Geek Squad "propietary" tools?

[gambit]

At least they stopped stealing the software - or are they?

http://www.crn.com/185302716;jsessio...RSKH4ATMY32JVN

[volatile]

Originally Posted by gambit

At least they stopped stealing the software - or are they?

http://www.crn.com/185302716;jsessio...RSKH4ATMY32JVN

That article is over 3 years old. I believe they are now limited to a certain set of licensed software.

[Nerm]

Originally Posted by ComputerClinic

Yeah i figured it wasn't anything great. So they scan with 7 different programs before attempting a manual removal? Seems like they have it backwards to me...

They never attempt a manual removal because they wouldn't even know where to begin.

[iisjman07]

They never attempt a manual removal because they wouldn't even know where to begin.

Realistically true (or is it unrealistically?(who cares the gist is they're sh*te!))

[NYJimbo]

Geeksquad is a joke. I had a perfect example of how bad they are this morning.

Guy brings in a Toshiba A135 laptop, seems the DC jack is all wiggly and he's got no power. He took it to BestBuy (geeksquad) and they test it with the customers AC adapter and tell him the machine needs a new motherboard, its going to be about $250 or more and will take about 10 days. He decides thats too much and goes home and comes to me a few days later.

Turns out the DC jack is fine, its the clients AC adapter, which I ALWAYS test and then test the laptop with my universal Targus adapter. The plug was wiggling because the A135 uses a slip-fit jack with a harness, not a soldered jack and while the wiggle isn't the problem, the AC adapter plugs tiny internal tension springs in that model were spread apart and not making contact.

I took the time to quickly google "Toshiba A135 DC Jack" and "toshiba a135 disassembly" and found an internal photo to prove the motherboard isnt even near the DC jack:

http://www.irisvista.com/tech/laptop...te-A135-18.jpg

I didnt charge the customer anything and all he needs is a new adapter. I even warned him to be careful of the pin sizes and explained how to find one on ebay via the P/N of the Toshiba, not the model/tag number to get a precise match. The guy was amazed I pulled up all that info in a minute, explained about the fit of the jack and showed him how wrong GS was.

Geeksquad would never do that kind of work with a customer, I dont think they even know how to research this stuff.

[C.Quill]

Originally Posted by ComputerClinic

Yeah i figured it wasn't anything great. So they scan with 7 different programs before attempting a manual removal? Seems like they have it backwards to me...

I used to work there, trust me it is.
I'm amazed at the speed I can remove infections now, as compared to doing everything the "Geek Squad" way.

It's all for hype and very ineffective. You might as well google "Geeksquad AJU" or Agent Jonny Utah Geeksquad. While you're at it.

You'll learn another one of there little secrets.

[NickCat11]

Originally Posted by NYJimbo

Geeksquad would never do that kind of work with a customer, I dont think they even know how to research this stuff.

+1, they won't do any research period. I wonder how many good motherboards they switch out on a weekly basis due to a misdiagnosis. Pretty soon their fix for a virus is going to be a "motherboard swap".

[JosephLeo]

Originally Posted by NickCat11

+1, they won't do any research period. I wonder how many good motherboards they switch out on a weekly basis due to a misdiagnosis. Pretty soon their fix for a virus is going to be a "motherboard swap".

My mother sent in her laptop for screen replacement a month or two ago (She had the warranty, so she figured why go through me and cost $100-something for a screen when she can just use her warranty)

They fixed the screen alright- but they also swapped the "dead" hard drive with all of her customers information and financial information. by dead, I mean completely perfectly working and optimized like hell. But of course Geek Squads excuse was "We ran some diagnostics and the hard drive showed up as dead".

Did I mention he no longer had an OS and that she would have to buy her OS again as well as be charged for installing it....OH and the personal data? Well, as luck would have it I setup a NAS just one week prior. The sad thing- we asked Geek Squad for our hard drive or request that it be destroyed- they said that they "lost it"...yeah, great story.

What was supposed to cost my mother $0 wound up costing her $300, her customers trust and some personal information. Moral of the story? Geek Squads guarantee is worth as much as the stuff you flush down the toilet.

[ComputerClinic]

Originally Posted by C.Quill

I used to work there, trust me it is.
I'm amazed at the speed I can remove infections now, as compared to doing everything the "Geek Squad" way.

It's all for hype and very ineffective. You might as well google "Geeksquad AJU" or Agent Jonny Utah Geeksquad. While you're at it.

You'll learn another one of there little secrets.

I knew that their "technicians" were mostly salesmen, but I didn't expect them to be ONLY salesmen. Outsourcing to India...wow.

Now here's a question: would you feel comfortable revealing this information to customers and if so, how would you go about it? Any time a client mentions the geek squad, I'm not really sure what to say.

[JosephLeo]

Originally Posted by ComputerClinic

I knew that their "technicians" were mostly salesmen, but I didn't expect them to be ONLY salesmen. Outsourcing to India...wow.

Now here's a question: would you feel comfortable revealing this information to customers and if so, how would you go about it? Any time a client mentions the geek squad, I'm not really sure what to say.

I would point them in the direction of The Consumerist and tell them to search for "Geek Squad" and "Best Buy" on there, followed by some Consumer Reports stuff.

That is, if they ever ask me about Geek Squad or Best Buy. I will never make it into a conversation. Talking about how bad another company is so unprofessional (I'm looking at you Apple.). Instead I will just try to tell them why I am good instead of why Geek Squad is bad. They will do the assumption part themselves.