock the display case and get it for me. I can't remember if the supervisor was on break or somewhere else or what but I remember being really frustrated and thinking if that's how long I had to wait, just think about a regular customer!

Like anything else, looking back it seems like Best Buy was a lot of fun and of course when I was working there I'm sure I hated it. I loved working with my friends and being around computers and software but customers are customers, no matter what line of business you're in.
Flack
www.robohara.com | www.facebook.com/robohara | www.twitter.com/Commodork
User avatar
Felix
Posts: 376
Joined: April 23rd, 2010, 9:29 pm

Re: YDKF Episode 163: Best Buy

Post by Felix »

I thought it was a great episode and it flowed well. I've heard bits and pieces of best buy stories so it was nice to hear more in depth. The falling asleep story was crazy. It is hard to imagine how tired you must have been
User avatar
Flack
Site Admin
Posts: 7034
Joined: April 22nd, 2010, 9:42 pm

Re: YDKF Episode 163: Best Buy

Post by Flack »

The funniest part about that experience was that disorienting moment you have when you wake up and look around trying to figure out where you are for a second... and realizing you are sleeping in an open Best Buy store, haha.
Flack
www.robohara.com | www.facebook.com/robohara | www.twitter.com/Commodork
Post Reply