Get Me The Geeks!

How Tricky Technology Is Giving Rise To The Geeks

(CBS)  This segment was originally broadcast on Jan. 28, 2007. It was updated on Dec. 30, 2007.

It’s hard to say exactly when it happened, but sometime during the past ten years, most of us involuntarily surrendered a big chunk of our lives to computers, and to other networking devices that contain computer chips. We’re talking laptops, desk tops, cell phones, BlackBerrys, PDAs, and remote controls -- anything that needs to be programmed, requires technical support, and can crash, die, or merely freeze.

As Steve Kroft reports, that always has a way of happening at the worst possible moment, and for most of us there is only one solution: get me the geeks!

---

We are becoming slaves to our own technology - addicted to and dependent upon all sorts of beeping, flashing gadgetry that is supposed to make our lives easier.

But it has become so complicated to set up, program and fix, that most of us don’t know how to do it, giving rise to a multi-billion dollar service industry populated by the very people who used to be shunned in the high school cafeteria: geeks, like Robert Stephens.

"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," Stephens says, laughing.

"You and the rest of the geeks," Kroft remarks.

"There's millions of us out there across the country," Stephens says.

And 12,000 of them work for Stephens, the founder and chief inspector of "Geek Squad," the tech support company he founded 12 years ago while he was still in college and sold in 2002 to Best Buy.

Whether his geeks are making service calls in their Volkswagen Beetles or toiling over the 4,000 frozen, infected computers that pass through a facility near Louisville every day, they all wear the same uniform - white shirts, white sox and black clip on ties. It’s a look Stephens borrowed from NASA engineers.

"It looks a little weird walking down the street, 'cuz people think we're gonna hand out bibles. But when you see like 20 of us walk into a bar and start you know ordering beers, it looks like an FBI raid," Stephens tells Kroft.

He says the biggest complaint about tech support people is rude, egotistical behavior and the uniform is designed to impart a dose of humility as they work their wizardry.

"I mean, there's usually some frantic civilian at the door pointing at some device in the corner that will not obey," he explains. "And we've gotta make sense of it. And, you know, hygiene provides bonus points if I don't smell bad. I mean, literally, that was my business plan. Just be nice and fix it."

Asked if people are grateful, Stephens says, “Oh, of course. If you look at like the focus groups or whatever, people will say, ‘Savior,’ and, ‘They saved me,’ and, ‘They saved my data.’"

"This stuff's irreplaceable. Your master's thesis that you've been working on for six years that you, that you promised yourself you'll back up next week, we have saved more MBA degrees in this country than anybody," he adds.

Stephens says the company has become indispensable. "Because I don't think that the pace of innovation is going to slow. I don't think people realize the Internet revolution hasn't even really started yet," he explains.

A dozen years ago, when Stephens started the Geek Squad, most people used IBM computers, and primitive Microsoft software; the Internet was still a novelty. Today, thousands of products and providers allow you to watch TV shows, make phone calls, download music, print color photos, and dictate letters without leaving your desktop, if you have the time, the patience, the aptitude, and the available brain cells to master yet another software protocol.

[tropics33040]

I love this story ~ thanks for letting me know I'm not alone!

Long live the GEEKS!

[toupoe]

I wish we had a "GEEK SQUAD" in the Boston, Worcester area.
We really Need Them.
How about setting up shop in this area?

HURRAH FOR GEEKS.

[ou812many]

When I saw Robert Stephens yearbook picture I knew immediately he went to Wheeling HS (Il). He was such a unique individual that everyone knew who he was. I'm thrilled to see he created this much needed service and has been such a success.Great story!

[stuckagain-2009]

This program reminded me of the wonderful book, "Living in the State of Stuck" that talks about the lives of people who MUST use technology because they have no choice. People who use it to drive and do acivities that they cannot do on their own because they have been paralyzed. The book it a MUST READ, as we can all empathize. Yup, we gripe. But what if we had no choice???

[bostongeek-2009]

Nice advertising piece for my competitors. . . In Boston (and a hundred other locations) . . . your geek is Rescuecom (We Rescue Computers). . . In the Yellow Pages or call 1-800-RESCUE7.
How does Best Buy qualify for a 20 minute puff piece. I remember when 60 Minutes would have interviewed some of the customers who have lost there email, their financial records, their family album . . due to the Squad's inept Geeks. Precious data, your family photos, your financial data deserve competent, certified computer engineers and technicians. . . Geeks . . are high school kids with a knack for computers. . . do you really want them?

[nagabotto]

I do what the Geek Squad does in rural New Hampshire. It must be said that some of us volunteer to be subject to the technology that disappoints us, and some of us don't. There isn't a law that says you have to have this stuff, and some of it is better than others. So, let's celebrate our lack of self control, it feeds my family well. By the way, Geek Squad can be found at any Best Buy store (Boston/Worcester area included).

[profpesh]

I teach desktop support technology at a vocational high school just north of Boston. Everything that was said on the program rang true. THE most important element of tech support is customer interaction. Your fixing the customer, not just the product.

[gannie2]

without a doubt one of the best shows!! I am pretty tech literate, but in the last few years I feel more and more illiterate. When they said the revolution hasn't really begun I just laughed and laughed. When I don't have my own geek I feel orphaned and abandoned. thanks so much. I thought I was alone.

[olebd]

I may be a geek and don't even know it. I hooked up my own computer, wireless router, cable modem, fax, phone. I've been able to reset them before when they had problems. I may have a bright future yet!!!

[profpesh]

correction: you're
sorry!

[rideout6]

Great piece, Steve Kroft.

It seems Boston, the world's third silicon valley is the top of discussion tonight. For help from a professional, who is degreed and has been working in high tech for 18 years, email me and we'll talk (no initial phone calls please). I consult in the evenings and on weekends for a mere $20/hour ($10 for the first hour... unless it's a 5 minute call, then it's free)

Programming and IT Help Desk

Len Rideout
Concord, MA
[e-mail]

[lily_ayanami]

It's nice to be finally appreciated for what I am... A geek!

[controlnerd]

Having dealt with technology in the industrial controls arena in addition to keeping up with the rest of the technological advancements surrounding us, I can vouch for the fact that a lot of the confusion is meant to be there, simply to drum up support service.

Technical manuals generally aren't written to be clear and consise to the specific application; but rather are mass produced to provide a generic information base that winds up being nothing more than an addittional confusion factor. It is impossible to expect a vendor to come up with all the possible combinations for the use of their products. Indeed there exist electronic components that don't work well together. Therefore, the consumer is completing the validation process for the vendor; finding out those combinations that the vendor didn't already test.

Then there is the added bonus of an OEM not wanting to admit to a problem due to the assumption of liability. That's a fact, and it does create a problem and also generate revenue for the tech support industry, and it remains self sustaining. One constant in an ever changing technological universe: Chaos = cash.

[MacOSG]

I started Mac Owners Support Group (MacOSG), basically to offer free help to anyone with Apple computer problems. It's surprising how many questions we get from Mac "newbies."

David Pouge authors a great series of Mac-related "Missing Manuals" published by O'reilly Media. Like he said in the interview, manufactures just "drop" you after the sale. His books are just what is needed to help explain things.

-Dave Merten
Mac Owners Support Group
~ An Apple User Group ~
URL: http://MacOSG.com

[MacOSG]

I started Mac Owners Support Group (MacOSG), basically to offer free help to anyone with Apple computer problems. It's surprising how many questions we get from Mac "newbies."

David Pouge authors a great series of Mac-related "Missing Manuals" published by O'reilly Media. Like he said in the interview, manufactures just "drop" you after the sale. His books are just what is needed to help explain things.

-Dave Merten
Mac Owners Support Group
~ An Apple User Group ~
URL: http://MacOSG.com

[jeffyablon]

Steve, what I saw as your intent in that segment was great. And I've known David Pogue for a long time and I'm happy to tell you that most everything he says is right (although we've agreed to disagree on more than one occasion).

But you missed one VERY important point: the "Geek Squads" of the world are something, but they are still missing the mark. Why? Because they "put out fires", and still don't address the real problem, which is that we as users need to be coddled for REAL, not ad-hoc.

My company is, as far as I can descern, the first to actually address the issue head-on. And I'd be happy to point you or your viewers in the direction of reality.

Just because.

Jeff Yablon
President & CEO
PC-VIP.COM

[jmac300x50]

Geek Squad is now in Office Depot in Central Florida. It's great to have a place to go for tech items other than a store that caters to young enthusiasts. Geek Squad employees are above board polite and curteous. That's what I look for; customer service. They don't make me feel like I'm a loser in the tech wars. 60 Minutes did a great job with this piece.

[sacglobal]

I've used a computer for decades and consider myself very computer and software literate. But for Pete's sake, there are times when a pencil and paper does it best.

[karavek57]

Begin transmission....
A reply to BostonGeek. First off Geek Squad customers are asked if they want their data backed up. If you knew much about viruses, adware, spyware, etc. then you would know that if a computer is massively infected that removing them can corrupt the OS to a state where the OS has to be reinstalled. People think they can do exactly what Geek Squad does, but the truth is that they do not have sufficient resources or knowledge to complete the task at hand. With Best Buy being such a large company they can keep their prices competitive, and most of all they do care about every customer. Also every precinct has an agent that carries some certification. No hard feelings but quit trying to use CBS web space as a free advertisement, and I would like to interview a few of your customers to see how satisfied, or better yet how unsatisfied they are.
End Transmission....

[stablegate]

Great story on the Geeks inheriting the earth! That's a real Eureka with the discovery of the third great market segment in the market - the "Do it Yourselfers", the "Do it for mes" and then the, "I thought I could do its".

I'm clearly and painfully in the latter newly discovered group. For proud but humbled Mac users in Nashville,TN, I found a tremendous home service at Nashvillemacs.com. Keep up the great reporting 60-Minutes!

[rwrobe1]

That's what Apple does well. It's all very simple, very well-designed, no technology creep.

[tutorted]

Geez, I missed the first few minutes of this 60 Minutes segment. I started my business, ComputerTutorTed & Repairs, providing PC & MAC support, 5 years ago in the Princeton New Jersey community after being laided off from my dot com job. The majority of my clients then and now are of the 50 year old and up age range, female, and very eager and enthusiactic to learn, and prefer not having to use Over-The-Phone tech support, whether it be to AOL, Dell or other computer tech compaines, regardless of whether they speak to someone in Round Rock Texas or Bangalor India, and really want someone to be with them at their side, at their own machine, in their own familiar envirornment. Some have said that marketing term "user friendly computers" is just not so. On Tutoring & Repair appointments, I consistently find a lack of the very, very basic computer user skills, and absence or misunderstading of computer terminology, to be cause of consumers frustrations, much more than issues of viruses, adware and even hardware malfunctions. As a Tech I too at times have to consult with a manufacturers tech support system via telephone, and I find the phone support in India be be OUTSTANDING, contrary to opinions I hear from others. Those folks in India are very well trained and very skilled and extremely courteous. The have gotten a bad rap.
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

[noramcintire]

I have utilized 'Geek Squad' services twice in the last 6 months alone! And yes, they 'saved' me both times, and were on-time, efficient and friendly to boot. I have never understood why technology help has never kept up with technology itself.'Tis a puzzlement, but thank goodness 'Geek Squad' is there.

[mheld]

Ten years ago, its does not seem that long we developed a software product with a serious use but with the EMPHASIS on EASE of USE. Even back then users were clamoring for it. I'm happy to say we spent more time on design and instructions then the actual code to write it. Our oldest beta tester was 75 years old my Uncle Fred and he's still going strong I'm happy to say. We study every support message to see if there is a commonality which we can use to improve our instructions and strive to keep our customer frustration level low. Some of our customers are even amazed that our support is in the US. I even have taken the support line and have received the comment "How good my English is." (I'm a native born American). Tonight's broadcast struck a cord with me - Designers have no idea how it is to be a "normal person" who must use their product. Our goal was for the small business user but we found even large business were coming to us again because of the ease of use. Developers take note!
By the way still studying my HDTV Manual.

Michael Held
Managing Director - North America
CenturionSoft - CenturionMail
http://www.centurionsoft.com

[mheld]

Ten years ago, its does not seem that long we developed a software product with a serious use but with the EMPHASIS on EASE of USE. Even back then users were clamoring for it. I'm happy to say we spent more time on design and instructions then the actual code to write it. Our oldest beta tester was 75 years old my Uncle Fred and he's still going strong I'm happy to say. We study every support message to see if there is a commonality which we can use to improve our instructions and strive to keep our customer frustration level low. Some of our customers are even amazed that our support is in the US. I even have taken the support line and have received the comment "How good my English is." (I'm a native born American). Tonight's broadcast struck a cord with me - Designers have no idea how it is to be a "normal person" who must use their product. Our goal was for the small business user but we found even large business were coming to us again because of the ease of use. Developers take note!
By the way still studying my HDTV Manual.

Michael Held
Managing Director - North America
CenturionSoft - CenturionMail
http://www.centurionsoft.com

[billpl-2009]

oh ***! those guys were "Geek Squad"
I thought they were Mormons
...ran them out of my neighborhood

I guess I should go down to Best Buy and apologize
...rats

[machelpdesk]

UnfortunatelyGeek Squad ignores the hundreds of thousands of Mac users.

While Macs still constitue a small number as compared to the entire number of PCs sold, sales over the last quarter were at twice the rate of PCs. According to Apple, over 50% of the new computer purchases (during the past few quaters) have been to new Mac users, and with a majority of those migrating from PCs.

Like other technological entrepreneurs, I started my business, Mac Help Desk some twenty years ago. We have always provided on-site, Support, Sales, Training, and Service in the Macintosh environment. And while we do provide the requisite life-saving and fire-fighting serivces, as has been noted in the article (and confirmed by other posters), much of my work rests with Training new (and sometimes not so new) users in the proper care and feeding of their Macs.

Years ago I thought I would be able to put myself out of business if I could only empower my clients to be a little less fearful of their Mac and have enought faith in themselves to 'fix the little stuff.' As I've learned over the years, the little stuff only gets more complex and it never, ever, goes away.

[smokport47]

I have a minor in IT and I still use the Geek Squad because they handle problems all day they just do it better and quicker than I can, especially since I do not have the time to read the instruction books or worse of all the online help which I hate.
I am holding back on using technology as much as possible, I still do not have a cell phone and just recently purchase a microwave and just made my first internet phone call on 28 Jan 07. As much as one trys to fight off technology it just seems to be unavoidable and therefore I am glad that the Geeks are around, especially since I am no longer in school!
I really enjoyed the story, especially the MIT graduate who has technology problems like the rest of us. Thank you.

[cwfepl]

I agree with Jeff Yablon, P&CEO of PC-VIP.COM, in a manner of speaking.

I am a geek. I have been one for years. I personally feel that the "Geek Squad," now employed by Best Buy, gives real geeks, such as myself, a bad name. There is no difference in the bad attitude of one of the Geek Squad members at the service desk, at Best Buy, in Fresno, CA now, from several years ago when he did not wear a uniform. He does not care about the customer, and he doesn't like me in the store explaining to customers what the sales people (some of which are now wearing Geek Squad "uniforms") are falsely leading consumers to believe about products, all in the name of a sale. In a way, people want to be duped, and at the same time, I feel it totally and completely unethical to lie to a potential customer, mislead them, and make a sale. I%u2019ve heard much of it lately go beyond %u201Cpuffing%u201D but simply agreeing with the customer%u2019s ascertains, that they heard on TV marketing campaign, no objectivity, and no real experience with the products they are selling %u2013 as bad as car sales people.

[cwfepl]

TutorTed points out: in person communications are better, especially for the older generation who were not brought-up in this day and age (yes, karavek57 is right about your shameless marketing plug, but who can blame you in a competitive market). That is the fact of the matter that as a Geek, I%u2019ve had to learn the hard way. Not everybody thinks critically, or conceptually, nor has the background to understand design theory (which isn%u2019t universal %u2013 you need to understand several methods of thought to navigate complex menus across several products). I managed a tech call center for a year %u2013 and I had to leave due to the poor customer service provided %u2013 I simply could not stomach the fact that the cog in the wheel treated the customer as the same bread & butter. And above all, in-person communication (personal, intimate, and caring) with someone who will take the time, is not on a time-frame, and cares about the end result matters most. I started out like the kid in the Starbucks. That is the only way to fly, in my opinion.

Thank You,
-Chip.

[cwfepl]

Here%u2019s a disturbing thought that has not been emphasized: HCI. Human Computer Interaction studies is a branch of Psychology that is becoming larger, and despite it, goods are getting more and more complex. Engineering degrees from schools are not necessary %u2013 a little research on Google about the unknown, with a little critical thinking and common sense can guide anyone through a mess. Speaking of psychology, I think this is a problem with modern American thinking and %u201Cease of use%u201D attitude problems.

[cwfepl]

karavek57 points out (comments) - %u201Cevery precinct has an agent that carries some certification%u201D I agree with his %u2018lets see how satisfied or unsatisfied the customers really are.%u2019 One per precinct? That%u2019s kind of disturbing (and true). Are you trying to say that as long as you have one CompTIA A+ or MCP on staff, that the rest of the hired help can be incompetent, or without experience? Isn%u2019t that akin to having a non-licensed cosmetologist cutting your hair (such as in CA, where I%u2019m at, it is required, or illegal and subject to fines %u2013 I strongly think that the tech support industry should start being regulated in a similar fashion).

I%u2019m very disappointed with the way 60 minutes had presented this article. While I understand 60 minutes is not specifically an investigative news magazine %u2013 there was little objectivity, and too much focus on the praises of the Geek Squad. There are many dissatisfied Geek Squad customers. I%u2019ve had many of my referrals come from dissatisfied Geek Squad customers, in recent times, and many of my long-term customers have given them a shot, but don%u2019t like the temporary solutions, with limited hours of operation, and being charged multiple times to come out and solve the same problem over and over (built in defects, no lasting solution).

[cwfepl]

The next issue to be aware of is that there is no job security in a dog-eats-dog world. Remember cogs in a wheel %u2013 replacement by the next Jr college kiddie to %u201Cgraduate%u201D is inevitable. Secondary to this, there%u2019s a large degree of competition with more and more inexperienced people (without a passion to learn conceptually, let alone the critical thinking skills, but by rote memorization), not only to move onwards and upwards (which debunks the %u2018we don%u2019t want to rule the earth%u2019 argument). There really is no job security. The %u201Cuniforms%u201D may take the ego out of Geek Squad, but it doesn%u2019t take the ego out of the rest of the industry. I have been fired simply for being smarter than my tech boss, and providing exemplary customer service. Ego still plays a large role, and it is not going away. It especially plays a part when co-workers in the work environment play childish games such as finding some obscure or new acronym that the rest may not know (yet), and quizzing each other to one-up each other.

[cwfepl]

The true geeks of the world are the people who tinker, and have the freedom to do so. No true geek is going to work for a low wage under constant scrutiny, without the ability to individually progress & innovate. The Geek Squad is a public, but poor example of being a %u201Cgeek%u201D (only in name, not in actions or value).

[cwfepl]

Mr. Stephens can stay home on Saturday nights to RTFM - some of us don't need to do that. Whereas we understand the history behind computers, developments, progress, we are also able to anticipate where things are going, and don't always need to stay on the "cutting edge" to support the latest and greatest (many geeks are not as rich as the business people who employ them, but are still able to work wonders & miracles without actually having the new toy the boss bought but doesn't know how to operate). This is what we call "foundation." Hiring some a kid who wants to make money, from a poorly rated tech Jr. college, and throwing him or her into a low wage job of fixing computers, does not advance knowledge or reason. Neither does reading the manual and performing rote memorization on tasks. Knowing Theory and understanding History, progress, and development is what true Geeks are about. How else do you anticipate how to support advancements. You can't say some newbie out of a tech Jr. college is going to be able to support Vista nearly as well as someone how has been at it since NT 4.0. And they will be looking for external support from more innovative sources later (if they move up from low-wage).

[cwfepl]

A geek will tell the truth, and not just put out a fire, but find a true fix. Many (true) Geeks are also Hackers - they will take the time to "Hack" a solution together for a lasting solution, and even continue to support something after the first support call, for free, if it is not resolved the first time. Let the American Public not forget that what was shown in this article were many humans as cogs in a greater wheel - that wonderful advancement from the industrial revolution. Rarely do these types of places innovate, or allow for personal knowledge advancement - it's all a part of the training package.

[cwfepl]

I agree with Jeff Yablon, P&CEO of PC-VIP.COM, in a manner of speaking.

I am a geek. I have been one for years. I personally feel that the "Geek Squad," now employed by Best Buy, gives real geeks, such as myself, a bad name. There is no difference in the bad attitude of one of the Geek Squad members at the service desk, at Best Buy, in Fresno, CA now, from several years ago when he did not wear a uniform. He does not care about the customer, and he doesn't like me in the store explaining to customers what the sales people (some of which are now wearing Geek Squad "uniforms") are falsely leading consumers to believe about products, all in the name of a sale. In a way, people want to be duped, and at the same time, I feel it totally and completely unethical to lie to a potential customer, mislead them, and make a sale. I%u2019ve heard much of it lately go beyond %u201Cpuffing%u201D but simply agreeing with the customer%u2019s ascertains, that they heard on TV marketing campaign, no objectivity, and no real experience with the products they are selling %u2013 as bad as car sales people.

[Justadakaje]

BostonGeek - What age are most high school students? most usually under 18. Yeah, we don't hire people under 18. We had 1 high school senior working in our Precinct for the holiday season as a Seasonal Agent. The fact is, there are not enough people applying that Geek Squad ask for. This particular high school agent may not have had alot of customer service experience, but he'd been working with computers since he was 8. He was born and raised with computers his thing. What's not to appreciate about that?
ProfPesh - You make a very important point! If you haven't noticed, Best Buy has taken a whole new approach to the customer. Instead of being a product driven company, they're trying to put the customer first in everything they do. VERY true of the services Best Buy has to offer, hence Geek Squad.
Jeff Yablon & PC-VIP.com %u2013 %u201Cput out fires%u201D Keep in mind that in Best Buy stores, and I'd imagine the Office Depot stores as well, there is not only Old PC business (repairs), but also New PC business (prevention). Geek Squad offers to completely set-up AND deliver a new PC to a client's home. We offer In-home training on just about anything from Basic PC knowledge to complex Digital photo/Video Editing. If preventing virus and spyware infection and training clients how to use their technology isn't "addressing the real problem", well then I eagerly await to see what this Break-through business of yours that doesn%u2019t open for another 3 months will offer the masses

[Justadakaje]

BostonGeek - What age are most high school students? most usually under 18. Yeah, we don't hire people under 18. We had 1 high school senior working in our Precinct for the holiday season as a Seasonal Agent. The fact is, there are not enough people applying that Geek Squad ask for. This particular high school agent may not have had alot of customer service experience, but he'd been working with computers since he was 8. He was born and raised with computers his thing. What's not to appreciate about that?
ProfPesh - You make a very important point! If you haven't noticed, Best Buy has taken a whole new approach to the customer. Instead of being a product driven company, they're trying to put the customer first in everything they do. VERY true of the services Best Buy has to offer, hence Geek Squad.
Jeff Yablon & PC-VIP.com %u2013 %u201Cput out fires%u201D Keep in mind that in Best Buy stores, and I'd imagine the Office Depot stores as well, there is not only Old PC business (repairs), but also New PC business (prevention). Geek Squad offers to completely set-up AND deliver a new PC to a client's home. We offer In-home training on just about anything from Basic PC knowledge to complex Digital photo/Video Editing. If preventing virus and spyware infection and training clients how to use their technology isn't "addressing the real problem", well then I eagerly await to see what this Break-through business of yours that doesn%u2019t open for another 3 months will offer the masses

[cwfepl]

On the back of my chair at work, facing staff who come into my office to speak with me, I have one word, in black & white: "THINK"

Is it really that hard?

[Justadakaje]

BostonGeek - What age are most high school students? most usually under 18. Yeah, we don't hire people under 18. We had 1 high school senior working in our Precinct for the holiday season as a Seasonal Agent. Fact is, there aren%u2019t enough of the people Geek Squad wants applying for jobs. This particular high school agent may not have had alot of customer service experience, but he'd been working with computers since he was 8. He was born and raised with computers. What's not to appreciate about that?
ProfPesh - You make a very important point! If you haven't noticed, Best Buy has taken a whole new approach to the customer. Instead of being a product driven company, they're trying to put the customer first in everything they do. VERY true of the services Best Buy has to offer, hence Geek Squad.
Jeff Yablon & PC-VIP.com %u2013 Keep in mind that in Best Buy stores, and I'd imagine the Office Depot stores as well, there is not only Old PC business (repairs), but also New PC business (prevention). Geek Squad offers to completely set-up AND deliver a new PC to a client's home. We offer In-home training on just about anything from Basic PC knowledge to complex Digital photo/Video Editing. If preventing virus and spyware infection and training clients how to use their technology isn't "addressing the real problem", well then I eagerly await to see what this Break-through business of yours that doesn%u2019t open for another 3 months will offer the masses

[thomderr]

No offence, but I have my own 'geek squad.'

Myself, wonderful on-line publications such as "Windows Secrets" and the plain old 'Google Search.'

And friends in our IT department. Sometimes, common sense helps, also.

[Justadakaje]

Apologies for the triple post (ouch!). The page wasn't refreshing. There seem to be alot of haters out there (cwfepl) but apparently you haven't had time to realize the changes taking place. You have one image of a bad experience stuck in your head and do not realize just how big the picture is. Imagine for a second that you are in control of a large corp like BBY. Your job, this weekend, is to release to the entire company a new standard operating platform, a way to do business. How smooth do you feel this transition will be? You are now a Geek Squad Agent. You have several ideas. The way you think you should be helping a customer, the way you've been trained to help customers and now a totally new way you're being taught to help customers are all floating around in your head. People tend to stick to a comfort zone, right? What of these 3 things do you think is going to prevail? Of course, after a bit of Performance Management, supervisors will make sure that the entire company is operating on the same platform. However, when a single Agent feels the need to stray from this idea, or has not yet had adequate training because he is also attending college, you feel the need to label this Agent as the posterboy of what ALL Geek Squad Agents are like. I don't buy your attitude. Quit attacking, you're only making yourself look bad.

[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

[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).

[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. --

[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.

[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]

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!