Comments on: Get Me The Geeks!

How Tricky Technology Is Giving Rise To The Geeks

[garrein]

Continued from above%u2026.


In addition to this, product warranties (at least those included with the price) are, most often, designed to cover workmanship - not how-to's. It is possible to project (fairly accurately) the number of failures that will occur within an industry standard warranty (where physical components are concerned). Furthermore, manufacturers take steps to reduce these number of failures - in order to limit the costs associated with product replacements, etc that are passed on to the users of their product. This helps them to keep products competitively priced. Unfortunately, by limiting a warranty's coverage to workmanship, consumers are often directed to the product's instruction manual for setup/usage directions. This is also why a Windows operating system is not fully supported by most PC Manufacturers - the image provided on the machine (originally) works in most cases, so re-installing becomes the solution offered. In essence, the software worked before the end-user made changes to the environment - eliminating errors in its workmanship - not to mention Windows is developed by Microsoft, it is 3rd party to the physical/hardware components.

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[garrein]

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The business of determining warranty coverage and product pricing means that some support cannot be provided for free - it comes out of either a vendor's pocket or our own (usually the latter - after all, these are businesses we're talking about). I wouldn't expect them to pay for my college education out of their operating expenses either, nor should you. Many are spending large amounts on technical training for their employees, as is.

Now that I've touched on why products aren't user-friendly and support/services are often fee-based, I'll come back to simple economics: supply vs demand. Manufacturers cannot force you to buy their products - you must choose to do so. The trick is to make an informed decision. If you can do all of the things that you need to do on your PC and still communicate with those you need to (business partners, friends, etc) - why upgrade? If you can make do by creating your own grocery lists, why buy a refridgerator that does it for you? If you're happy with the lower quality image presented by your VCR and CRT television, and the tapes are still available - why upgrade to DVD? (Admittedly, for this last point - you're in the minority and the lack of production on such items - due to demand on updated technology - will likely force you to upgrade).

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[garrein]

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Is this truly the manufacturers' fault, or is it our society in general? We, as a whole, are the ones demanding quality products with increased capability, support for them, education regarding them, as well as competitive pricing. This drives supply and causes manufacturers the need to rethink exactly what will be covered not only free-of-charge, but what will be "required" support given the reduced market-time on products that already have successors in development. If we as consumers are going to buy these revolutionary products, perhaps we need to consider that we might not be able to just plug in the toaster and have it work as we intend it to.

If the "geeks" are there to help - let them. As always, some in the field will be more capable than others.

[guy92804]

I recently had a very bad experience with the Geek Squad. They promised that it would be done by a certain day. It was days later that they finally repaired it and only after I called them repeatedly to do it. They charged me over $1000 and did not fix the problem nor do the work I asked them. They were rude and kept blaming each other. When I finally got the computer back it did not work and the programs I had asked them to install did not work. I reported all this to company and there was no follow up. It seems that when companies become successful, the customer is no longer important.

[Justadakaje]

Some of you are completely missing the point here. First, I'm not going to take the time to rebut Geek Squad's pricing policy, or take the time to convince you that our service is so much better because of all the different options we have available. What I am going to attempt to do, in this last post, is provide the much needed insight that you might be missing. In this world, technological advancement is forefront. My grandmother tells me all the time of how things were so much better in her day and they got along fine without it. That may be the case, but it may not work today. There's just so much more technology all around you. The average Joe wants the developers to make technology fit their comfort zone. Do you really believe we'd BE where we are today if we just focused on making everything "easy to use" and sorry to say this, but "dumbed down"? I don't. How are you going to develop new technology when you're simply keeping a boundary on creativity? Now, ever time, these techy gadgets will become easier to use once they have been mastered, but as someone said before, let's not blame the Mfg or Developers. Let's make people smarter to use the product, not making the product dumber so the people can use it. (this post has nothing to do with Geek Squad's opinion)

[Justadakaje]

derekcurie - "The same goes with the very simple iPod. No geek required." You apparently do not work in a retail store that sells iPods. You would be VERY surprised at the number of customers the come to our counter every day with this "simple" piece of technology. The average person with some deductive reasoning or knowledge of Google could find their answers online, and I'm not saying that every one of our iPod customers are bringing them in because they don't know how to use it, I'm just providing some insight...

[hkchow]

Why do we need a computer in the refrigerators? Why do we have so many features that we don%u2019t need in the appliance that we use? It%u2019s simply because of money and greed. Products with more features make more money. First to the market gets the business but most of time they are not necessary or not working very well. Manufacturers advertise for these gimmicks and people bought into that. Then they have to call the geeks for help. But lots of time even the geeks don%u2019t deliver what they advertised thank to the complication or incompletion of the technology.
Technology is good but most time technologies are delivered immaturely because of greedy businessman. They make huge amount of money doing that.
Simple is be best. Simple things need no geeks. We should use our brain on more interesting subjects then trying to figure out some stupid computer bugs.

I have been in the computer/aerospace industry for over 40 years and I have known a few geeks. They wouldn't even have gotten through the front door of The Geek Squad as they were all very non-conformist in dress and really did not like to deal with people that they considered to be on a lower intellectual level than themselves. I think the Geek Squad performs a necessary service but they certainly are not Geeks.

[jc94107]

Technology is really rushing at a faster rate than your average person can handle. Does that mean we stop? Of course not. Our education system has to speed up. There is no such thing as geeks. It's another attempt to make groups, and that's a dangerous thing because it gets treated as something separate from the norm. The Maytag Man was a geek, because he could fix washers and dryers. The train operator was a geek because he could run trains. Anytime in history, when you have a piece of technology, it's obvious that at some initial point we'll need servicemen and it won't stop anytime soon. This is not new, so I would just ask 60 minutes to describe it for what it is-complex machines needing complex operations. Some people get it and some don't. I love working with wood lathes and routers for my woodworking hobby, but the certainly the average joe cannot. So it makes me a specialist. So are people who work with other machines (computers, perhaps?). So this geek thing is not new, it's just another specialization. Let's educate our society to be able to keep up with technology. I think the new generation are all geeks and baby boomers will just have to keep calling the new Maytag man.

[sharncedar]

"If products and services were usable by real people, the geeks wouldn't be needed."

how silly. We create your world, we keep everything you do working and alive. you are nothing, geeks are everything. without us, the civilization cannot function or grow, we are the brains and the masters of the civilization. tough, isn't it?

it seem you are engaging in the typical wishful thinking of evolution's losers.

[jisreal]

Expanding on derekcurrie's comment, 60 Minutes missed the point in this segment, even after Donald Norman gave it away: If products and services were usable by real people, the geeks wouldn't be needed. Technical support is just a band-aid; the underlying problem is usability.

And to respond to johnnyxbar, the more usability a product or service is, the less important user documentation becomes. In order of importance in this arena are: 1) usability; 2) user documentation; 3) techical support.

[zunipus]

Here is the 1500 character smashed version of a letter I sent 60 Minutes:

After your lengthy demonstration of the complexity of contemporary technology, you left out a critical conclusion. This market demands simplicity. Recall the ancient adage: Keep it simple stupid! (KISS).

There are companies that listen to this call of the future and actually help push and pull the technology market toward simplicity. Do you realize what a contrast it would have been to show the Apple remote side by side with any average remote? I expect David Pogue showed this 6 button remote to Mr. Kroft. It provides all the functionality you will ever require. The same goes with the very simple iPod. No geek required.

My proposal: Present a Part 2 of your 'Get Me The Geeks!' theme and show people that there is indeed hope. Let people know that as customers in the marketplace they have the opportunity if not the obligation to demand simplicity. When companies have responded to this demand the financial results have often been very lucrative. Simplicity also decreases the demand for Geeks. 60 Minutes viewers would like to know that they actually need not always be at the mercy of the geeks. I am one of those geeks who'd like this secret to be known far and wide. I can always find another job. I belIeve it is more important to give the world the gift of an easy to use future.

[johnnyxbar]

Robert Stephens said "It takes time to read the manuals. I'm gonna save you that time cause I stay home on Saturday nights and read them for you."
Yet 60 Minutes failed to mention the most important people to even the Geeks, and they are Technical Writers.
We are the people that write the manuals that, yes even the Geeks, use.
We are responsible for taking the raw data from Engineers and converting it into something useable.
Maybe 60 minutes needs a segment on Technical Writers.

[tagy1]

As the owner of a computer repair and sales shop that has to compete against the "Geek Squad"
in order to feed my children, I was pretty rattled to hear this little piece on this HUGE
farce of a repair service.
I have had customers come to me after Geek Squad "helped them"
Just because its a big name with a bigger advertising budget doesn't mean they are good.
They charge double even triple of what I do for the same thing. This piece made me sick to my stomach.
Almost every town has a mom and pop type store close by. Try them for a change not the "big names".

[Justadakaje]

John, times are changing though, friend! I have civilians come to my Precinct everyday and laugh because they've never heard of Geek Squad before. Some of the older crowd even feel they are being offensive by calling me a geek. Fact is, the term "geek" is no longer a degrading word, in my book. Since I work for a company CALLED Geek Squad, I suppose it sort of lulls the effect, but if you called me a geek, I'd reply with "Thank you!". I don't feel it's a "sad day" at all. Besides, if you are offended by being called a geek, you may not be one after all! When referring to a member of the Geek Squad, we are not known as Geeks though. We are referenced as Agents, depending what job level you're in, we still precede our name with "Agent." It's enjoyable even!

[jc94107]

I think it's a sad day in America when even 60 Minutes refers to knowledge workers as "geeks", as something abnormal like a circus clown. They portray them as someone technically proficient but still call them geeks. It's no wonder we're outsourcing all our information technology workers. Look at the kind of respect they get even on 60 Minutes. They're not seen as anything else but "geeks", as the host was so keen to use as if they were Martians.

[Justadakaje]

-- These are the things Geek Squad is trying to instill in every Agent from part-time Tom who works 15 hours a week to full-time Frank who is behind the counter 40 hours a week. We want each and every Agent to give the same experience as the next. The Agents in CA should be giving the same level of service and experience as the ones in MA. It's as simple as that. Is this happening 100%? Well, from all of this feedback, it%u2019s apparent. We know this and are trying as best as any human can to fix it and prevent it from happening in the future. This is also where Test Markets come into play. With a smaller number of Agents providing the Geek Squad experience in a totally new atmosphere, Geek Squad Corporate is able to direct the actions of these agents and make them conform to new Standard Procedures much faster than getting an entire BBY company, all 750+ Geek Squad Precincts, to not only conform to last months platform, but to now adopt this month%u2019s newest procedures. We%u2019re finding out what works and does not work. Believe me when I say Robert Stevens is a brilliant man. Brad Anderson did not %u201Cbuy out%u201D the Geek Squad. Geek Squad acquired Best Buy. Period. Geek Squad acquired Office Depot. Period. Look on http://www.geeksquad.com for a moment. Read the /about page or even the /whatwedo section. We%u2019re out to provide Support to the entire world in a fashion that is easily receivable yet easily dispatched to boot.

[Justadakaje]

I'm sorry, but any time something like this comes about, whether it is simply a forum of responses after an airing or a forum of a massive group of BBY/Geek Squad haters, I take the attacks personally. I don't care what your negative opinions are of me because I simply wear the uniform, but I am not like these. I do, at times, take a step back and look at some of the disorganization my company experiences, but then also take into considerations many of the things we have to deal with. I am a supervisory Agent in my Precinct. Not only this, but the Agents that work with me look to me for answers not only with computer problems but with customers. In this industry, there are alot of varied attitudes of our customers and we know this. The fact of the matter is, when you are bringing your broken laptop to me for repair, it is NOT my fault and you should not treat me as if it was. Despite you coming to me with this attitude, and considering my experience and training over the years, I will still slow things down and ask you plenty of questions so that I can do the following: 1. get to know you on a personal level to find out how important this broken PC is, 2. find out the nature of the problem, 3. attempt to replicate it, 4. using your desired capabilities and the status of the PC, recommend the services we offer to not only fix the problem, but offer solutions that will prevent you from needing to come back and see me in the same circumstances. --

[recerebrated]

Geeks are all around us. They have an amazing ability to think through the morass of parts, wires and software of our computers and most things we buy today that take batteries or plug in. We have a fantastic program in our area called the Kramden Institute which uses local geeks to refurbish used computers and give them to hard working middle school students who cannot afford PCs, leading them across the digital divide. These geeks in our area, some 450 in number and growing spend hours working on computers and peripherals for no pay, just the satisfaction of helping kids in the community and the enjoyment of working at our Geek-A-Thons(r) where we bring together about 100 geeks over a weekend, about 250 donated computers and pizza and we have 200+ PCs ready for donation at the end of the weekend. Geeks are different, but they have HEART. (see www.kramden.org).

[mlstotts-2009]

Tech support on the web is free and faster than in-home/on-site services. I try these first before spending good money on tech support (btw I use Make It Work - they rock!) on the web try retrevo.com - it's a google just for gadgets, with results that dive deep into manuals to get you the answer you need. Also, techguy.org is a community of geeks helping out people - it's likely somebody had the same problem as you so check there too. ;) m