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HappyGoLucky11
January 23, 2011
New Validatin Process for Long Standing Account Holders
(letter to Blockbuster)
Good evening,
My wife and I have been a loyal customer since opening account number XXXXXXXXXXX on 12/8/2004.Upon moving to Whiteland, IN in 2009, we have been renting from your recently closed, albeit local Blockbuster, formerly located Franklin, IN.
Tonight my wife's younger brother is spending the weekend at our house and decided to bring his Wii for my sons to play. I do not own a Wii, and only rent video games when he comes for a weekend visit.
He and I entered store number 18638 at approximately 7:15 and spend the next 30 minutes deciding upon 2 movies and 1 video game. My receipt reads that I rented Duchess (for my loving wife) at $2.99, Inception (we heard it was a good movie) at $3.99, but did not rent Spiderman (for my oldest son and brother in-law) priced at $6.99; though my receipt also reads we could have bought the game for $9.99 more, at a fair price of $16.98 plus all applicable taxes.
After giving employee 06687 our stack of entertainment, he scanned our Blockbuster card dated 7 years ago, and the chaos ensued.
After scanning all discs for rental purchase, he asked me if I would swipe my PNC Card on the key pad because he needs to validate my account. Perplexed, because this PNC card/account is several years old and our Blockbuster account/card is even older, I politely follow his command and swipe my card.
The keypad then asks for my billing zip code. Again, I follow command, and enter my 6 digit zip code, 46184. After proudly purchasing my new home, this has been my zip code for over a year. Allow me reiterate, I know my zip code, and am able to type in 6 digits correctly.
Employee number 06687 begins to ask his co-worker what to do next. He is instructed, then asks for my card, and attempts to input my card numbers manually into his computer. To no avail, the computer is not recognizing my card, and he is stumped as to what to do next.Hope enters the situation for a brief moment, as he leaves to seek the advice from the manager on duty, who I have later found to be named Dave.
Dave approaches the counter, and employee 06687 informs him of the details, then Dave requests that I duplicate the actions that got us to this exact moment. With a confused smile on my face, I follow his instructions and again without success, repeat the swiping of my card and entering my correct zip code process.
Again no luck. Dave realizes that I must not know my zip code and asks me if this is my billing zip code, and begins to relay a short story…about how a guy came in and had to type 5 zip codes in order to rent a game. I reply only with a blank stare, thinking to myself, “I haven’t even lived at 5 zip codes my entire life, and don’t wish to attempt refreshing my brain, retrieving all previous addresses in the last decade, like the gentleman you are referring to, in your unhelpful story.
After telling me this riveting tale, he informs me that he cannot rent me this game because he cannot validate my account. Though he can rent me the movies!? I don’t even know what this mean, “validate my account” Like I have been renting my movies and games “invalidated” for the last 7 years and Dave’s new purpose in life is to validate me. What a word you all have chosen, “validate”. You should have chosen phrases such as “judge personally” or “declare legitimate”
Because tonight, I left store number 18638 feeling like I had failed your judgment and been declared illegitimate by your manager and Company; and can only assume that those in line behind me, your employees behind the counter, were forced to arrive at the same conclusion.
And the conclusion these people, and your manager, and your Company came to was quite simple:
We do not trust you with this video game. We think you are going to steal it. You, Daniel, can only be trusted with these two movies. But certainly not this video game. Remember, according to our receipt, it could have been purchased for only $9.99 more. But we still don’t trust you with Spiderman the game, only with Duchess and Inception
I finally open my mouth, red faced, and plead my case. I have been renting from Blockbuster for years, have been using the same account for years, and don’t understand what is happening here. I look at my brother in-law with a face that says “do you even want to get the movies” and look back towards the counter.
To my utter surprise, Dave has disappeared like David Copperfield back into his cubby hole. The fact that they both have the same first name is sadly ironic. My wife calls to acquire his name, and he informs her this has happens quite frequently. So now I assume this is his song and dance…act like he wants to help, offer a pointless story, run back to his closet office.
I commend employee number 06687, because he actually apologized for the situation. During supper, my brother in-law commented on how much pride it takes to apologize for what someone else had done. In fact, employee 06687 was so friendly, I would promote him Dave’s job. Because if part of the job description for Blockbuster mangers is to apologize for not being able to validate long standing customers, employee 06687 would outshine Dave every time.
I read an article last month that said Blockbuster is one of the next companies to fail in 2011. When I first read those words, I thought it was not possible with customer like me. But after tonight, it is crystal clear to my why this prediction exists. I will be sending you my new Netflix Welcome Letter and original Blockbuster cards. Because guess what, Netflix had absolutely no problem validating and charging my card. In fact, they were eager to accept my business, and the process was hassle free.
I have come to my own conclusions. Either Dave is working for a Nexflix sleeper cell and his mission is to drive business away from Blockbuster; or due to the aforementioned validating process, Blockbuster is actually invested into the success of Netflix. Either way, you all have lost a long standing customer who has made it his mission to inform everyone of your new validation policies, while simultaneously promoting the ease and awesomeness of Netflix.
Sincerely,
Daniel
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Lyndon
July 12, 2010
Store full of rude employees
Every time someone in my family or I enter this store, the employees are ridiculously rude. They refused to let me used my husbands card to rent on the grounds that I "might be lying." We have the same, very distinctive, last name. They would not let my seventee year old daughter, who goes in there with me frequently and has her own card, rent for the same reason. When I went in to get my daughter a card in the first place, the young man at the register refused, saying "Sorry lady, the man of the house has to be the one to do this, " and my husband had to go get her the card. I am a professional with a doctorate degree, and find his comments sexist and highly offensive. On numerous occasions, I asked to speak to a manager (with various complaints) and the employees told me there was no one there, and no, they wouldn't call someone or tell me when a manager would be present.Needless to say, I have not been to this store in months. This store should be shut down.
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