This is a shout back to Mr.. dsm and easy MFC Both of you have no concept on selling funny, some of the replies I read were a joke, replying to Mr. dsm about going to the sales person if a problem arises and talk,and not to or with the dsm. Well I did that, one day I politely approach brad a MHT sales person and said brad remember that customer ----- you sold the sharp lcd etc. I did there install yesterday and she wasn't happy and she yelled at me because she said you told her that we could fish wires from the tv to the entertainment rack but it was a brick wall, where then I said brad, we need to work together so I don't get screamed at by customers his response to me was I'll say whatever I want to customers then I said brad I'm not telling you what to say just not to throw me under the bus and work together, then he said to me "so you don't want to listen to me I'll fix your ass",where I replied in a sutal way "OK brad you go fix my ass" then a few minutes later I have the store manager coming to me saying can I see you in the office, brad and another assoc. Said you are back there complaining saying bestbuy can suck my dick (which I never said)so after all that I was fired this is what happens when you go to employees directly. (NOT PROFESSIONAL) Just so all of you know I've won several awards for upsetting again no one listened to the key phase about asking lifestyle ?.plus working together not solo stress TEAM. You can't be a sales person and assume you know what that person needs in there home where they don't live without asking ? That's were your experience lacks from mine.The correct way to handle a professional install would be have the customer look at the Tv speakers receiver Etc setup some type of install that the customer wants then telling the customer that they have a complex system and we would like one of our installers to survey the location where we would be installing your new equip.so if there is anything else you my need or if we need to special order something that we don't stock we can have everything the day of your install Now they pay the site survey fee that they get back once they install the product now when I'm in there I see what that sales person doesn't so when I enter I can offer more products to enhance there system mx universal remotes etc. Also every room is different from the next, one system isn't good for every person like selling a plasma over a LCD the plasma is 1000 more than the LCD we get there to install and the room is full of sunlight where the LCD would be the better choice when you follow these steps you will be singled out as not just your average a/v company but as a professional company

And I would also add, it's a good fit because bestbuy's sales people are also incompetent when it comes to home theater equipment and installation.

In the home theater business, you definetly don't have to upsell or ripoff customers by selling them products you don't need. There's great profit margins there for honest and yes 'friendly' home theater companies.

If you're bestbuy or firedog you want to rip people off the first time, because there won't be any repeat business or referrals. Anyone who does a little bit of research will know not to go through BB for Home Theater. That's not BB's client base. Their client base is the incompetent.

Business is business. Sales people always stat with the most expensive product a customer will buy, and work down. That doesn't mean its dishonest. Every company is in business to make money -- not get by and make friends, MAKE MONEY. And as installers, if you were second guessing high margin sales because of you couldn't sleep at night, than you should have the good sense to get out of retail. Or your managers should have had the good sense to fire you. I know mine would have. Go work for a non profit or something, because this ain't for you.

Bought Tivo and wanted it installed and set up properly into my current system. Paid $99 for the Tivo, $189 for the remote. Paid $475 for remote programming and proper component set up. When they arrived, they did all the work and then realized the Tivo did not work for the system. I said OK, just please put everything back the way it was and I will return the Tivo and the remote. I am currently fighting them over certain charges. This is exactly what I wanted to avoid which I is why I was willing to pay so much to have it done. Doesn't seem very fair at this point.

NOW THEY REVIEW COMMENTS SO YOU CAN'T POST THE TRUTH ABOUT BEST BUY. NEITHER OF MY COMMENTS WILL BE POSTED. YOU ONLY WANT THE ONES THAT MAKE BB LOOK GOOD. HOW LAME!

You know, bitterness often stems from the fact that these installers can't afford the product being sold to some of these clients. It's understandable, on a BB wage. But what you have to understand is that, as an installer, you--

A: Never second-guess the salesperson, unless you're upselling;

B: Never go past the salesman to the manager if there's a problem. You report to the salesman; without him, there's no need for you,

C: Don't think with your wallet. Your purchasing sensibilities and, quite frankly, opinions, shold be left at the door. When you own your own company you can espouse your opinions to the client. You don't realize this, but you are second-guessing them, too.

Buyer "BEWARE" I worked at Magnolia Home Theater for two year as a lead installer, and what storys I can tell you. The Sales staff will sell or try to sell you the most expensive Tv, speakers etc. and equipment you don't even need or the wrong thing just to sell it. Example I went to a customers home to install a tv with suround sound with inwall wiring, now to start no consult was setup by the sales person to see what was in for us, Magnolia Home Theater just sold this person what ever to make a sale, like a 25ft HDMI (high definition media interface) Cable when all she needed was 6ft also told the customer that we could fish the cable through a solid brick wall Ha Ha. Everyday I heard these same Phrases, Why did'nt he tell me that before he sold it to me,why did'nt he sell that to me in the store (talking about universial remotes for your system) because when you buy all this equipment you are left with a hand full of remote controls to operate your system, instead of one remote that would control it all. Once again beware I don't see things changing in the future for Magnolia Home Theater, their key moto is OVER PROMISE and UNDER DELIVER on the sales end, where your horible shopping experience starts.

Hello I'm a Magnolia/Bestbuy 'Lead' Installer ( And I say that term lightly) let me explain. I'm a professional installer with over 10+yrs experiance with installing Home audio and Satelite systems. I was hired as a Lead Installer (And once again I say that term lightly) by Bestbuy when they started rolling out their new segment called Magnolia Home Theater a few years ago.

I went to all of their special off-site training and get togethers telling us how great of a company this was. Well that may be the philosophy for the MHT audio/video stand alone stores on the West coast not for the Bestbuy MHT stores. Beware of their practices . This is how Best Buy treats there Lead Installers. The word lead to them means nothing & they don't want to hear my professional opinion at all. I thought the word lead meant leadership.

If a policeman can't enforce governmental policies, then how is a lead installer suppose to lead? The dictionary defines a "lead" as: to direct the operations, activity, or performance of. I'm not able to give any direction only able to get talked down to. My opinions don't matter. Sales pro's (as they are called at MHT) walk all over the installers like we aren't equal.

I was told by sales pro's in a harsh way that "you install what we sell, you hear me.?." Well that's understandable to some extent, but if I'm in the customer''s home and the sale's pro sells something that isn't the appropiate product for that customers needs I will recommend the correct product. I never base my product offerings on what I like, I determine this by asking the home owner lifestyle questions (that the sales pro's don't ask). They are only concerned about sales numbers... they live by that term "used car salesman." I'll explain.

Say I went to a home to install a Plasma tv on-wall with in-wall wiring and the sales person sold the customer an articulating arm plasma mount which cost $500.00, a $1000 power conditioner for their equipment. Now previously I had performed the consultation for this job, putting in my notes regarding my recommendations and specified the customer's wall structure, the lifestyle answers to the questions I asked, etc.

This particular wall structure is horse-hair wall plaster. The sales pro has this information in my notes, but will sell him a $500 articulating arm anyway that if mounted will eventually put a crack down the customer's wall due to the weight of the tv. I recommended an on-wall flat tilt mount ($250); which is the best solution in this circumstance.

Also, the $500 power conditioner would have been sufficient for the equipment the customer had. I would understand them selling the $1000 conditioner if down the line the customer planned on adding more componets, like a home surround system, etc. In this case, it wasn't the case after I asked the 'famous' lifesytle questions.

It was told to me that he didn't want to upgrade to any surround and that he just wanted to use the tv speakers. They will always want to sell the higher priced item because they only care about their sales numbers, not the customer. I've mentioned this situation above in many meetings, and they still sell the customer the incorrect product.

Then when it comes to customer returns due to inadequate product offerings from a sales pro, the sales rep interrogates the installers that were at the customer's house to find out why they are returning something they previously sold. This reason is on the paperwork from the job but that isn't good enough. They have to mow you down looking for some "other" answer other than the obvious (the item not being the appropriate choice). Again, leading back to knowing how to ask lifestyle quetsions.

They can't seem to accept the fact that a customer may only need 2 things and not 4, or 2 reasonably priced items vs 4 high priced items. As a Lead Installer, I don't mind giving sales a more detailed answer on the return, but it's the derrogatory way they always ask the question.

In the BB MHT stores, I haven't experienced what what they talk about in all the phamplets called teamwork nor good management practices. Everyone is trying to be a boss and not team players. Once BB MHT stores figure out this philosophy about teamwork instead of having cliques in their stores (meaning if you don't go out drinking or hanging out with the other you are the blacksheep of the crew - and they call that professionalism?? I call that childish and the management lets it happen because they don't want to be bothered.

When they come to the reality of respecting everyone except themselves. The store was having a lot of issues with sales reps not getting all of the necessary paperwork together for jobs nor following up on their sales. Then the day of the install, the equipment isn't available for us to install. Now here is where there is no leadership.

I spoke with my manager and tried to give a few suggestions to resolve this ongoing problem, stating maybe the answer needs to be writing up people who aren't doing their job correctly. He came back in rebuttal and said no, that's not the way, how would you like to get written up? I replied I'm not telling you to write up an associate ASAP on the spot, but to talk to them a few times and if it keeps on persisting, that is when you write the associate up.

This includes me too. I would expect that if I'm not working like I should that I get told that. I'm not looking for special treatment, just fair treatment for everyone. But once again, another suggestion fell on deaf ears.

Hi Jeff,

Keep in mind my comments were about an experience I had years ago, I’m sure the payrates have improved since our early dealings with BB’s custom installation dept.