[dr911]

Hello All,

I just talked to a buddy from Las Vegas........he told me that he bought a PC from best Buy. I told him does it have XP on it.....yes. Cool, I informed him of TGF (Trying to get members in here gang !) . I told him NOT to take it to GS !! Call me, I use XPs remote to fix it or drive up there. I then sent him a link to this thread.

[MG other]

I work at Geek Squad City. Now I can't say what kind of agents work in the stores because i really don't know any of them. The ones that work in the city do have a good amount of knowledge when it comes to repairing computers. They do give you an extensive test before even being interviewed. If you don't pass the test then you won't get hired on as an agent. No matter what friend has recommended you. I have worked in a few different places that repaired desktop/laptops. GSC is the first place I've seen that actually keeps to its word of keeping the customer in mind. I haven't experienced anything illegal or could be construed as unethical like i have in previous jobs. Actually they have made every effort to deter the agents from doing anything that could be wrong. If you can find any company that every employee is perfect than please show me. Geek Squad from my experience has made every effort to make sure that the agents they hire know what they are doing in GSC.

[cwwozniak]

GS must be hurting for more victims, er, I mean customers. Got an E-mail from Best Buy a few days ago. To thank me for being a loyal Reward Zone customer, I was entitled to receive a "FREE Geek Squad In-Home PC Networking Consultation - $49 value." I sent a reply saying they couldn't pay me enough $ to let GS get anywhere near my computers or network hardware.

[RedHelix]

Originally Posted by MG other

I work at Geek Squad City. Now I can't say what kind of agents work in the stores because i really don't know any of them. The ones that work in the city do have a good amount of knowledge when it comes to repairing computers. They do give you an extensive test before even being interviewed. If you don't pass the test then you won't get hired on as an agent. No matter what friend has recommended you. I have worked in a few different places that repaired desktop/laptops. GSC is the first place I've seen that actually keeps to its word of keeping the customer in mind. I haven't experienced anything illegal or could be construed as unethical like i have in previous jobs. Actually they have made every effort to deter the agents from doing anything that could be wrong. If you can find any company that every employee is perfect than please show me. Geek Squad from my experience has made every effort to make sure that the agents they hire know what they are doing in GSC.

And yet, when I worked for Geek Squad, 3 out of 5 machines sent to GSC came back unrepaired or with accessories missing.

When GSC opened we actually had to hire an extra guy whose sole job was to test all the PCs that came back, and return and escalate the ones that came back unrepaired.

[new tech guy]

Originally Posted by RedHelix

And yet, when I worked for Geek Squad, 3 out of 5 machines sent to GSC came back unrepaired or with accessories missing.

When GSC opened we actually had to hire an extra guy whose sole job was to test all the PCs that came back, and return and escalate the ones that came back unrepaired.

That is exactly what happened to my laptop (lappy486 in specs)! I was very annoyed and to be honest they wanted to blame the manufacturer for the non repair! Never again will i buy a pc at bestbuy nor even let geeksquad touch my systems with a 40 foot pole.

[lexmarks567]

Originally Posted by new tech guy

That is exactly what happened to my laptop (lappy486 in specs)! I was very annoyed and to be honest they wanted to blame the manufacturer for the non repair! Never again will i buy a pc at bestbuy nor even let geeksquad touch my systems with a 40 foot pole.

hey there is a good reason to have geek squad around it keeps us employed fixing there repairs

[new tech guy]

Aka: Job Security! :d.

[markie_oliver]

a toast for John Wayne ehem Johnwill rather, hes a great guy!

[Compiler]

You know... I suspect that a peron works for GS or is a promotional type when they create accounts and talk about their co-workers as "agents"... the post seems a bit too professional. Compared to some of the others "I used to work there - they sucked" or "we weren't that bad"...

[mongo_nc]

Originally Posted by Compiler

You know... I suspect that a peron works for GS or is a promotional type when they create accounts and talk about their co-workers as "agents"... the post seems a bit too professional. Compared to some of the others "I used to work there - they sucked" or "we weren't that bad"...

I agree there. I'm sure, somewhere, there are a decent group of techs, er, umm, "agents" that work at Best Buy. The law of probability would suggest that not everyone can be a tool. However, from my experience having dealt with the aftermath, if you will, of a "Geek Squad Agent's handywork", I can tell you, at least in my area, they either don't know their arse from a hole in the ground or could care less about anything but "turn and burn".

Am I the most knowledgeable person to lay hands on a computer? No. Never claimed to be. However, I give the customer the benefit of the doubt and work on their stuff like it's my own; even better. I could care less if my hard drive is securely mounted with 4 screws in the case, or that I have a broken tab on my case's bezel, but when it comes to a customer's computer, I do care about that stuff and I make sure their computer leaves my hands as close to brand new as possible. To me, that's the only way to do it, whether it's when I'm on my boss' clock or my own clock.

Incompetence has no place in business, whether you're asking "would you like fries with that?" or whether you're building a multi-million dollar high-rise building. The common link to all of these posts seem to suggest some form of incompetence, whether it's an "I don't care" attitude or plain ineptness on the part of the "agent" to do a repair.

But, "MG other", if you are truly a top-notch tech, as are your co-workers, keep up the good work. If you're laying on the b.s., please, pass out boots to everyone else.

[JStergis]

Originally Posted by mongo_nc

However, I give the customer the benefit of the doubt and work on their stuff like it's my own; even better. I could care less if my hard drive is securely mounted with 4 screws in the case, or that I have a broken tab on my case's bezel, but when it comes to a customer's computer, I do care about that stuff and I make sure their computer leaves my hands as close to brand new as possible. To me, that's the only way to do it, whether it's when I'm on my boss' clock or my own clock.

I read this and kinda laughed because it's exactly how I do things. My machines don't have all four screws in ANY drive I don't think, because it doesn't make a bit of difference to me. Anyone's machines I work on have as many screws as the drive and mounting takes. I never clean up my machines at all, never do updates, never scan for viruses (I simply expect I don't have any)...whenever I work on someone else's machines I do all of this. I keep their freeware software up to date, but my OpenOffice is at least two years old and my winamp is at least a year old. I always kinda toss my laptop around. It's not great to do that with the hard drive spinning, but I've never caused an issue that way with it. Working on another laptop though, I use supreme care. My wiring is a nightmare. I neaten it up, tie it up, etc. but I'll need to change something so I undo all the ties and they never get redone. At a customer's house, if I'm wiring anything, I use cable ties and make it perfectly neat, because if I end up back there (which I usually do, provided they have another issue of some form) it's easier for me, not to mention it looks better in someone's home.

I know a mechanic who drives a falling-apart suburban, but he does the greatest work on others cars. He claims he just doesn't have the time to deal with his and he can deal with small ongoing problems since it's his own car.

I also know a carpenter who builds beautiful houses, but his is kind of hilarious with the shape it's in, besides that it's probably 25 years old and never finished. I'm not sure what his deal is.

[new tech guy]

See i do the best i could on another pc. I will admit, my first few jobs were nightmares and they did not go to well but i did not know what i was doing. Very recently i set up a home with networking for two pcs and a nintendo wii. I had some trouble with one machine and the other was a brand new desktop set up with av and antispy by the good ol gs. Well the lady is showing the machine which is meant as the computer for their two kids and of course, they haphazardly threw in the software, and i click on an installer for comodo firewall and of course it does not launch. also the so good trend micro plus spysweeper installed were not up to date and worse yet, failed update attempts. So they are no good. I do not check every nook and cranny of the computer because some are in such sorry shape it would take ages to clean up. I do take care of my own but then again its cause i use my house as practice as my sister/mom represent inept users to me and it gives me an idea of what im up against out in the thick. Im not the best either but i will do what is needed and what a customer wants i do take the time to make sure it is done right.

[Compiler]

Here Here! I have never claimed to be "the best" myself. When I have a question, I may ask fellow friends who are techs, as they do me... as well as I share opinions or problems here... or learn solutions from others.

I do have a clean PC (inside and out) physically - clean wiring and cooling. My case is an Antec P160. (now called Sonata) here is what she looks like: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129036. Now I don't have the most up-to date Anti Spyware (I get less infections in 6 months that most people in a day or two) much of my software is quite old - such as office2000 because it's not worth the time or money to upgrade THAT. Open Office, its free I do that one every once in a while. Office2007 is not in my future, nor is 2003 of course... but at lease M$ is actually making Office07 affordable for home use at $120 (with stupid title bar message about "non commercial" which CAN be changed). But for clients, I upgrade and update things - much of the time they don't know they are out-dated, etc. Hell, I'm still building PCs that are much faster than mine - which I drool for. Having a baby has expenses, but its fun to watch him play on his own full PC at age 3... He plays games and types in a Word Processor, etc... I think he may know more than some Geek Squad Agents.... (thinking of GET SMART now) heheh

[valis]

Originally Posted by JStergis

I read this and kinda laughed because it's exactly how I do things. My machines don't have all four screws in ANY drive I don't think, because it doesn't make a bit of difference to me. Anyone's machines I work on have as many screws as the drive and mounting takes. I never clean up my machines at all, never do updates, never scan for viruses (I simply expect I don't have any)...whenever I work on someone else's machines I do all of this. I keep their freeware software up to date, but my OpenOffice is at least two years old and my winamp is at least a year old. I always kinda toss my laptop around. It's not great to do that with the hard drive spinning, but I've never caused an issue that way with it. Working on another laptop though, I use supreme care. My wiring is a nightmare. I neaten it up, tie it up, etc. but I'll need to change something so I undo all the ties and they never get redone. At a customer's house, if I'm wiring anything, I use cable ties and make it perfectly neat, because if I end up back there (which I usually do, provided they have another issue of some form) it's easier for me, not to mention it looks better in someone's home.

I know a mechanic who drives a falling-apart suburban, but he does the greatest work on others cars. He claims he just doesn't have the time to deal with his and he can deal with small ongoing problems since it's his own car.

I also know a carpenter who builds beautiful houses, but his is kind of hilarious with the shape it's in, besides that it's probably 25 years old and never finished. I'm not sure what his deal is.

hah! took the words out of my mouth......I got a 98 box that occassionally servers as a server in my house, and I actually have duct tape holding part of the system board down, as I lost the mounting screw until I found it vacuuming.

[new tech guy]

Heh, Speaking of funky repairs, i fixed my computer's input wire for the a/c adapter by replacing the frayed one with one i bought from gamestop which goes to a ps2 for about $5.