Retail or Big Box Techs?

[sgarrand]

Hello All,

First off let me start by saying that I know most people here do not like "big box" store techs and I understand the reasoning behind it. I've been trying to grow my own business and it's been slow so I interviewed with and got hired by one of the lesser known electronics stores. I'm unsure of how it will be to work in this environment and I'm starting this thread to have a dialog with other current/former retail store techs. There just isn't anywhere out there to talk with others who've done this job.

I'm not comfortable saying who the company is in the public forums but they're opening a new store in my area and I'll be starting there in a couple of weeks. Before you simply bash me or other store techs, please just understand that it's a job and I have a family to feed. I consider myself a good tech and I hope the retail store experience doesn't change that about me.

Scott

 

[Mushin]

I used to manage a Geek Squad Precinct and Officially called a Deputy of Counter Intelligence. I was also a Double Agent (On site tech for Geek Squad) And.... at another time I was also a Digital Technologies Supervisor (Sales Floor Computer and Digital Camera Supervisor)

I am more than happy to answer questions. BTW the expereince you get will give you a very unique perspective on the industry as a whole. Take it all in.... ther are good things and bad... learn from them and apply them to your own business as you see fit.

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

Before you simply bash me or other store techs, please just understand that it's a job and I have a family to feed. I consider myself a good tech and I hope the retail store experience doesn't change that about me.

There is nothing wrong with that. Especially if you are doing this first to get some professional experience I find that highly commendable and getting to be rare where so many "techs" on this forum download some free tools, read and post some threads on these forums, and think they are ready to make some money off of unknowing paying clients. Then some but definitely not all of these techs are justifying installing copied or "borrowed" OS installers on paying clients machines since they're doing this work "on the side".

Hell after that little rant, you are starting to like like a saint among beginning techs.

 

[chrisaroz]

Good for you. I think it could help you gain some valuable insight and experience as others have said.

My only advice would be to carefully read your agreements with carefully. I imagine there are non-compete clauses and whatnot. You'll want to make sure that once you start you know the rules when you're ready to go it on your own.

 

[Mushin]

Good for you. I think it could help you gain some valuable insight and experience as others have said.

My only advice would be to carefully read your agreements with carefully. I imagine there are non-compete clauses and whatnot. You'll want to make sure that once you start you know the rules when you're ready to go it on your own.

non-compete clauses are not inforceable. It conflicts with our rigths to the pursuit or happiness (translated to right to earn a living) granted this does not mean that they can not terminate you.

 

[sgarrand]

Geek Squad experiences?

I used to manage a Geek Squad Precinct and Officially called a Deputy of Counter Intelligence. I was also a Double Agent (On site tech for Geek Squad) And.... at another time I was also a Digital Technologies Supervisor (Sales Floor Computer and Digital Camera Supervisor)

I am more than happy to answer questions. BTW the expereince you get will give you a very unique perspective on the industry as a whole. Take it all in.... ther are good things and bad... learn from them and apply them to your own business as you see fit.

How did you handle doing things your employer wanted when you felt there was a better way? I'm pretty outspoken so I'm concerned about how I might handle the same situation.

I've worked in a retail environment and I've worked on PCs "on the side" doing simple, non-invasive things to help a small group of customers I met as a cable tech. This will be a blending of retail and computer repair. I'm downright frightened about it. It pays pretty well compared to other full time work I've done and they seem like a decent outfit to work for. I'm just worried about selling and that I may not sell enough. I'm not good at being a pushy salesman.

Scott

 

[sgarrand]

Non-compete clauses.

I'm not too concerned because I'm not going to pursue my own business while working for this company. If some of my former customers (henceforth known as "friends") call I'll help them. If they happen to continue spreading word of mouth, I'll just make more friends.

As far as once I move on from this company to my own business, I'm not in their territory. I have to drive a little while to get to work and I live in a pretty rural area.

Scott

 

[Mushin]

How did you handle doing things your employer wanted when you felt there was a better way? I'm pretty outspoken so I'm concerned about how I might handle the same situation.

I've worked in a retail environment and I've worked on PCs "on the side" doing simple, non-invasive things to help a small group of customers I met as a cable tech. This will be a blending of retail and computer repair. I'm downright frightened about it. It pays pretty well compared to other full time work I've done and they seem like a decent outfit to work for. I'm just worried about selling and that I may not sell enough. I'm not good at being a pushy salesman.

Scott

Scott,

For privacy I will start a thread in Technicians Only becasue I don't want what I will type to be indexed by the search engines. Look forward to a reply there later in the evening.

 

[mekon]

Never apologise for putting your family first. How does the saying go "A man has to do, what a man has to do". I have worked for the UK's largest computer chain of shops and while it was pretty awful, I think I learned things there that I would never have learned working on my own.
One of the reasons I don't like bashing "big box" techies is because some of them have prodigious talent and are among some of the best techs you are likely to meet; unfortunately these types have opted for the safety net of working for a big store because they don't have an entrepreneurial spirit or have any business flair. Some of them have even had their own business and failed.
The biggest drawback I found was not being allowed to do my job properly and having to stick to a rigid regime when it come to dealing with problems; the benefits were that I saw the value of working to a system and that customers are rarely if ever concerned about the price.
The price thing is simply a myth, as you will find out over the next few months.

 

[rusty.nells]

Don't blame the techs, blame the prohibitive corporate policies that mandate what the techs can and can't do.

 

[NYJimbo]

Don't blame the techs, blame the prohibitive corporate policies that mandate what the techs can and can't do.

But in the end the techs represent the company so we have to blame the techs. Somebody has to take the blame. Too much of this pointing fingers in different directions, nobody believing in the old saying "The buck stops here" anymore.

Its like when a customer tells me he sends a laptop back to Dell or HP for a new motherboard and they replace the hard drive instead and throw out the old drive without transferring the original data. The customer is screwed, but when he calls Dell to complain he gets the runaround, going from rep to rep and getting nowhere. Its nobodys fault in the end because someone is always blaming someone else.

If the tech is stupid enough to work for a company that makes him do stupid things then to me, he is to blame. Collecting a paycheck for being a jackass makes you a jackass.

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

Its like when a customer tells me he sends a laptop back to Dell or HP for a new motherboard and they replace the hard drive instead and throw out the old drive without transferring the original data. The customer is screwed, but when he calls Dell to complain he gets the runaround, going from rep to rep and getting nowhere. Its nobodys fault in the end because someone is always blaming someone else.

I think this is a little off topic and leans more towards manufacturers and manufacturers warranty repair procedures as opposed to big box techs, but anyway..

The same thing happens with Apple all the time. I don't think there is a manufacturer out there that takes responsibility for customers data. When we do warranty repairs for Apple we are only allowed 1 part per machine every 30 days or else our service scores take a hit and we loose money. So with laptops that possibly need more than one part, we send them in to Apple. We always offer to back up the customers data for a fee. Customers will ask (for example) "Why should I pay you to image my drive when there is nothing wrong with my HD?" and the answer is even if there is nothing wrong with the drive I've seen several machines come back with a new or wiped drive. I don't even bother to say "well since your machine needs any other part besides a hard drive, your data should be fine", because about the time I say that, the machine will come back without their data. So I just say take it or leave it in regards to the backup. If they don't want to pay me to image their drive and the machine still functions, they are more than welcome to do it themselves and bring it back to me to send in. I think a lot has to do with internal policies that are internal to the manufacturers repair depots that we will never understand.

 

[callthatgirl]

A techs gotta eat! I say enjoy your job, learn as much as you can on their dollar, take all the education classes you can....and learn their downfalls.

Then someday, you will have gotten out as much as you can so if you go on your own, you know the insider info.

Tell us all their dirty secrets!

 

[K007]

Lisa, looks to me you already know one or two of those "dirty secrets".
Would you mind sharing them?

 

[Mushin]

looks to me you already know one or two of those "dirty secrets".
Would you mind sharing them?

Dirty little secrets my digest post about working for Geek Squad.

Geek Squad is a money generator... a cash cow that the majority of people love and like. They charge prices that I originally thought outragous but in reality are necessary to pay for things that independants take for granted. So lets spend a day at a Geek Squad Precinct.

Operations:

Geek Squad is driven by processes. These processes dictate how employees should do everything... From selling computers and services, to working on machines. Their processes are solid but often their execution sucks. Some of their problems are a result of combining mfg warranty work, Best Buy service plan word, and non-warranty stuff. They also have a problem by having the Agents backup customer service to check products being returned for proper functionality and triage diags in attempts to save a retun. It can be a mess.

But lets look at something easy... the work flow of a computer being brought in for repair and the tools.

Check in...
Fill in the check in form and collect information about the problem.
Run Webroot System Analyzer and show client the report and print a copy
While system analyzer is running create the service ticket and lookup if the item is covered by mfg, BBY service plan, or not.
If not collect diag fee and/or service fee
Review terms and conditions
Sell backup services

Seems pretty straignt forward and it really should be. Except that many customers expect free service because of their service plan.. They almost allways say that they were told that it covers "everything." Honestly this just isn't the case.

Usefull stuff
Nice check in forms
System Analyzer when it runs fast. Customers like to see a picture showing their computer is infected or slow or what ever... It is a sales tool
Backup Form

Not Usefull
Requiring System Analyzer 100%
Looking up purchase information for warranty b/c it takes too long.

Diag Process and Repair
--------------------------
Rule number one!!!! Use only approved tools... no matter what use only the approved tools. This sucks for a tech like use becasue we have all these nifty tool that we use and it makes our job easier. Well 90% of the time we are violating the license agreement. For a company the size of Best Buy you CAN'T violate a license agreement! It puts the company at risk for millions of dollars.

Their Toolset is the MRI and it is fairly nice in that it automates a lot of what gets done.... Why... becasue you need a set process. This set process makes you more efficient. Right....

So the process start with a Full Diag... DFT, Memtest, and a full hardware diag. Results are pretty cut and dry and for the most part the lengthy full hardware diag is not worth the time.... I said in another post... "If you go to the doctor with a busted hand they don't perform an MRI and look for a brain tumor."

Again they have some nice forms that if used can help keep things organized and the repair process moving along.... Next up the repair... The typcial thing is virus removals which translates to an advertised price of $199

ONE SECRET:
If they have a MFG Warranty or Service Plan they pay a bit less because they hit the MFG up for the hardware diag and if it is a service plan they eat that and use the FREE diag as a selling point "Mr. Customer you saved $70 becasue of your service plan."

Remvoal is greatly automated. Simply Run the MRI.... is is scripted to perform multiple AV/AS scans and do much of the basic things like turn off system restore etc.

The MRI is a double edged sword because it can be relied on too much and does not encourage a good software diag. You can run the MRI all day long but not speed up a computer that has thousands of 1k files sitting in the Windows directory.... Still it is a usefull toola

About the MRI and Tools
Did I say that they have licenses for their software. Yep... for the most part. There are some freeware things on there but things like Acronis, Spy Sweeper, Trend... proper licenseing. The MRI is updated and modified on a regular basis by Geek Squad staff.

Geek Squad can not keep copies of Windows Discs for reinstall of the OS. They can not create images of the computer before the repair, They are very restricted on how they can backup information. This is a hinderance.

OK back to the repair. After the MRI scan and computer is fixed the computer is ready for pickup... well not really... It is time to sell additional services and get more money. Hey it is a business so I feel this is OK.... Remember that virus infection... Well it was $199 to remove but... you need AVAS software tack on another $80 to $100. Also remember that statement about a backup... well if the customer wants a backup that is $99.99

So a virus removal with prevention and a backup can run you $400 (Don't worry people pay that all the time.

Dirty Little Secret
Best Buy and Geek Squad has postitioned their prices perfectly for their environment. When the customer ask... should I just get a new computer? Well they can help you with that too... and if you want you information transfered over you pay $99.99 and you will also need one of their setup packages. They have the services either way.

man this is getting long.
I will cut it off here because I need some breakfast but if this brings up any questions fire away.

Oh Some tips for working for a Big Box Store....

Do it their way.... Don't try to change their world.
Fill out all the forms 100%
Every recomendation you have has already been proposed.
Learn to Sell (This really will help you with your own business)
Learn to Sell...
Learn to Sell...

For yourself learn to charge more... for you own work.

 

[K007]

Thanks Mushin. Very useful information.
Thanks again!

 

[callthatgirl]

Mushin cracks me up.

Here is my "take" on geeksquad and then I'll tell you my dirty secrets from what I know (from my clients, as I have never been a client of theirs nor worked for them, so what do I know?)

My take is what Mushin said, but add in at the end "Make sure the client feels like a dope and didn't learn a thing about what happened or what they did, or talk to them like a normal human being".

My dirty secrets is listening to my unhappy Geeksquad, now Call That Girl clients. I listen very carefully to what they say. I have learned to do what they do and do the exact opposite.

When I start a job, I simply ask what is wrong, what was going on before their issues started and tell the client if I can repair it or not. I book a phone appointment, on site or have them bring it in the shop. I don't charge for analysis or diagnosis, I either can fix it or not. I give them a quote on the repair that's usually 1/2 of the geeks.

When I complete a job, the client takes a seat next to me and we do a review of how to avoid doing what they did to get their computer in the mess it was.

When they have a quick question after they have their computer home, I give them a few minutes to discuss things and answer them. I give them the feeling of having their own personal computer assistant.

I treat the clients like a friend, we joke around, I tell them to call me before they go and delete system files again p)

I don't treat them like a number.

I consider the Geeks referring partners, I have said this before. Up here in their home town of Minneapolis, I get this all the time, "I was going to call the Geeks, but heard about you and thought you may be a better solution".

That's all I need to hear. I'm building a business based on customer service and support. This is the mission and the backbone of my company. Overhead will not be, making sales will not be, trust will always be.

whew, I'm tired from that, but hey....I may just put that in my home users list on my website haha!