THE STORY OF KRISTA AND PHANEL AT BLOCKBUSTER

How it all started?

My first year in college I decided to get a Blockbuster card, I reward myself sometimes by watching a movie or two. I was a member for almost two years until Blockbuster tried to charge me for late fee for no reason. I usually returned the rented movies to the movie return box. One day I went to check my mail and found that Blockbuster had sent me a notice about two movies that I have returned late. I never returned any movies late. I called them and told them that, they argued with me and told me that there was nothing they could do about it and that I will have to pay the amount due. I refused to pay for the late fees because I returned the movies on time. After I met my wife whom was my girlfriend at the time, she insisted for us to get a Blockbuster card. I said “no way babe, not after what I have experienced with Blockbuster”.  “Fine then, I’ll sign up for it myself and I will get you one too” she replied. You know women, they don’t listen.

My wife and I have been members for just about a year. At one point we even signed up for the monthly service where you get two movies, watch them, bring them back and get another two. We cancelled the service because the new releases were never available, not even once. By the time they are available, they are already showing them on HBO.

I introduce you to my wife, she will tell you the rest of the story:

On the night of Saturday April 23 2005 around 12PM, my husband, myself and our little 8 months old baby went to Blockbuster to rent some movies. We live less than half a mile from that Blockbuster and it is the only one closed by. First of all, they are always out of New releases, but that's something they got us used. After 25 minutes of searching through the store for a movie, we finally chose two movies. It wasn't what we had in mind, but we settled for it since they didn't have what we wanted. We then proceeded to the registers. They have two check out counters, both counters had signs on them saying "Next register please". In addition, there were no employees around. Knowing that the main register by the door is usually available and more accessible, we decided to wait there for someone to show up. Finally an employee named Brian shows up (we believe his Employee # is 33358 as shown on the receipt). Brian showed up and looked at us holding the two movies with our membership card, went passed us and jumped to the other register. My husband as a co-manager for a petroleum company and president and Founder of a web design and business consulting firm couldn’t believe it. My husband is big on customer service; he worships his customers because he knows without them there wouldn’t be a business. He couldn't believe it so he looked at Brian and asked nicely "can we get some help here?" Brian looked backed at us, ignored us and then jumped on the phone to make a call. We then proceeded to the register where he was at. Stood there, waited for him to finish his call. After he finished his call, he then took the two movies from us, laid them down on the counter, then went back to the other counter. When he came back with his mean face without saying anything to us, he scanned the movies. After my husband gave him the card, he asked whether it was credit or debit, my husband told him specifically debit. He said "debit, OK". He then grabbed a pen and asked my husband to sign. My husband asked him how come, I told you debit. He said it is the same thing, my husband told him that he wasn't. Brian then called the manager to void it. My husband told the manager that it was OK and that it was only going to make him do that because he has been so very rude to us and he doesn't pay attention.  My husband explained to the manager what had happened, the manager quickly removed the sign that was laying on the counter. My husband told the manager to talk to Brian, your customers come first, you have to be customer focus, there wouldn't be a Blockbuster to begin with if it weren't for people like us renting movies. There are other alternatives such as Netflix, Hollywood Video and several local video stores. After tonight, it makes us wonder why Blockbuster? they are always out of movies, they treat their customers like nothing. 

We then e-mail the same story you're reading to Blockbuster. They never responded.
My husband said he knows how the corporate world works, we would not accept any free movie rental or anything in money value from Blockbuster. Money or anything in cash value can't repair it. All we want is for them to take this seriously and correct the problem (treating their customers right) otherwise we will take proper actions (this website is one of them).

To make it worse, only a few days after, Blockbuster took $30 out of our account for the two movies without our authorization. 

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