Gadgetopia

Ahh, The Geek Squad has been operating out of Minneapolis since 1994. Best Buy really had nothing to do with their current marketing

Wrong.

BBY acquired all rights to Geek Squad over a year ago and is most definitely responsible & driving their current marketing.

Guess you haven't been in an actual BBY store for awhile since Geek Squad is also the sole 'tech counter' representation in store as well...

No, I'm pretty sure BS isn't BSing.

http://twincities.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2002/10/21/daily34.html

"The Geek Squad was founded in 1994. The company is headquartered in Minneapolis and has offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago. "

He is correct about them being founded out of Minneapolis but since being acquired by BBY they no longer run their own Marketing ads - they have the muscle of the World's largest electronic retailer doing that now.

called them just to find out what they were all about (i own a small pc repair shop) i gave symptoms of a failed hdd, they recommended spyware removal ...iwas surprised at how expensive it was, also their recommendation wouldnt help a failing hdd. their phone support couldnt tell me what would happen if spyware removal didnt solve my problem..."you'd have to bring it in then" its unfortunate that less savvy users are going to spend a lot aof cash with these guys and problems wont be resolved.

Hello all! Yes, Minneapolis start is true and yes Best Buy now owns Geek Squad, but what of this last entry? Agents are not capable or able? The fees are very reasonable based on they are a flat rate and there is a 30-day guarantee for the work done by Geek Squad agents. How about 24-hour in-home tech support? Yeah, you want an agent at 3am because your computer crashed in the middle of your on-line butt-kicking, you got it! Check it out, tech support has never been so easily accessible and fun. If you are looking for any more info just check out our web site: www.geeksquad.com

Actually ...

Their "Mission Controllers" are just there to help get a simple diagnosis out to a person - the real muscle behind the brand is the "Double Agents" that actually go on-site. These guys can find a "needle in a haystack" for problems.

I love how small mom and pop shops tweak out when a big company actually has something good and better then they do. World domination is in progress.

I actually called the Geek Squad out to my house last week after a friend "fixed" my poorly slow Toshiba laptop. The agent who showed up (precisely on time!) was incredibly knowlageble, had a great personality, and had me up and running in less than 15 minutes. To top it all off, he gave me a free Geek Squad t-shirt. I will definately be calling these guys the next time my computer decides to freak out on me!

I'm actually a member of the GeekSquad in Reston VA, about us telling you to just come in, that is because we don't like to diagnose over the phone, it can cause many problems, and when he said you had spyware or something probably its because most users think "oh my computer is slow, i think my hdd is dying" thats why he said "please just come in", the average user diagnosing there own computer = bad. lol

anyways, if anyone has any questions feal free to post them and i'll try to respond, good to see most people have had a good encounter with us, I have only had one complaint in my geeksquad history, which has been quite awhile, and the complaint was that we didn't remove a proxy that we used to connect to our lan instore, which of course, we are all still human, and that being the only complaint i've heard, i think we are doing alright, if anyone needs any help, feal free to call 1-800-Geek-Squad :)

take care, jeff

Geek Squad is 10% goodness, 90% bullcrap. The "double agents" that go to your home are extremely talented and are worth every penny, generally all 16000 of them (pennies) for an average house call. The in-store "counter intelligence agents" are the worthless part, and NOT by choice or by experience (as this is my job at Best Buy). Most are very knowledgable, but Best Buy's protocol on the fixing of computers is purely sales driven. In-store agents are there to do one of a few things; restore operating systems, install aftermarket hardware, remove malicious programs, install preventative maintenence programs, and if those 4 do not apply, ship it to the service center for repair. They are not "allowed" to use their usually university-learned talents. Best Buy's "standard operating platform" requires software problems be just fixed by restores, and hardware problems fixed by replacement of problematic hardware. The double agents get paid to use their knowledge to do all the fun stuff in-home. Best Buy owns the geek squad trademark, and each "agent" is just someone who's job title changed from "computer technician" to "geek squad agent" overnight once the uniforms were shipped to the store.

Greetings all, Pardon Justin up there, it sounds as if he's had one too many arguments with the some of the talent at best buy, as he sounds a little peev'd at the store, or it's policies.. Being a member of the "Geek Squad" since it's creation at my store about 10 months ago, and being a "computer tech" as he called it, for another 2 years prior at the store, I can first and formost tell you that the first line of defense is NOT "restore now, ask questions later.." Quite the opposite.. Our head agents in MN ship all stores special software programs that they actually have trademarked (check your facts justin) that we use on a daily basis to diag, and fix many OS issues. Being the head agent within our store, I can tell each and every one of you that we use our "university-learned" talents (how do you learn a talent?) on a daily basis. The SOP is there for CIA agents that may not have the 2-3 degrees in computer science/networking/MCSE etc, that some of the more fortunate do have. We train all agents to the same level. Yes, part of the model is business driven, or how would we have the labor dollars next month as to pay our techs?? (They by the way make more than any sales associate in the store) and no one within BestBuy is commision based, no matter what someone might say. We have the mindset of "fit the solution to what the customer needs/wants) If this isn't being done within your store Justin, I suggest you bring this to your Operations Manager, or GM. I'l tell it like it is, but I will not discount the nature of the GeekSquad just because it is included in a retail environment. I suggest you might want to check monster.com for current "computer tech" openings if you can't be a part of a growing tream. Good evening all.. Jake - North Central MD.

I agree with Agent Jake. People at times scoff at prices charged for repairs. I beg you to shop around and look at competitors, you will see prices are comparable. yes we charge money. It is a business. I work @ Best Buy. I have been with the company nearly three years. I have seen it a hundred times people like disgruntled Justin often get too involved with the "Tech" side and want nothing more than to repair computers. They complain at having to "sell" the service as well. they want to be the geek who fixed it, but doesn't want to do the leg work. It is a team effort. if he is unhappy again go to monster.com....It is an awesome concept. Why wouldn't a customer want end to end solutions? A person to help you pick out your new pc,,,repairs and service all the way to the end of your computers life. Beautiful!!

I have done plenty of research on the Geek Squad and I think those guys and gals are awesome. In fact, I have been trying to become an agent. I have plenty of experience and certifications, but I need a better way to get in than the online application Best Buy provides. If anyone has any ideas, please post it as I am very enthusiastic about the Geek Squad.

Before I got my current job as a web developer I was working at Best Buy to keep my sanity while looking for a regular job.

I was almost a Geek Squad person because I applied and I have a Bachelors Degree in Computer Science, but because I could actually talk to people, they stuck me on the sales floor. The point of that little story is that I have no certs, but a Bachelors Degree in CS and I would have been, by far, the most educated Geek Squad member.

Also, to get a job at Best Buy, in any department, you have to call up and ask about your application or at least call them.

Hey Mike, Im sure you are quite knowledgeable, however having a BS in Computer Science doesnt mean you know jack about computers. Some of the most incompetant people I have met have a BS in CS. Certifications mean you actually have HANDS ON experience.. not reading out of a book

I've been a Geek-Suad DA for about 5 months now since my store just opened, and I love it. Yes our prices are a little high, but compared to some places that cost $200 an hour?! Thats insane. If I go out on a service call, and it requires virus removal or whatever, it's the same price whether it takes 1/2 hour or 4 hours. I also agree with D Funk about the degree issue. A couple of techs in my store have degrees and certifications, and they don't know shit. They know the basics, but they still can't wipe their ass without calling me about something. I don't have a degree or anything. I'm self taught since I was 11. The biggest complaint I get is when a customer brings in their computer because of virus or spyware problems, and we charge them even thought they have the PSP. We have to go through the whole speil about how it only covers hardware issues, blah blah blah. ...

Thanks, Mike for the info, but I agree with D Funk and Double_Agent. The ultimate would be to have the certs along with the degree. Talk about being ready for upper management.

i agree with Double_Agent : about all the sales bs my mgr. is all ways pushing me to sell and not fix pcs and cust. all ways are complaning about how there PSP dose not cover software(i.e. but the sales guy said that it would), but i mean come on its software when you put incompitant people behind pc bad thing are bound to happen and where not going to fix it fo free the only thing that is coverd is a free diag. and hardware if you have a PSP

When did I ever say anything about people with certs dont know anything?

I think you need to look at both sides guys....Someone that has all "certs" and no school may know what keys to press in which order, but they may very well not know why that works, just that is does work. That is not the always the case of course...but just think about that before you all go touting your self-learnin' and condem people that went to school for it.

"Certifications mean you actually have HANDS ON experience.. not reading out of a book"

Just becuase I have a shelf full of books doesn't mean me, or anyone else that went to college, didn't touch computers or have no "hands on experience". If that is the case, what exactly do you think people do in school? Books are great things, and to be honest you sound like a bit of a back-water hick what that statement, although I'm sure you are very knowlegable as well.