Poor Defenseless Geek Squad

[Bullfighter]

Hello all,

I've noticed a trend of companies, like the ones most of us represent, comparing prices with GS on their website. Which is like shooting fish in a barrel with an elephant gun, since they are so damn expensive.

But I'm wondering if anyone who does this has received any comments on doing so. Does this work? It certainly makes the prices look reasonable.

Or what about posting your prices compared to those of your other competition on your website, any thoughts on this strategy. Pros or Cons...


EP

[arrow_runner]

I myself am highly considering it and would also like to hear what others are doing.

One example we may be focusing on is a lady brought us a computer with a virus. I cleaned it AND upgraded her ram for less than their DIAGNOSTIC fee.(She was quoted roughly $200 if they had to spend more than 10 minutes looking at it to determine the problem.)

[dhrandy]

I just had a client the other day that said she liked the graph on my pricing page that I made that compares me to Dumb Squad and Easy Tech.



www.gwhizpc.com/pricing.html - scroll to the bottom.

I noticed a majority of my clients don't even look at the pricing page. They call and ask about a price anyways.

[Bullfighter]

That's a sweet chart - if it were my site, I'd put it at the top of the page. People are more attracted to a nice looking chart than a list of text items and their prices. Definitely an attention grabber.

Just a thought...

[Blues]

Geek Squad charges $300 for a virus removal?! This is just a shock becuase all they do is reformat PCs if your lucky else they just reload windows over the infections resulting in nothing but a worse off machine.

[geekhelp4u]

Originally Posted by Blues

Geek Squad charges $300 for a virus removal?! This is just a shock becuase all they do is reformat PCs if your lucky else they just reload windows over the infections resulting in nothing but a worse off machine.

Actually they use the LASER removal tool that throws a bunch of antivirus/spyware/malware removal tools at the machine through their PE environment.

[dhrandy]

Originally Posted by Blues

Geek Squad charges $300 for a virus removal?! This is just a shock becuase all they do is reformat PCs if your lucky else they just reload windows over the infections resulting in nothing but a worse off machine.

$199.99 in store, $299.99 in home or office.

Originally Posted by Bullfighter

That's a sweet chart - if it were my site, I'd put it at the top of the page. People are more attracted to a nice looking chart than a list of text items and their prices. Definitely an attention grabber.

Just a thought...

I've thought about moving it up to at least the middle or the top. I'm still considering it.

[DAG-JustinC]

I'll be honest. I think it's pretty immature and unprofessional to slam Geek Squad. If you even remember the history of the company, they started out just like every independent PC technician (and their company, if applicable) did. Their founder just branded the company very well, provided quality service, and grew the company to the size it become before it was acquired by Best Buy.

No one forces any customers to take their computer there and pay the prices they charge. I'm from Metro Detroit and even in the worst economy in the country, I know that one of the stores was around 147% to their budget last month and already 160% for this month.

I'll be the first to admit their prices are excessive and the majority of Agents I've met on the job are underqualified, however Geek Squad provides them with a repair disc that puts anything we have to shame. It has virtually automated 75% of the work and the remaining 25% can be picked up by the knowledgable technicians on staff.

For the post earlier, LASER was the main tool on their disc until the release of their new build. Now FACE (which utilizes a hugely improved LASER) automates virtually every area. Obviously, there are some manual repairs/tasks that must be done but that tool is developed by programmers at Geek Squad's HQ in Kentucky.

IMO, rarely are people really spending money for Geek Squad's technicians. They're paying for Geek Squad's tools and advice. Plus, it's comfortable knowing that if you get your computer repaired in Michigan that you can fly to California and if the same issue occurs, it's a free "re-do" in California, or any other Geek Squad location.

I'm an ex-Geek Squad Agent and an ex-Firedog technician and I have never bad mouthed either company even though there were obvious faults in both. High pricing if customers are paying is GOOD business if the results are there and in my experience, we always get the job done correctly. Once in awhile there's something missed but considering how many computers and people we talk to on a daily basis, it's a pretty high success rate.

Thing to remember? Would you like someone to bad mouth your business because your prices are high and your company (not specifically you) have made a few mistakes? I doubt it.

[DAG-JustinC]

Originally Posted by Blues

Geek Squad charges $300 for a virus removal?! This is just a shock becuase all they do is reformat PCs if your lucky else they just reload windows over the infections resulting in nothing but a worse off machine.

and at my store specfically, we NEVER reformatted machines unless the customer had specifically told us to, needed the computer back in less than 24 hours, or there were was a ridiculiously high trace of viruses/spyware/etc.

I don't know about you but I'd rather reformat a computer when I find over 60,000 traces of malware and it barely even boots into normal mode.

[abe]

oh so what your saying is that i'm paying for some idiot who can use a repair disk to mess around with my computer, and maybe ask someone more knowledgeable, then claim that my computer needs to be nuked, sorry I'll pay half that price and get to talk to the guy who fixes my computer, understand the problem, get it fixed, and have someone i can go back to if anything else goes wrong. Paying double or triple the price for some kid to use a repair disk is the stupidest thing i can think a person in a decent mental condition could do, I'm glad you wrote that you've worked for the "big 2" so i get your mentality, and besides what about a hardware problem do they have special tools for that too.

1. because they started out small doesn't make them better now and i will continue to slam 'em
2.people aren't forced to take their machines there, they think they are getting better service since it costs more, and as you write its a big company.
3.you admit that the majority of agents are under qualified, thats great to know, that should be brought as a class action suit against them.
4.you say people are paying for grok squads "advice" which advice do you mean, the "nuke" or some other crap that involves paying more and more money.
5. yes my company has made mistakes but we own up to them, unlike geek squad that just claims everything is OK.


Abe

PS. did you join technibble just to post this post?