Blockbuster Customer Service
I had a positive experience at the DVD rental store Blockbuster yesterday. I’m not a frequent movie goer and not a frequent movie renter, but I had some time over the weekend and it was expected to rain yesterday (it did), so I decided I would rent a couple of movies.
The problem was I had no idea what happened to my membership card and the last time I rented a movie at this particular store was probably a year ago. I walked into the store half expecting I would have to drive down to that other store (where I used to live). I found someone to help me – an assistant manager named Wayne and he was willing to offer assistance.
The first thing he did was to look my account up with my driver’s license number and date of birth, which produced no result. We tried my name, but because I hadn’t rented at that store in 90 days, there were no results. He asked me what store I usually rented from and I told him where it was. He looked it up on the computer and gave them a call. They were able to search based on my name and address and give him the national membership number for me. He was then able to find it in his computer system and print me out a new card.
Needless to say, Wayne went through a lot of trouble to make it so I could rent my $10 worth of movies. However, that’s what made the customer service experience positive and it’s why I will go back there. Wayne’s customer service delivery was great – he was able to help me and still pretty seamlessly help other customers in the store. He was polite and knew some of the regular customers by their first names.
However, there are some things we can learn from this experience:
- National systems. National systems, searchable by many fields, are extremely useful. Blockbuster’s policy of keeping customer data at a particular store for only 90 days seems a bit antiquated in the times of national systems and databases for large companies (it could be a privacy issue). I’m not sure how often a customer with my particular issue walks in, but if it is at all frequently, Blockbuster might want to consider overhauling their systems. (Wayne told me that franchise stores, as opposed to company owned stores, don’t use the national system.)
- Privacy concerns. Giving out your date of birth and driver’s license number to someone you don’t know could cause some privacy concerns to arise. The company might want to base their national system off of something less sensitive (like a phone number first) and keep the driver’s license number as a backup.
I think it is interesting that the biggest problems of the experience are related to Blockbuster’s databases. I think that could say something about the IT setup of the company and how that relates to customer service.
What are your thoughts about this experience? What about your previous experiences with Blockbuster?
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dana demore said:
Mar 13, 08 at 7:49 amI have been a regular customer…today your system would not take my password..I tried to use the forgot password system…even though I did not forget it..could someone check this out for me..right now I have Four Brothers at home….thanks…Dana DeMore
Beverly Burroughs said:
Apr 21, 08 at 11:14 amI have been a regular customer for sometime now and was very happy , but now I am cancelling as my account has been on hold for a month. The bank says it is not due to them . You cant seem to get this resolved so I am now cancelling. Thank you Beverly Burroughs -phdmom63@msn.com
Patricia A. McClintock said:
May 26, 08 at 3:41 pmThis weekend I rented several movies from Blockbuster and today upon returning 3 dvd s there were two where one was completely un playable and the other interupted for three minutes in the beginning and seven minutes at the end at a crucial part of the movie. The manager said that this time he would give me store credit but ordinarily the just replace them with the same movie that will hopefully play correct. What about the weekend is gone and I do not now have the time because it’s gone and a work week is to start? What about where I was inconveinced? I feel that not only should credit be given but a free rental for each bad dvd rented. Perhaps staff should be trained to examine the dvd and have an automatic cleaning policy. Furthermore the staff does not seem to be able and multi task when it comes to checking a customer out and answering a phone. They are always so slow and under staffed.
Jay Smith said:
Jun 24, 08 at 7:52 pmThis is my THIRD time attempt to get a response from somebody in your organization. In January you charged me $21 + change for EACH of two DVDs I had in my possession.
They were returned to you finally, but I got no refund for the DVDs, which would have been $42 + change.
Can somebody please contact me to explain why I did not get a refund?
Jay Smith
smj795@aol.com
Wilda Webster said:
Sep 03, 08 at 12:31 pmI could not find a telephone number and could not access the website (for some crazy reason) so I want to just cancel my service as I can no longer afford the cable, and therefore, internet service.
atabex perez said:
Dec 06, 08 at 1:48 pmBlockbuster
My name is Atabex Perez act # ———. On November 29 at 9:30 pm I visit the blockbuster on Ave. Campo Rico in Carolina P.R. & I had an extremely BAD experience with one of your manager. I return 4 movies but one movie (DVD) was not working. I visit the counter of CS to explain the issue and the Miss. Vilmary (Manager) toll me another movie was available and to go and get it. I went to area I did not find the movie. I went back to her and with a bad attitude toll me to go and look on the movies return, instead to help me. I went and did not find it ether; she lock comp. and with attitude went to see if she can find the movie. She came back to me saying see sir that was there I beehive quelled and did not comment on her stupid comment. When doing the check out of the credit she ask for second time & with attitude the act # & toll her to lower the voice & to come down that she was working wit public and that if she did not like to work with public then she should get another work. I ask her to see the movie (DVD) & it was more scratch than the other I return and I toll her do you believe is better than the one I just return. She said hey sir go get any other movie then. I took a new release & she maid me do the line 2 times. When I am doing the ck out she started to argue again because it was a release but she never specified the movie I had to choose. I toll her that I want the one I had on hands and that was going to report at blockbuster the poor customer services skills she had and she toll me hey sir I am the manager. I toll her you are the manager but not the owner & not the company and you don’t have any professionalism and don’t have any customer service skills. I tried to have her full name and they did not what to give the full name. I believe you have the access to the name, they toll me her name was Vilmary, Luis and the guard names was Jose, please take disciplinary action on this. Don’t let one employee fail on your customer service. You can call me at my for more details cell # (787)590 3825.
Note:
Don’t ignore this… pass it to the director of Customer Service.
Melanie Ortiz said:
Feb 16, 09 at 2:23 pmI tried getting a hold of blockbuster to cancel and i got no response. I send them an email and asked if they could please cancel me and i was an idiot to think they would actually read my email and comply…. Anyway they have been charging me for several so i finally after being on hold for ever!!! my husband talk to someone and they said they would cancel blockbuster for us but guess what the following month we were charged again!!!! I am going to have to talk to my bank and try to figure out a way to stop them from taking MY MONEY!!!. Never again will i have anything to do with blockbuster again!
Bassam lakish said:
Nov 13, 09 at 1:01 amJust got finished reading about Blockbuster having a horrible day on Wall Street. Here’s my two cents!! Instead of Blaming Net Flix and Red Boxes, How about you lower your outrageous Fees! Ex: $4.99 new release and $3.99 for Old movies and stop being so Greedy, Maybe you would attract the customers you lost to these companies that’s eating into your profits!! Also have better trained employees to handle paying customers instead of chasing them out of the stores. I have had a membership for well over 12 years and have watched your fees grow like the US deficit! Get a clue and go back to the drawing board with all those high paid morons that run the company and start thinking ( Customers Customers Customers) Also think about the economy right now!! You rocket scientist could be making a killing if you would just lower your fees @ the stores. THINK ABOUT IT!!! Not always your pocket book. Trust me Lower fees, Better store associates equals better store traffic and regaining lost revenues!! HELLO OUT THERE IN BLOCKBUSTER HEAD QUARTERS!!