Customer's EECB To Best Buy Scores Direct Hit—Rewards Glitch Is Fixed, Plus Here's $75 [Good Customer Service]

A few weeks ago, Zach emailed us to say that his Rewards Zone Mastercard hasn't worked properly in the five months he's had it, and no one at Best Buy had been able to help. We pointed him to our Guide To Fighting Back , and he responded tonight with an update.

I emailed you about 3 weeks ago regarding a problem with my Rewards Zone MasterCard. I have had it for about 5 months and hadn't been able to activate it online and see my points or get certificates for buying items from Best Buy. Well using my ninja skills I dug up all the executive emails and finally received a response after emailing the VP of customer relations. She had a Sr. Executive Resolution Specialist handle my issue. I even received a $75 gift certificate for my trouble. I'll copy the emails below for you to see.
 
Thanks Consumerist!!!
 

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Email 1: From: Arrighi, Michael Sent: Tuesday, April 08, 2008 12:37 PM Subject: FW: Rewards Zone   Dear [redacted]:   I am writing in regards to your attached email that you directed to Lisa Smith, Vice President of Enterprise Customer Care at Best Buy.   Ms. Smith has referred your correspondence to my attention to investigate and respond accordingly.   I am sorry for any disappointment that has surfaced regarding your Reward Zone experience. I will look into the issue and respond to you shortly.   Thank you, Michael Arrighi Sr. Executive Resolution Specialist Best Buy Corporate (612) 292-0155 Direct (952) 430-2556 Fax michael.arrighi@bestbuy.com

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Email 2: Best Buy Corporate Offices 7601 Penn Avenue South Richfield, MN 55423 April 8, 2008   Dear [redacted]:   I'd like to apologize on behalf of Best Buy for any difficulties you may have experienced regarding this matter, but I appreciate the time you took to voice your concerns to allow the company an opportunity to properly address them. Indeed, Best Buy values this sort of contact as it provides the corporation with important feedback to make decisions regarding its future direction.   I am sorry for any frustration that has resulted from this unusual situation, for it is not reflective of the optimal experience Best Buy strives to provide to all of its customers. Due to a glitch within the company's computer system, your Reward Zone account has been rejected.   I am working with my contact within Reward Zone to rectify this issue and will touch base with you once the account has been activated. In the meantime, as an invitation back to Best Buy for a better experience, I will send you a $75 gift card. This card will be generated from a separate location and should arrive at your residence within the next two to three weeks.   Thank you again for allowing Best Buy to respond to this issue. Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns. You can reach me through email at Michael.Arrighi@BestBuy.com or via phone at 612-292-0155.   Sincerely, Michael Arrighi Senior Executive Resolution Specialist Best Buy Corporate

From: Zach To: Smith, Lisa (VP ECC) Sent: Mon Apr 07 10:43:24 2008 Subject: Rewards Zone
 
Dear Ms. Smith
 
I have been a loyal customer of Best Buy for over 15 yrs and go out of my way to shop there for my electronics. I hope yourself or someone in your organization can assist me with my problem. Below I have given a brief synopsis of what is going on. Thank you for your time.
 
I have come into a situation with Best Buy Rewards Zone that I could use your help. I applied for and received a Best Buy Rewards MasterCard so when I purchase everyday items I would earn points toward Best Buy certificates. You are usually able to login in myrewardszone.com and enroll your card to view your points and print out certificates. It has been 3+ months and I have yet to activate my rewards zone account to view or use my points. I have called 5+ times to complain and ask why. The call center is off shore most likely India and they refer all account activation requests to America to be looked into. They cannot do anything other than field my call and tell me to wait 7-10 days. I have waited 7-10 days on several occasions and nothing has been done.
 
I have asked to speak with managers and supervisors and they just give me comp points and tell me he can do nothing and that all requests are forwarded to the "backoffice". I have been unable to find a number or person to help me with contacting Best Buy customer service that can help me. It's just become such an ordeal over what I have been told is an invalid expiration date on my Rewards Account.
 
Thank you.

Recalled Heparin Contaminant Confirmed, And Congress Grills FDA On Inspections [Health]

Researchers have identified the chemical in the contaminated blood thinner Heparin that killed 81 people in the U.S. and made patients here and in Europe sick:

The researchers freeze-dried the heparin and used a combination of nuclear magnetic resonance imaging and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to analyze its structure. In addition to a known impurity of heparin called dermatan sulfate, they found that contaminated lots contain a molecule that looks similar to heparin and showed it was almost certainly oversulfated chondroitin sulfate.

China says their tests show that only some of the Heparin that caused the problems contained the contaminants, so it therefore must be something else:

They said other contaminants, problems with the device used to inject the drug or health factors with the patients who used the drug could be to blame.

Estimates suggest more than 80 percent of all active ingredients used by U.S. drug manufacturers come from abroad. But the FDA only inspects foreign drug plants about once every 13 years, compared to every two to three years for domestic plants, according to the Government Accountability Office. The GAO finds that China's drug plants are inspected once every 30 to 40 years.
 
The FDA plans to establish permanent overseas offices in numerous countries, including China, to help address the problem. More foreign plant inspections than ever were conducted by the FDA in 2007, dedicating about $10 million to the process. But GAO analysis said it would cost the FDA $67 to $71 million each year to inspect the thousands of foreign plants on the agency's priority list.
 
Still, von Eschenbach told the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations that in heparin's case, even if the Chinese plant had been inspected years ago, "we would not have detected that contamination" because the test to detect it was just developed.

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