ComplaintsforGeeks at Work Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  02/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I went to The Geeks at Work, Boone, NC on October 13th with computer/plug trouble. The fix, send it off for two weeks but need to stay in business. Geeks recommended that I purchase a computer from them & switch hard drives, said it would work great! I informed them, I was concerned, I cannot be out of business and had several bad experiences in the past with other computer people telling me not to worry about a thing and reassured me. Process took about 30 minutes & I left with both computers. Back at my office, I discovered they sent me off with a truly terrible computer that was deathly slow, battery didn’t hold a charge for 1 sec. With no backups, they were unavailable that afternoon and I could not recover my *******. The owner, Mish, gone Friday and Monday. I talked hours with ****** and *******…great companies, by the way & they could not fix what the Geeks did. Back at the Geeks Monday 10-16-2023 - I had asked the Geeks computer tech to switch everything back to how it was. About an hour later everything ended up working, main problem still not fixed. I left the terrible computer there with the plug for a refund that same day, 10-16-2023. No refund was made for anything, I called/texted the owner 15 times plus, did not return any of my calls or money. I went back in their shop, the tech guy there was very rude and raised his voice to me! Only response from The Geeks was a bill dated 12-7-2023 telling me I owed them more money. They are trying to charge me for “resolving issues with email accounts, and office – computer – Labor in store” The Geeks are 100% at fault for all these issues! Why am I paying these people to fix a problem they caused? What about my time and great frustration that I spent on this over the past few months, time with calls, travel, out of business for days? NEVER USE THIS COMPANY! **** *.

  

  Business response

  02/09/2024

  ****** is asking for a refund.  He received his refund.  Attached is a copy of the invoice reflecting the refund as a credit.

  ******** complaint is answered with a timeline of events. 

  Beginning 10/13/23
  

  1. ****** brought his Lenovo laptop to our technician for diagnosis regarding battery power issues.
  

  2. The technician suggested that ****** send the laptop to Lenovo for repairs as its service warranty was still in effect.

  3. He agreed to do that and wanted to buy an inexpensive refurbished HP laptop for $239 with our Signature Care $219.

  4. ****** insisted on an inexpensive laptop although our technicians advised him differently because he was accustomed to the faster Lenovo and required it for business. 

  5. ****** insisted that he wanted the HP laptop and especially the 90 days free service and help plan.

  6. Over the following days, ****** had difficulties with the new HP laptop, deciding not to send his Lenovo for warranty repairs.

  7. ****** brought both laptops to our technician requesting the Lenovo be set up again for his business use. 

  8. He had the technician hold the HP so he could get free service and help with his Lenovo using Signature Care.

  9. The technician agreed to work on his Lenovo to provide good customer service to a longtime customer.

  10. From that point on, our technicians helped him with his many problems with Lenovo by applying the service fees to his HP laptop’s Signature Care. 

  11. One issue we had with ****** is that he acquired our technicians’ private cell phone numbers and called them often demanding immediate assistance.

  12. Between 10/13/2023 through 12/7/2023 ****** was difficult and at times abusive with our technicians. This behavior is common when people have computer problems.  Over the 24 years of doing business, we have learned how to help them when they are not easy to work with.

  12/7/23
  

  1. On 12/7/2023, ****** came to our store looking for help with email and Microsoft Office with his Lenovo laptop.  He was extremely difficult with our technician throughout this help session.  ****** had been provided with service at no charge with the fees applied to his HP Signature Care. This new work was regarding email and Microsoft Office, not the actual laptop.  The technician was required to bill him for the service. 

  2. ****** called our store demanding a refund for the HP laptop.

  3. The 30-day return window had passed for returning the laptop, even so our manager wanted to honor his demand.  

  4. Our store manager refunded the HP laptop with a credit to ******** open invoice from earlier. 

  5. The manager was aware ****** was a customer since 11/2016 and wanted to provide him with good customer service.

  12/20/23
  

  1. ****** initiated CC dispute with AMX for $493.99, his original payment for the HP laptop and Signature Care.

  2. We answered that dispute and ****** was denied the reversal.  

  01/26/24
  

  1. When ****** learned of the CC decision he came into our store and demanded his refund. He must have been confused how the refund was processed. 

  2. The technician on duty asked ****** to return when management was present.

  3. ****** has not returned as of 2/5/2024; therefore, we sent a letter via email and USPS explaining the process that we followed regarding his refund. We hope to get this misunderstanding cleared up.

  
  

  Customer response

  02/11/2024

   I am rejecting this response because: I was defrauded!

  The least Mr. ***** could do is be respectful and call me Mr. ****** and I never received a refund. I was defrauded!
  Numbers 1,2 are correct, however # 3. “Wanted to buy an inexpensive refurbished HP laptop for $239 with our Signature Care $219.” This part is completely false! I was told the HP would work temporally with no problems and there is no way on earth I agreed or wanted to purchase anything to do with Signature Care, this was a temporary situation, and I was extremely happy as a long term client with my computer people...Nordic PC in Boone, NC. Nordic was completely honest with me and informed me up-front they were unable to help me with the power port problem on my Lenovo and did not cox me into a wrong direction.
  
  This part is completely false! # 4.”****** insisted on an inexpensive laptop although our technicians advised him differently because he was accustomed to the faster Lenovo and required it for business.” 
  This part is completely false! 5. “****** insisted that he wanted the HP laptop and especially the 90 days free service and help plan”.
  This part is completely false on its face…total lies! 6.”Over the following days, ****** had difficulties with the new HP laptop, deciding not to send his Lenovo for warr anty repairs”.
  True because they mislead me and should be responsible for making it right!  7. “****** brought both laptops to our technician requesting the Lenovo be set up again for his business use”. 
  This part is completely false on its face…total lies! What businessperson wants to be out of business and spend frivolous money? 8. “He had the technician hold the HP so he could get free service and help with his Lenovo using Signature Care”.
  The Tech was the only one who was good at first, not the owners! 9. “The technician agreed to work on his Lenovo to provide good customer service to a longtime customer”.
  I was right there the whole time…not more than 1 hour and only switching the drives and making sure that worked! 10. “From that point on, our technicians helped him with his many problems with Lenovo by applying the service fees to his HP laptop’s Signature Care”. 
  Mish gave it to me Ither at the time or in the past! 11. “One issue we had with ****** is that he acquired our technicians’ private cell phone numbers and called them often demanding immediate assistance”.
  People only get difficult when they are treated poorly from someone in the customer service industry and insulting. 12. “Between 10/13/2023 through 12/7/2023 ****** was difficult and at times abusive with our technicians. This behavior is common when people have computer problems. Over the 24 years of doing business, we have learned how to help them when they are not easy to work with”.
  12-7-2023
  This part is completely false on its face…total lies…unbelievable! I went in for a credit on my card as recommended my American Express and they have full notation on their system. 1. “On 12/7/2023, ****** came to our store looking for help with email and Microsoft Office with his Lenovo laptop.  He was extremely difficult with our technician throughout this help session.  ****** had been provided with service at no charge with the fees applied to his HP Signature Care. This new work was regarding email and Microsoft Office, not the actual laptop.  The technician was required to bill him for the service. 
  Yes 2. “****** called our store demanding a refund for the HP laptop”.
  The HP computer and plug was returned 10-16-2023. “The 30-day return window had passed for returning the laptop, even so our manager wanted to honor his demand”.  
  Fraudulent action on the part of the geeks at work! 4. “Our store manager refunded the HP laptop with a credit to ******** open invoice from earlier”. 
  I am a direct customer on Nordic PC all these years. 5. “The manager was aware ****** was a customer since 11/2016 and wanted to provide him with good customer service”.
  12/20/23
  All explained in the attached letter. 1. ”****** initiated CC dispute with AMX for $493.99, his original payment for the HP laptop and Signature Care”.
  My credit card company informed me that the Geeks at Work had acknowledged they received the computer back and would make a $293.00 refund. The geeks loaded my bill with fraudulent charges!
  2. “We answered that dispute and ****** was denied the reversal”.  
  01/26/24
  Refer my last answer. 1. “When ****** learned of the CC decision he came into our store and demanded his refund. He must have been confused how the refund was processed”. 
  Did not hear this…he must have said it to himself after I left. 2. “The technician on duty asked ****** to return when management was present.
  Did not know I was supposed return and for what if their intension was to defraud me the whole time. 3. “****** has not returned as of 2/5/2024; therefore, we sent a letter via email and USPS explaining the process that we followed regarding his refund. We hope to get this misunderstanding cleared up”.
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ******
  
  
  

  
  

  

  Business response

  02/13/2024

  Our response to ******** rejection is that we cannot respond to this irrational and convoluted reply.  Therefore, in the interest of goodwill and to bring closure to this matter with BBB, we will honor ******** request for a refund in the amount of $493.99.

  It is important for us to make this fact clear, there was no fraud carried out by owners or employees of the Geeks at Work and Computers Tamers with ******.  Our intentions from the beginning of our association with him were to provide good quality help and service to meet ******** needs. 

  ******** many claims of “fraud” or “fraudulent” regarding our reply to the BBB are not correct whatsoever.  ******** declarations of fraud rather than facts in his response is a fundamental impediment to any true discussion or negotiation for a mutual resolution.

  We are not able to issue a refund to ****** at this time.  ****** paid $493.99 to us, using his American Express Card, on October 13, 2023.  December 20, 2023, ****** attempted to reverse that payment of $493.99 with American Express and $493.99 was deducted from our account.  We provided the information that our merchant services provider required, and American Express denied ****** his reversal and the $493.99 was redeposited into our account.  American Express determined that the transaction was valid and true.  If the BBB wants copies of our documentation regarding American Express, we will gladly provide it.

  ****** visited our store on January 26, 2024, and demanded a refund from our on-duty technician who instructed ****** to return and speak with a manager. He never returned or called to speak with a manager.  On February 1, 2024, ****** initiated a second reversal of the payment of $493.99 in the form of an inquiry to American Express.  We have just responded to that inquiry, and we do not know whether American Express will decide once again in our favor or in the favor of their cardmember.

  Bringing me to the refund that we want ****** to have.

  If American Express removes the $493.99 from our account again, we will let that stand and ****** will receive a credit to his American Express card of his original payment for the laptop and service labor warranty.  If American Express determines once again the payment was valid and true, we will send ****** a certified check in the amount of $493.99 to the address we have on file.

  We will inform BBB of how and when this refund to ****** has been carried out once we hear back from our merchant services provider.

  We provided this information since we will not hear back from our  merchant services provider until next week at the earliest and our deadline to reply to the BBB is earlier.

  We appreciate the BBB’s interest and efforts in working with ****** and us to find a mutual resolution, recognizing that such work of the BBB is why we are a member.

  Customer response

  02/13/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and I accept it on a conditional basis. 

  Response 2-13-2024
  I do not like the tone they are presenting here…I have not been irrational or convoluted, the facts are spelled out and I do not agree with how they represented themselves…if anything they have been irrational or convoluted.
  They should have just left it at “in the interest of goodwill” instead of insulting me and my company!
  I attempted to negotiation for a mutual resolution and The geeks at work shut the door on that and brought us where we are. Again, the rest of this current response is argumentative and looks like back peddling to me! It was all presented and answered, do we want to keep going? I’m willing to let it go at this point…do you really want to let it go guys?
  In the spirt of goodwill I will drop it after they contact American Express and inform them to make the full refund. So, to make this clear my acceptance is conditional.
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ******

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