D-I-G-I-M-E-N-T-A-R-Y [AN ONLINE DIGITAL DOCUMENTARY]

BestBuy? Maybe not! Certegy? Should be certifiable!

2006-12-08T14:47:00.001-08:00

BEST BUY SUCKS! (Actually I only put that there for google results.. read on for the full story.)

It's not often that I take a public forum standing on a company, but I'm going to put this one out there for you to consider.

Let me premise this by saying that I've shopped at Best Buy since the day the opened here, have their membership card, use their rewards program, etc, so I'm quite familiar with their practices.

Today, they completely surprised me by providing absolutely NO resolution to a customer service issue that was their problem.

As a computer service technician and consultant, I'm often asked to tell customers where to go to buy their machines. Usually, I refer them to Dell, or HP, directly but I personally bought a laptop from them back in February that was very affordable, and I've had nothing but pleasure from it.

Today, using that personal experience as an example, I referred a business customer to the local store for a laptop purchase. I had already visited the store, picked out the machine, and had it ready for them to pick up and purchase.

So, in our excitement we go to the checkout register and proceed to pay for this new computer. Well, things go along well at first. We scan the rewards card, scan the coupon, get the total, and write a check to cover the purchase.

Now, here's the part everyone dreads, where you get embarrassed and get told that your check was denied, you glance around in chagrin while holding up the line, then frantically call the bank to see what happened...

So, this client calls her secretaty, who calls the bank and then calls us back. Bank account is fine. I'm not going to say HOW much money was there because that's not relevant to the story, but lets suffice it to say she could have bought every laptop of that model they had and still have change left.

So, in a fit of utter lack of anything else to do, we run the check again, wait in line, go through the whole process. Same result. Check denied!

We call the bank manager, because it's a local bank that we both use so we know the number, who courteously pulls the account file and offers to speak to the clerk to confirm the money is there. The clerk, being completely out of her depth here, flees in terror to seek a manager to handle this ever-angering customer, who is now no longer embarrassed, but is instead boiling over into the beginnings of a good rage. Now you ALL know me.. I'm JUST the kind of guy you want to have standing at a register being jerked around by an eight-dollar an hour high school graduate who thinks they have a comprhension of the banking system. Needless to say, we got a manager fast.

Well, the manager tells us, "Sorry. We can't override that. It's an issue with Certegy, who is our check verification agency." "Ok" I said, "Get me the number for Certegy... no, I mean it.. get me the number... now."

So we got the number and called the agency, who I've never friggin heard of. Meanwhile, the manager is telling us that 70% of all retail agencies use Certegy for their card verification. (that's freakin amazing idiot boy. I've been setting up merchant accounts for retail vendors for ten years and I've never freakin' heard of 'em. So quit talking to me like I'm an idiot and find us someone who uses their head for more than something to put that gay blue shirt over...)

So, we finally get on the phone with Certegy. My poor client, a business owner and busy individual just like the whole rest of the world, has to go through this process of waiting for 20 minutes to get in touch with someone.

Now, here's where it gets good.

GUESS WHY BEST BUY DENIED HER CHECK?

OH.. REALLY.. IT'S GOOD... I PROMISE.

THEY DENIED HER CHECK BECASE SHE WROTE ANOTHER CHECK FOR $1,200.00 FIVE DAYS AGO...

Ok.. maybe you're brain is goin' Oh yeah.. I get it, but mine didn't, and neither did my client's. Basically, we told the company, yeah you s**t-for-brains, of course I wrote a $1200 check last week. I'm a business owner. I have to do that. It's what business owners do.. they collect check.. they write checks. What's the big deal?

Instead of offering to fix the problem, or authorize the check, Certegy tells us that if we would like (and I really friggin love this crap) we can apply today for a Certegy Gold Card and be able to (and I'm using their words exactly here) "write as many checks as we want to."

WOW.. that's completely friggin amazing. YOU can give ME a card that will allow ME to write MY OWN checks as often as I want? WOW. That's cosmically convenient. Why didn't I think of asking your permission before?

Guess what, Best Buy, not only was the the absolute most STUPID customer service I have ever seen in my life, but you completely don't have a friggin clue how to take care of a customer. Businesses need to write checks. You want them to buy from you. And the "we dont have authority to override that" BS line doesn't hold water. I know better because I work with payment verification gateways everyday.

Certegy: You Suck.

Bestbuy: You Suck for using them.

Now, if anyone representing either of these companies has anything to say in your miserable defense, I challenge you to click on the Comment button below and explain exactly WHY you ruined your relationship with a perfectly good customer due to your own stupidity, AND why the hell she, or I for that matter, should ever purchase from your company?

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2006-12-08T14:45:00.001-08:00

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[Scooby Central Headquarters] 12/04/2006 11:06:25 AM

2006-12-04T08:07:00.000-08:00

Hmm...I was there, but I didn't even see your mom or ray. There weren't THAT many people there, but I must have been busy gabbing with others. My camera was doing crazy blurry things that night, so I didn't have any good pics to share. I don't think I told them about it, but I'm pretty sure Hannah did. I'm bad for waiting until last minute, then calling. Sorry about that!

Hannah played well...you could really hear her from my seat. I couldn't hear the others as much. Of course, I've been hearing the same thing played over and over for several weeks now, so maybe I was hearing it from memory!

She may actually have a touch of musical talent...who knows? I don't think it is in singing though. I cringe when it is her turn for Children's choir to sing. Don't tell her that though!(Although others have said she is going to sing the alto part...this from relatives who sing, you guessed it, alto).

Anyway, glad you got to see her!

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Posted by Michelle to Scooby Central Headquarters at 12/04/2006 11:06:25 AM

[Scooby Central Headquarters] 12/04/2006 10:00:54 AM

2006-12-04T07:01:00.000-08:00

Thanks, both of you. I appreciate the input.
Answer to comment 1: I am Thomas S Jordan, III (3rd) and Tim is Timothy Wayne Pendergrass. After TONS of deliberation, Tim just spouted that one out of his mouth while riding in the truck one day. The more we thought about it, the more we liked it. So, that's where it came from.

Marcus,
Crud.. I really like the iii thingy... lol. Any other opinions on this one anyone?
I agree with you on the red thing... it's an agressive color but it DOES seem to fit well with the orange. Any ideas for completely different colors that will look good in print as well as on the web? Or maybe a third color to contrast those two? (Can't use yellow. Too hard to see online unless I outline it in black everytime, which causes dithering issues unless I'm staying with a vector based design platform, and that's not always possible.)

Please keep sending input.

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Posted by Mithrandir (Gandalf) to Scooby Central Headquarters at 12/04/2006 10:00:54 AM

[Scooby Central Headquarters] 12/04/2006 09:47:21 AM

2006-12-04T06:47:00.000-08:00

I like the design of the logo, I like the red and orange but to your point red is an aggressive color BUT I think it works. I don’t like the design of the 3 III, I like what it says and stands for, but not the design. Well that is my opinion hope it helps.

Marcus

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Posted by Anonymous to Scooby Central Headquarters at 12/04/2006 09:47:21 AM

[Scooby Central Headquarters] 11/29/2006 03:38:39 PM

2006-11-29T13:26:00.000-08:00

Ooh.."Dancing with the Stars" aspirations? Ballroom looks like it could be really fun. I vote for that. Boxing? You want to mess up that handsome because? Anyways...peace!

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Posted by Shak to Scooby Central Headquarters at 11/29/2006 03:38:39 PM

[Scooby Central Headquarters] 11/27/2006 10:48:42 AM

2006-11-27T07:54:00.000-08:00

lol.. true enough! (those "grabs" are never random.. we just want you to think they are.)

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Posted by Mithrandir (Gandalf) to Scooby Central Headquarters at 11/27/2006 10:48:42 AM

[Scooby Central Headquarters] 11/27/2006 10:05:12 AM

2006-11-27T07:35:00.000-08:00

If it cuddles...you can't really call it a substitution for a husband now can you? If it randomly grabs your boob...then you can call it a "husband".

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Posted by Anonymous to Scooby Central Headquarters at 11/27/2006 10:05:12 AM

[Scooby Central Headquarters] 11/27/2006 08:40:38 AM

2006-11-27T05:41:00.000-08:00

It's ABOUT TIME you put that on here. I was dying to say something!

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Posted by Mithrandir (Gandalf) to Scooby Central Headquarters at 11/27/2006 08:40:38 AM

[Scooby Central Headquarters] 11/27/2006 08:31:59 AM

2006-11-27T05:32:00.000-08:00

Steele,

Any time man. I'd be glad to help if I can.

April,
LOL.. I DO talk to you about things like this... I was just up at 4 am. I would have RATHER been sleeping cuddled up next to you, but YOU were hogging the bed and I couldn't sleep anyway. The dancing thing wasn't something on my mind until I sat here and started wondering what to write about... so I just wrote about whatever I could think of. Sometime during my rant, that popped into my head, so I spit it out on paper.

You certainly ARE the one I share things with, in fact about the only one here lately because I don't see many of my "confidants" any more it seems. So, anyway, don't feel left out. You weren't. I was just awake and searching for thoughts to pen down.

And, on the other topic, if I DID take dancing lessons during the day, we'd have something to do when you got home! We could have dance class in the living room and finally have some reason to play all those songs on my iPod that I never get to play. lol.
Love you.

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Posted by Mithrandir (Gandalf) to Scooby Central Headquarters at 11/27/2006 08:31:59 AM

[Scooby Central Headquarters] 11/27/2006 06:13:11 AM

2006-11-27T03:13:00.000-08:00

I do hope that if you do try dancing that it would include me, otherwise, what's the point of learning something you can't share?

What's happened to you talking to me about things like this??? Why do you always wait until the middle of the night to share it here.... aren't I supposed to be someone you can talk to?

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Posted by aecudaisy to Scooby Central Headquarters at 11/27/2006 06:13:11 AM

[Scooby Central Headquarters] 11/27/2006 03:22:59 AM

2006-11-27T00:53:00.000-08:00

DUDE go to bed......i know the feeling ...i guess me and you need to get together i have to have some male coffee time together and the women can have some time together ...a lot of things going on right now...not personally but perfessionally need some advise on what to do .....i am suppose to be in jury duty this week starting at 1230...get up with me i am at gpd wed and thurs night.....later lee

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Posted by MacKenzie Steele to Scooby Central Headquarters at 11/27/2006 03:22:59 AM

[Scooby Central Headquarters] 11/26/2006 08:44:30 PM

2006-11-26T17:44:00.000-08:00

This was my first PPP blog that I've written, so I'm not sure what the editors will think of it. They logged in to check it out from New Dehli earlier this evening and stayed for 7.26 minutes. We'lll see what they do...

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Posted by Mithrandir (Gandalf) to Scooby Central Headquarters at 11/26/2006 08:44:30 PM

[Scooby Central Headquarters] 11/26/2006 08:01:03 PM

2006-11-26T17:42:00.000-08:00

yeah, i need to let my hair down...lol. and by summer, i'm physically be able to do it!!!

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Posted by Agent M to Scooby Central Headquarters at 11/26/2006 08:01:03 PM

[Scooby Central Headquarters] 11/26/2006 07:59:32 PM

2006-11-26T17:41:00.000-08:00

Does it have a name yet? Face it and name it, it's yours for the long haul. (and, if it does have a name, refer to it by its name and not "it", ok?

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Posted by Agent M to Scooby Central Headquarters at 11/26/2006 07:59:32 PM

[Scooby Central Headquarters] 11/26/2006 08:11:55 PM

2006-11-26T17:12:00.000-08:00

NO! I'm not officially naming "it" yet. I keep waiting for a REALLY good home for "it"... but I know how I am. It's already sleeping in my bed... ugh.

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Posted by Mithrandir (Gandalf) to Scooby Central Headquarters at 11/26/2006 08:11:55 PM

[Scooby Central Headquarters] 11/26/2006 08:07:06 PM

2006-11-26T17:08:00.000-08:00

I'm glad someone else sees it the way I do! ;)

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Posted by aecudaisy to Scooby Central Headquarters at 11/26/2006 08:07:06 PM

[Scooby Central Headquarters] 11/26/2006 02:19:20 PM

2006-11-26T11:24:00.000-08:00

I don't think you should have admitted that out loud.... ;)

Love you! LOL

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Posted by aecudaisy to Scooby Central Headquarters at 11/26/2006 02:19:20 PM

[Scooby Central Headquarters] 11/26/2006 02:21:50 PM

2006-11-26T11:22:00.000-08:00

LOL.. gee thanks darling!

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Posted by Mithrandir (Gandalf) to Scooby Central Headquarters at 11/26/2006 02:21:50 PM

[Scooby Central Headquarters] 11/25/2006 03:44:32 PM

2006-11-25T13:20:00.000-08:00

This is a test of the comment re-route feature. I've setup a test loop to see if I can have comments from this blog auto-redirected as primary posts to a secondary blog. We'll see if it works.

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Posted by Mithrandir (Gandalf) to Scooby Central Headquarters at 11/25/2006 03:44:32 PM

[Scooby Central Headquarters] 11/25/2006 03:50:54 PM

2006-11-25T12:51:00.000-08:00

Testing again. POP3 test worked. This will test the forwarder from digi@carolinaregion.com to the pop receiver at alornmage.digi@blogger.com.

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Posted by Mithrandir (Gandalf) to Scooby Central Headquarters at 11/25/2006 03:50:54 PM

Testing Alias Account.

2006-11-25T12:49:00.000-08:00

This is a test.

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Best Regards,

Tommy Jordan
Project Manager, ATI Wave, Inc.
Email: tjordan@carolinaregion.com
Web: www.atiwave.com

Office: 1-910-296-0696
Mobile (US): 1-252-258-0435
Mobile: (Libya): 011-218-092-744-8702
Fax: 1-720-293-5318

2006-10-15T21:34:00.000-07:00

It's hot.. and I'm tired, and it's only about 9 AM, but it's about 100 degrees already in the Sahara.

Posted By Gandalf

2006-10-15T21:33:00.000-07:00

Me and Shamsy in Ras Lanuf, Libya, North Africa.

Posted By Gandalf

Beach Bummin

2006-01-09T20:31:00.000-08:00

A Man's Work Is Never Done

2006-01-09T20:29:00.000-08:00

Now.. look close. Do you see who's doing all the work? I'm pretty sure she's telling me HOW to row here.. lol. No, actually we were racing a couple of friends. She thought her effort would best be spent telling me how close they were getting...

What you talkin' about willis?

2006-01-09T20:27:00.000-08:00

This is the face I've come to know and love as the "What did you just say, you goober?" expression. I'm quite sure I did nothing to deserve that pose.

Oceanside

2006-01-09T20:24:00.000-08:00

This was a great day together. We went to the beach for my mothers 50-somethingish birthday and took off that afternoon to head to the beach.

Later... the same night

2006-01-09T20:21:00.000-08:00

This is later that same night at On Cue, the bar she works at.

See.. cute!

2006-01-09T20:09:00.000-08:00

Look how cute we are! This is at a friend's 20th Birthday party at Chico's in Greenville.

The Beginning

2006-01-09T20:04:00.000-08:00

See, now I should have known what I was getting into the moment she curled up on my couch. A cat did that to me once... now 5 years later I still have the cat. Lol.. maybe it's a good sign.