Adam says: Blockbuster and I are so not together anymore.

So tonight I had this completely unnerving experience at the Westoverhills Blockbuster... needless to say I am no longer a Blockbuster customer, to let you fully understand the situation I figure I should post the complaint email I sent to Blockbuster corporate... and yes I know I may sound a little irrational, but seriously I was ticked... on with the show.

I am a FORMER Blockbuster online customer who really enjoyed the first few months of service I received. The mail service was quick and the in store exchanges were a big plus over Netflix. However, two months ago I was told by the folks at my local Blockbuster (Westoverhills Blockbuster in Richmond VA) that I was limited to three exchanges per month. It seemed that they could not confirm if this was three movies or three trips to exchange (with the possibility of exchanging six movies since I was on the two movie plan.) This was unsettling but I figured it was just one of those things that big companies do to try and make more money for their executives at the expense of the consumer. All of this probably would not have caused me to cancel my subscription, but tonight I ran into the straw that broke the camels back. While going to the Westoverhills Blockbuster in Richmond VA on Forest Hill Ave I ran into Larry. I don't know what Larry's position is at this particular Blockbuster but I do know that Larry is a total jerk with a real attitude. When I stepped up to the counter to exchange my movie for another movie (Rescue Dawn starring Christian Bale) I was being attended to by a nice lady whom I have had the pleasure of dealing with several times at this Blockbuster, until... Larry screamed at her from across the store to come to another counter and "do this." When the woman who was waiting on me turned to emphasize the fact that she was waiting on a customer at that moment Larry yelled back that she needed to come there now and he would wait on me; I should add that at no point was Larry polite in this conversation, rather he seemed to make it a point to be as curt and generally mean as possible. Thought taken aback by this exchange I was not daunted in my mission to exchange my movie. Larry started our exchange in a semi courteous manner; asking how I was doing as he scanned my card. Then he asked me "Did you return something?" To which I said yes. He then went huffing over to the return box to retrieve the two movies I had dropped in as I entered the store, and on returning he gave me a metaphorical finger wag as he told me that I MUST bring the movies to the counter if they are late. The fact that I did not know this was inconsequential to Larry... he was more interested in saving a ten foot trip from the computer to the drop box and back. I may have been able to brush aside this slight but things continued to get worse. Larry then began to quiz me about my name address and phone number; something that had never happened in the year I had visited this store. I assume he wanted to make sure the person giving him a nine year old Blockbuster card was the person who was on the account that card represented, but I would have no clue, all I know is his skills as an interrogator are rather crude. At this point he began scanning the video I was exchanging, and then he stopped abruptly to tell me that I did not have a credit card on my account to secure it. I have no idea what that means. The online service debts my debt card every month and I have never had a problem before this renting movies at any Blockbuster, but for some reason I need to have a credit card to secure my account tonight. When I asked Larry to clarify his declaration that MY problem was that I did not have credit card on my account, all he could tell me was that I need a credit card to secure my account while he shook his head. This was all I could take. I do not know who Larry is (all his name badge said was "Larry") but I do know that Larry has cost Blockbuster my business. I need not remind you that I am the one paying you for a service, and I don't need to put up with such abuse. At this point I told Larry to check in my video and forget the exchange, because it seemed way to complicated for Larry to accomplish that part of my original task. Larry gave me a sarcastic "OKAY" in response and then as I left I told him I would be switching to Netflix and all Larry could say was "Whatever."
This has to be one of the worst customer service experiences I have ever had. If Larry would have dropped the attitude to explain the issue with my account I may have been willing to resolve it, but instead he berated me in front of the other customers in the store. Now he may have been right. Blockbuster may have some policy about securing accounts with credit cards, and if it does I think that is completely lame, but thats not the point, I am not upset about the policy I am upset about the way Larry treated me when all I wanted to do was use the service I pay for every month. I sincerely hope that this villain will be dealt with appropriately by Blockbuster management. I would give you Larry's last name and title, but that was not printed on his name tag so all I can tell you is that Larry is the short, goofy looking, pudgy, balding white man, with a mustache and feminine voice that works at the Westoverhills Blockbuster on Foresthill Ave in Richmond Virginia. Thank you for addressing this issue, and I am sorry that I cannot continue my relationship with your company.

I think it gets the point across...