How Good Is The "Geek Squad"

>>Recent problems with my PC made me wonder if
>>Best Buy's "Geek Squad" is any good. Is it?

>Absolutely not. Geek Squad is the new Jiffy Lube.

>http://youtube.com/watch?v=Hxqx4hgeKgQ
>http://youtube.com/watch?v=wiCAJ8ULnaI

$275 in repairs to plug in the IDE connector ? That's ridiculous.. very
interesting report though.. (as is the Jiffy Lube one)

Chris
 >> Stay informed about: How Good Is The "Geek Squad" 

On Wed, 14 Mar 2007 20:22:12 -0500, "The Browns"
<garyjbrown.TakeThisOut@charter.net> wrote:

>Hi,
>
>Recent problems with my PC made me wonder if
>Best Buy's "Geek Squad" is any good. Is it?
>
>Thanks,
>Gary


A squad of people is only as good as the individual you
happen to get looking at your PC, and how much they've been
trained to maximize profit for the squad instead of minimize
cost or address your specific needs.

In general you would get a squad to install a piece of
hardware for you if you weren't able, and that's about all.
For the best specific-computer problems and resolutions you
are much better off asking a geek friend you know or taking
it to a local mom-n-pop computer shop, preferribly one with
older technicians instead of teenagers who most assemble
grey-label systems and run antivirus and adware scanners
(unless of course all you need is your PC disinfected, but
even then some techs are a little too quick to format a hard
drive before asking if all your data is backed up).

So the short answer is, consider them a last alternative,
you might do as well fixing a problem yourself as there is a
lot of information out there for DIYers, the internet is a
great resource for computer information if nothing else.
 >> Stay informed about: How Good Is The "Geek Squad" 

Skeleton Man wrote:
>>> Recent problems with my PC made me wonder if
>>> Best Buy's "Geek Squad" is any good. Is it?
>
>> Absolutely not. Geek Squad is the new Jiffy Lube.
>
>> http://youtube.com/watch?v=Hxqx4hgeKgQ
>> http://youtube.com/watch?v=wiCAJ8ULnaI
>
> $275 in repairs to plug in the IDE connector ? That's ridiculous.. very
> interesting report though.. (as is the Jiffy Lube one)

There's quite a bit of complaint about Geek Squad in the blogosphere,
and on consumer advocacy sites as well. An additional pound of
anecdotal evidence comes from my own interactions with them. It's
clear, to me at least, that a "good" geek in Best Buy's eyes, is one
that sells services rather than one that has technical proficiency.
Sadly, computer repair as an industry is highly susceptible to this type
of chicanery.
 >> Stay informed about: How Good Is The "Geek Squad" 

"kony" <spam RemoveThis @spam.com> wrote in message
news:j6uhv2d71ab16oak0ram0ta53vb54hdc9t@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 14 Mar 2007 20:22:12 -0500, "The Browns"
> <garyjbrown RemoveThis @charter.net> wrote:
>
>>Hi,
>>
>>Recent problems with my PC made me wonder if
>>Best Buy's "Geek Squad" is any good. Is it?
>>
>>Thanks,
>>Gary
>
>
> A squad of people is only as good as the individual you
> happen to get looking at your PC, and how much they've been
> trained to maximize profit for the squad instead of minimize
> cost or address your specific needs.
>
> In general you would get a squad to install a piece of
> hardware for you if you weren't able, and that's about all.
> For the best specific-computer problems and resolutions you
> are much better off asking a geek friend you know or taking
> it to a local mom-n-pop computer shop, preferribly one with
> older technicians instead of teenagers who most assemble
> grey-label systems and run antivirus and adware scanners
> (unless of course all you need is your PC disinfected, but
> even then some techs are a little too quick to format a hard
> drive before asking if all your data is backed up).
>
> So the short answer is, consider them a last alternative,
> you might do as well fixing a problem yourself as there is a
> lot of information out there for DIYers, the internet is a
> great resource for computer information if nothing else.
>

'the internet is a great resource for computer information'

yes it is WHEN the computer is working but USELESS when it is not and its
your only system
 >> Stay informed about: How Good Is The "Geek Squad" 

On Fri, 16 Mar 2007 08:25:36 -0000, "Lez Pawl"
<Lez DeleteThis @Pawlbtinternet.com> wrote:


>
>'the internet is a great resource for computer information'
>
>yes it is WHEN the computer is working but USELESS when it is not and its
>your only system

If there is only access to one computer within reasonable
traveling distance, priority #1 might be moving.
 >> Stay informed about: How Good Is The "Geek Squad" 

"kony" <spam.RemoveThis@spam.com> wrote in message
news:f42lv21h8vniqmgenbteietulck2r1gkf7@4ax.com...
> On Fri, 16 Mar 2007 08:25:36 -0000, "Lez Pawl"
> <Lez.RemoveThis@Pawlbtinternet.com> wrote:
>
>
>>
>>'the internet is a great resource for computer information'
>>
>>yes it is WHEN the computer is working but USELESS when it is not and its
>>your only system
>
> If there is only access to one computer within reasonable
> traveling distance, priority #1 might be moving.

or just buy a cheapy system capable of running tinternet only.
 >> Stay informed about: How Good Is The "Geek Squad"