As of today, this business has 2.5 stars which is about right. The sad thing is that, when I came here early on a weekend afternoon this place was consistently busy so they're potentially sitting on a really solid business, but due to the incompetence of the 2 staff working that day, all 4 of the customers that were here along with me had less than great experiences and lots of frustration.
First, customers arrived and were waiting for several minutes to be helped, while both the guys working here stood behind the partition wall to the side where the cell phone and electronics repairs are done. There was no one manning the checkout or on the floor helping people. Finally after waiting for a while, one customer peered his head around and asked if one of them can come out and actually start helping customers. The employees seemed somewhat taken aback and speechless at first, but finally emerged to start assisting people.
One guy had a motorcycle battery that had failed. It was the 3rd he'd purchased here and he wanted a replacement, but something better than what they'd been selling him. Also, since the battery he bought was only 9 months old and it was warranted for a year, he wanted a warranty replacement or a pro-rated discount. Staff had little knowledge of the product, the customer knew more about the battery and which component most likely failed than they did, and though they hooked up a meter to show him the amp and voltage output of the battery they were selling him, it was obvious they didn't fully understand what they were doing and they fumbled often. In the end they told him they'd sell him another new battery (same brand and model as had already failed on him twice), but he'd need to return to talk to the manager or owner at some other time about the warranty for the dead one.
I came here to pick up a few hundred $$ of batteries I'd ordered via this company's website. I also needed a charger that would charge 2 of the batteries I bought in series, and needed some dielectric grease. Only 1 employee knew where the batteries I'd purchased were located, the other was completely lost. There were no boxes to hold the batteries and charger I bought so I could carry them to my vehicle, one employee had no idea if the charger I bought would work for my purposes and when he asked the other employee, he said "Oh yeah, that should work" without even looking up from his computer, so I don't believe he even saw the product in question. One employee had no idea about the grease, the other guy said they had some greases but didn't know if any were dielectric. When I asked where in the store those were located so I could have a look, he didn't answer. Luckily the customer who was frustratingly dealing with his motorcycle battery told me there's an auto parts store down the street that carried what I needed. That customer was more helpful to me than the employees. It should also be noted that when they scanned the charger I was buying, they tried to charge me $10 more than was clearly marked on 2 shelf tags. I had them charge me correctly, per the shelf tag. I also found out later that the charger has a rebate, but I wasn't told this in the store, I only found out when I got home and looked up information on my own to see if it would actually work for my needs since neither employee here seemed to know.
3rd customer was looking for a specific bulb and stood there for a while to be waited on, only to receive a quick answer in passing from one of the employees before he finally gave up, stated he could get what he needed much cheaper at another store a few blocks away and walked out. Lost sale due to staff incompetence.
4th customer wanted a screen protector for his iPhone. Though he was the 4th customer to arrive, the employee looked at his phone first and quoted him the price of of the protector, before being reminded by another frustrated customer that there were 3 others in line and waiting ahead of him.
Again, this place has a lot of potential, and obviously people are coming here and patronizing the place and want to buy stuff - but if this is the best support and help the employees can offer, this Batteries Plus Bulbs store may not be around very long and if they are, it'll be in spite of themselves. read more
