Nevermind...finally read the article thoroughly. They're just placating the idiots who think that other types of wireless power transmission is black magic or something, as if quickly rotating magnetic fields (not to mention large magnetic discs) is any safer than electrical fields alone. Apparently these people have never heard of electromagnetism and aren't aware that the two are intrinsically linked.
I can only assume that this hopefully is a method that increases efficiency, but my first thought would be that if you have a magnet spinning nearby underneath a car, why not just put a coil in the car and generate electricity that way? Adding a second magnet just seems like it would add weight and mechanical complexity.
But if they went that route, I suppose they must've had good reason.
Thank you for the passive-aggressive response. However, my comment was directed at the portion of TFS which reads:
To add sound effects which in turn give you the sensation of the ride of your life.
In my opinion, these sound effects do more to cheapen the sensation rather than enhance it.
If you don't like that I happen to have an opinion of my own, surely your internet browser has a helpful interface element known as a scroll bar, which allows you to progress further down the page and pass up the offending opinion.
I like the video quality enhancements, they really bring out a lot of hidden details. The frame extrapolations, though, give a weird gelatinous effect to the video.
And I could really do without the sound effects, especially the cheesy motor sound effects at the ending.
This might have been a question to ask perhaps 5-10 years ago, when such things were all the rage (brushed metal, faux glass, reflections, etc.), but it seems that of late, between interfaces like Android (especially Honeycomb and later) or Microsoft's Metro, things have been taking a sharp turn away from skeuomorphism and decidedly towards an unabashedly digital styling.
Yes, that's part of Aero Peek. If you follow the instructions I posted above, it will change it to where you can see still a little thumbnail preview if you hover your mouse over a program in the taskbar, but it will no longer fade all other windows out and bring that program to the front if you hover over the preview. That is precisely what Aero Peek is.
Here's how to completely disable Aero Peek (aka "those damn pop-up previews"), completely:
Right-click Computer (either on your desktop or in the Start Menu), and select Properties.
Click on Advanced System Settings from the left-hand margin.
On the Advanced tab, under the Performance section, click on Settings.
On the Visual Effects tab, switch the radio button to Custom and un-check the box next to the entry that says Enable Aero Peek.
This will completely disable that feature for absolutely everything in the taskbar, unlike the checkbox under the Taskbar properties, which only disables Peek for the Show Desktop button.
I agree that change purely for the sake of change is not a goal to strive towards, but I'd still argue that people, on average, have an aversion to change, even if it's towards something better.
Heck, I'd count myself among them. Using your example of Office, I resisted right along so many others, to the point of having both 2003 and 2007 installed alongside each other for years. However, the more I used the ribbon (mainly pushed by Excel), I actually came to prefer it.
To this day, I still have people buy a new computer and ask me if they could get XP on it. Windows 7 is superior in just about every way, but it's different, and people just don't like that. They might eventually get used to it and come to accept it, but even the most beneficial of changes will encounter resistance. (And not just in the computer world: stem cell treatment, vaccines, efficient car engines, wind farms, etc.)
If that were the case, Microsoft would either have split into two completely separate OSes or at least have created two distinct versions--Win8 for desktop and tablets, much the same way Apple has OSX and iOS. The fact that they're pushing a single, unified version for all devices seems to give a hint as to where MS thinks the whole market is headed. Ironically, fearing the impending death of the desktop, Microsoft is helping to usher it in with this next tablet-centric iteration of Windows.
I think that's a bit ridiculous, to think that a company like Microsoft would intentionally want one of their products to fail, putting their market share in danger as it might cause long-time Windows users to jump ship to another platform.
No, I think it's just Microsoft being it's normal, misguided self. They really want Metro to succeed, but know that most people don't like change, so the way to force adoption is to disable any ability to revert to the previous interface. Sometimes, this sort of behavior is for the best--pushing people away from their comfort zone helps drive progress and prevent stagnation. Whether this is one of those times is a matter of opinion, and only time will truly tell whether the gamble will pay off. Personally, I fully expect them to suffer for it and for Windows 7 to become the next Windows XP, which users cling to well past its intended lifespan.
I personally find that statement INCREDIBLY offensive.
What you have at stores like Wal-Mart is a checkout clerk. You're lucky if he even has a clue what's in the electronics department, let alone any information about any of it. Best Buy salespeople...they typically don't have the deepest knowledge about all the items, but at least they have a good understanding of what they do have, and how the various models/variations compare to one another. As for Geek Squad, you'll find the occasional person who doesn't have as much knowledge, but in general, all the ones I've ever met were quite competent. Not every agent will have answers for every question, but if we don't, we usually know who would, or at least how to find out that information to help a customer.
I always try to be upfront and honest with customers. It's my personal belief that if you give a person honest advice, they'll respect you for it. Just yesterday, a lady came in with a harddrive giving the "click of death." I outright told her that it was a serious issue, gave her our prices for data recovery services, explained that it would take time and there's a possibility that the price would go up if the Level 1 recovery didn't work, and advised her to shop around and compare prices and repair time frames with other companies. Sometimes, we'll refer customers to the PC repair shop down the road, if the issue is something that's outside of warranty and we'd have to send to a service center for, but could possibly be handled much quicker by someone with a local stock of parts. The people I've worked with all seem to genuinely care about helping the customers to get the best, quickest service, even if it can't be provided by us.
As for Fry's...some of your points are completely valid (prices of accessories), but most seem incredibly subjective (attitude, clothing). Besides, they don't exist everywhere. Kinda hard to go to one when the nearest is 300 miles away.
And as for your last example, that's just a load of BS, plain and simple. When we send a unit off, we don't know exactly what it's going to cost, but we have an idea. If the potential cost represents a significant portion of the original purchase cost, we will warn the customer that it might be wiser to consider a new PC instead (but of course, people yell at us for doing that and trying to push sales...just can't win). Also, when things get sent off outside of warranty like that (where you'd be on the hook for repair costs), the service center generates an estimate for the cost of parts + labor, and they must call the client for approval. Seriously, no work can be done without approval. No one's forcing you to actually pay for the service. You're perfectly free to decline, and they'll ship the unit back as-is, and only ask for shipping charges (~$35 for a laptop). All of this is explained at check-in. More than that, it is also standard operating policy to ask the customer if they keep a backup of their user data, because there is the possibility that it could be lost, and to offer backup services if necessary. The customer must sign a waiver stating that they refuse data backup and are willing to accept the potential loss of any data. If it comes back with a new hard drive and all your data is gone, you have no one to be pissed off at but yourself. It's not Best Buy / Geek Squad's fault you never backed up your own data. It's not Best Buy / Geek Squad's fault you didn't want US to back up your data. If the costs for repair are high, is is not Best Buy / Geek Squad's fault that you approved the repair costs.
Do you see where I'm going with this? There's no justifiable reason to be pissed off at Geek Squad if the repair cost is a significant portion of the original price, nor is there justifiable reason to be pissed off if there is data loss. The procedures, prices, and risks are all explained at check-in, if only you listen. All prices are subject to client approval. Data loss is explained and you must sign a waiver (or, alternatively
See my other comment regarding manufacturer's warranties. When something is only covered under them, we are bound by the manufacturer's terms. I don't think I've personally handled anything from Bose, but I've handled numerous cases with Apple products. For iPods (Touch, Nano, Classic, whatever) and iPads, those items are exchanged immediately in-store for identical, brand-new items.
People just get unrightfully pissed off when the manufacturer's warranty obligates us to send the unit off to the service center. Everyone expects something brand new, and right this second, and there's absolutely no justification for expecting that. If they have an issue with MFW policies, they should take it up with the manufacturer, not the poor guy/girl at the counter who has zero control over it, nor even the company as a whole that sells the products but has no control over the policies.
People just like being pissed off at Best Buy. They like to bring up things like extended warranties and Monster cables as examples of their awfulness, completely disregarding the fact that these sort of things happen EVERYWHERE. I just dropped an obscene amount of money at Newegg for computer components, and what did they do? They tried to sell me extended warranties (at checkout and in subsequent emails), tried to sell me accessories, etc. And for items like Monster cables, plenty of other retailers / e-tailers carry them...so why is it just Best Buy that's evil for carrying them? And why do people ignore the fact that you actually can find more reasonably-priced cables in the store? Best Buy has simply become the popular whipping boy of the retail consumer electronics industry. There isn't anything about it that stands out in particular, other than its size in the market. The practices and products are otherwise unremarkable compared to their competitors.
And that would most certainly be wrong, but unless you have any evidence of this actually occurring--as opposed to being a bunch of hot air they're blowing in a show to their constituents--you're simply being a troll.
To me, that sounds like exceptional service, which by definition is not typical.
Besides, it does not sound like we are comparing the same type of issue here. I'm talking about repairs covered under a manufacturer's warranty, and how we fulfill those warranties. If you have an Dell laptop that has an issue covered by MFW, and you go to Dell about it, they'd have you ship the laptop to them, replace the faulty parts, and the whole process would take a few weeks on average. If you have a Dell laptop that you bought at Best Buy that has an issue covered by MFW, and you go to Geek Squad about it, they'd have to ship the laptop off, replace the faulty parts, and the whole process would take a few weeks on average. This is what I'm referring to. We handle manufacturer's warranty repairs according to the terms set forth by the manufacturers. If they want the unit sent in for service to replace just the defective parts, that's what we're obligated to do under their warranty. To expect otherwise sounds unreasonable to me. However, many people expect an immediate replacement of the entire laptop. They're asking the store to personally eat a few hundred dollars to provide an replacement that no one else would do, and then get pissed off when it doesn't happen. I'm sorry, but that's just wrong.
But of course, it all depends on the manufacturer's policy. Some are more generous than others. When we go to enter the information into our service order system, it will either tell us that it needs to be shipped off, or alternatively, that it is unable to be repaired and should instead be exchanged in-store. Most Apple products (including iPads) fall under this latter category, for example. Regardless, though, it's not our decision whether it gets replaced immediately or not, and I think it's rather unfair that so many people lay the blame at Best Buy / Geek Squad's feet for conditions that are set by the manufacturer.
Sure, it'd be nice if the store could ignore the manufacturer's policies and immediately exchange everything out for shiny, new units, and I'm sure that'd make the customers very happy (most of them...some are simply never happy), but that would be bad for business in the long run, because how long could you continue to take a hit on those items before your cash flow turns negative?
[And just for an explanation of how such a transaction would be processed: The store would do an out-of-coverage exchange, returning the original cost of the laptop. The store would then ring a new sale, applying the refunded cost to the new product, and taking a hit on any adjustments necessary to make sure the new item doesn't exceed the refunded amount. The old laptop is then considered "store stock," and would be sent out for repairs, which the manufacturer may not compensate the store for. Once returned, the unit would have to be sold "refurbished," meaning that they couldn't even recoup their original costs and come out even. This process is done occasionally, but once you understand that it's a losing game, it should be pretty obvious why it cannot be done for every single broken/defective item.]
I don't know where you're getting your figures, but they are incorrect. The current price for an "Annual Tune-Up" at Geek Squad is $99.99. There are a number of programs that make it simpler, but there is not one single, all-encompassing script that you run that will do it all for you.
Now again, I can't speak for all stores, but at my Geek Squad, we make a point to run hardware diagnostics on every non-new computer that comes through our doors. Most of the time, this just adds an extra 4-8 hours to the length of the repair and confirms that the hardware's acting all right. However, there's a very good reason for running it. If someone comes in claiming that their computer is running slow and they want a tune up, and we find out that the hard drive is starting to fail, no amount of tuning up will ever make it go full speed again, and the client is likely to experience serious issues in the near future (see: Google statistics on SMART reporting being the best indicator of impending failure). As such, if the computer will still boot into Windows, but is failing some diagnostics, we tell them so. We let them know that it will run, but it's likely to have a failure in the near future, that they should make sure to back up any important documents, and that it would be best to get a new harddrive.
Now, getting back to the matter of price, there are some services that I would say are on the steep side--data backups, in particular. But then again, it's not Geek Squad's fault if you've never backed up your data, do not know how to remove your hard drive and set it up in an external enclosure, or (and this is more commonplace than you think) completely unwilling to learn how to do such. In those instances, the price is what it is, and it's all up to the client whether their data is so important that it's worth that price. If it is, that's entirely their own decision; no one's holding a gun to their head.
I was just making the point that it's rather hypocritical to lambast one side for opposing something they disagree with, but not finding anything wrong with the other side supporting something they do agree with. In both instances, it seems like the parties are letting their personal beliefs get out of control and are pushing for actions they really have no business pushing.
"I disagree and think we should oppose them" in my mind is no more significant than "I agree and think we should support them." To acknowledge one and disgregard the other is, as I said previously, an example of ignorant, partisan hypocrisy.
I agree that the mayors have absolutely no legal standing when it comes to blocking a business over personal beliefs. But then again, unless they actually take any sort of action, such as drafting legislation (not even caring if it passes), it's nothing more than a bunch of hot air coming from political blowhards, and nothing to get that worked up over, like the person I replied to seemed to be.
Well, I can't speak for all of Geek Squad, but I can assure you, I wasn't handled for my sales ability or for an outgoing personality. I was hired because I'm intelligent and know how to deal with computer issues. Yes, sometimes I end up doing some sales, but if you were to count the number of people I actually sell things to (or even try to sell things to) versus the number that I help--for free--at the counter, just answering questions and fixing minor issues, it's actually a very low ratio.
I think Geek Squad--much like Best Buy as a whole--gets a much worse rep than is deserved. I've said it before, and I'll say it again--they're far from perfect. But from what I've personally experienced, the majority of people who come to us leave satisfied. The problem is that the minority who aren't satisfied are VERY vocal about it. Moreover--and I could go on for hours with examples, but I'll avoid that here--many of the people who are dissatisfied, in my opinion, are that way due to their own unrealistic expectations.
Just a few quick examples: someone who has a TV with nothing more than the manufacturer's warranty comes in just weeks before it's about to expire and wants service done. Since we're bound to honor manufacturer's warranties by the manufacturer's terms, this means we have to send the unit out for service, which can potentially take a couple weeks. At this point, quite a few people just go apeshit. They think that any problem with their device, no matter how minor, entitles them to an immediate replacement to a brand new device, no matter how old their other is. Not only that, but when the unit comes back from service, they expect the warranty to magically be extended for another year (or however long it was originally for). When you have to break it to them that this simply isn't the case, they get pissed off, and then go shouting to anyone that will listen how awful Best Buy and Geek Squad are for something that is entirely out of our hands, and entirely standard across the industry.
Other times, people are just impatient. Computer maintenance takes time, pure and simple, to make sure you're not missing anything. Add on top of that the fact that sometimes you get a backlog of work and can't immediately start service on a person's computer. So, you tell them at check-in that it could take up to a week, and that you will give them a call just as soon as it's finished. So they call back the next day, asking if it's done. And then the next day, asking if it's done, and so on and so forth. When you try to explain to them what you're doing and why it's taking so long, suddenly everyone becomes the most important person in the world. "But I'm a student! I need it for class!" "But I need my computer for my business!" "But I have important emails to respond to!" People just don't seem to understand that EVERYONE thinks they're important, and we can't prioritize service based on how highly you think of yourself. If things were truly so important, you'd have a backup computer. Regardless, even if you manage to get the computer back to them in 4 days, versus a quoted 7, they show up all in a huff, complaining about everything taking so long, and proceed to go out and complain to everyone that'll listen how horrible service is. There's simply no winning with people. And God forbid if you need to send a computer to a service center for serious repairs...
This is pure conjecture on my part, but I'd say the biggest problem for Geek Squad does not necessarily come from the quality of the actual work done, but from the customer service aspect of the interactions. People simply hate being told something will take time, or that something is not covered (no, we won't send your device out just because you're getting near the end of your warranty if it shows absolutely no signs of malfunctioning). Unfortunately, I have no idea what anyone could do to fix that problem.
Incorrect, sir. The store actually does make a profit. And, in fact, profits are continuing to grow. The issue for the store is that profits are growing at a much smaller rate than they'd like. It's not like the store is actually losing money (yet), on the whole, but it could certainly turn that way if they don't make some drastic changes.
Perhaps because it becomes impossible to ensure even the slightest bit of consistency when using third parties?
Sure, Geek Squad isn't perfect--full disclosure: I work there--but if you thought the quality was inconsistent or lacking right now, just try coordinating 1000+ local third-party repair outfits. Talk about a nightmare waiting to happen.
That would be one register at the front...and probably one also in the PC department, and one in the videogame department, and a couple at Customer Service (yes, they can do checkouts)...and perhaps even a few more beyond that, depending on the size of the store.
Is what you describe any worse than Republican Governors declaring "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day" over the exact same comments? Or more generally, trying to give special benefits/priveleges to a company because you *agree* with their message?
Here, have another helping of ignorant partisan hypocrisy...
The article also does not explain what Android is, or what jailbreaking is, or what source code is.... If you don't know these things already, it either doesn't matter for you, or you should go Google them.
And for the record, it says right in the summary that XBMC is "your favorite media-center software." Seems pretty obvious that it's software that allows you to organize and watch all of your digital media.
That's the problem though--they can't. The whole reason Amazon (and others) can maintain such low prices is that they *don't* have to have a large number of physical locations, filled with employees to manage the merchandise. Now, I could see Best Buy scaling back the number of stores, but that will only do them so much good. The bottom line is that they cannot directly compete with the likes of Amazon and Newegg.
However, they don't have to, at least not 100%. This is something I didn't learn until after I starting working at Best Buy. I used to think just like you do--"Why buy it when I can get it slightly cheaper online, and all I have to do is wait a couple days longer?" The answer to that is that Best Buy simply isn't designed for folks like you and me. We already know everything we need to know about what we're buying, and therefore can skip right to the point of finding it at the cheapest price point. The real target is the "Average Joe"--he perhaps knows a tiny bit about what he wants, but not enough to make an informed decision on his own, and he's not savvy enough to do all the research on his own.
Granted, this still present problems. Eventually, that segment of people who are not knowledgeable will dwindle. But at least for the time being, if they scaled back the number of stores, there is still a large enough group of people willing to pay the extra money to be able to see and touch the actual products, and to ask more knowledgeable people for information and advice.
As for the long run, who knows? Unless there's some drastic change in the tech landscape, the only resolution I can see is for the number of stores to continue to be cut until it reaches some sustainable balance, with only a few large stores serving relatively large regions, sort of like IKEA. Anything else would simply be trickery (like having special editions of produts that are substantially identical to more generic models, but simply have a different designation to thwart comparison shoppers).
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Nevermind...finally read the article thoroughly. They're just placating the idiots who think that other types of wireless power transmission is black magic or something, as if quickly rotating magnetic fields (not to mention large magnetic discs) is any safer than electrical fields alone. Apparently these people have never heard of electromagnetism and aren't aware that the two are intrinsically linked.
I can only assume that this hopefully is a method that increases efficiency, but my first thought would be that if you have a magnet spinning nearby underneath a car, why not just put a coil in the car and generate electricity that way? Adding a second magnet just seems like it would add weight and mechanical complexity.
But if they went that route, I suppose they must've had good reason.
Thank you for the passive-aggressive response. However, my comment was directed at the portion of TFS which reads:
To add sound effects which in turn give you the sensation of the ride of your life.
In my opinion, these sound effects do more to cheapen the sensation rather than enhance it.
If you don't like that I happen to have an opinion of my own, surely your internet browser has a helpful interface element known as a scroll bar, which allows you to progress further down the page and pass up the offending opinion.
I like the video quality enhancements, they really bring out a lot of hidden details. The frame extrapolations, though, give a weird gelatinous effect to the video.
And I could really do without the sound effects, especially the cheesy motor sound effects at the ending.
This might have been a question to ask perhaps 5-10 years ago, when such things were all the rage (brushed metal, faux glass, reflections, etc.), but it seems that of late, between interfaces like Android (especially Honeycomb and later) or Microsoft's Metro, things have been taking a sharp turn away from skeuomorphism and decidedly towards an unabashedly digital styling.
Yes, that's part of Aero Peek. If you follow the instructions I posted above, it will change it to where you can see still a little thumbnail preview if you hover your mouse over a program in the taskbar, but it will no longer fade all other windows out and bring that program to the front if you hover over the preview. That is precisely what Aero Peek is.
Here's how to completely disable Aero Peek (aka "those damn pop-up previews"), completely:
Right-click Computer (either on your desktop or in the Start Menu), and select Properties.
Click on Advanced System Settings from the left-hand margin.
On the Advanced tab, under the Performance section, click on Settings.
On the Visual Effects tab, switch the radio button to Custom and un-check the box next to the entry that says Enable Aero Peek.
This will completely disable that feature for absolutely everything in the taskbar, unlike the checkbox under the Taskbar properties, which only disables Peek for the Show Desktop button.
Not definitive proof, like video of it being said, but here's the original quote, straight from the Kentucky Lexington Herald:
http://www.kentucky.com/2012/08/15/2299629/kentuckys-gop-lawmakers-question.html
I agree that change purely for the sake of change is not a goal to strive towards, but I'd still argue that people, on average, have an aversion to change, even if it's towards something better.
Heck, I'd count myself among them. Using your example of Office, I resisted right along so many others, to the point of having both 2003 and 2007 installed alongside each other for years. However, the more I used the ribbon (mainly pushed by Excel), I actually came to prefer it.
To this day, I still have people buy a new computer and ask me if they could get XP on it. Windows 7 is superior in just about every way, but it's different , and people just don't like that. They might eventually get used to it and come to accept it, but even the most beneficial of changes will encounter resistance. (And not just in the computer world: stem cell treatment, vaccines, efficient car engines, wind farms, etc.)
Just a thought, if we want to go back to conspiracy theories: Windows 8 could be the largest driver of standalone Windows 7 sales. :-P
If that were the case, Microsoft would either have split into two completely separate OSes or at least have created two distinct versions--Win8 for desktop and tablets, much the same way Apple has OSX and iOS. The fact that they're pushing a single, unified version for all devices seems to give a hint as to where MS thinks the whole market is headed. Ironically, fearing the impending death of the desktop, Microsoft is helping to usher it in with this next tablet-centric iteration of Windows.
I think that's a bit ridiculous, to think that a company like Microsoft would intentionally want one of their products to fail, putting their market share in danger as it might cause long-time Windows users to jump ship to another platform.
No, I think it's just Microsoft being it's normal, misguided self. They really want Metro to succeed, but know that most people don't like change, so the way to force adoption is to disable any ability to revert to the previous interface. Sometimes, this sort of behavior is for the best--pushing people away from their comfort zone helps drive progress and prevent stagnation. Whether this is one of those times is a matter of opinion, and only time will truly tell whether the gamble will pay off. Personally, I fully expect them to suffer for it and for Windows 7 to become the next Windows XP, which users cling to well past its intended lifespan.
I personally find that statement INCREDIBLY offensive.
What you have at stores like Wal-Mart is a checkout clerk. You're lucky if he even has a clue what's in the electronics department, let alone any information about any of it. Best Buy salespeople...they typically don't have the deepest knowledge about all the items, but at least they have a good understanding of what they do have, and how the various models/variations compare to one another. As for Geek Squad, you'll find the occasional person who doesn't have as much knowledge, but in general, all the ones I've ever met were quite competent. Not every agent will have answers for every question, but if we don't, we usually know who would, or at least how to find out that information to help a customer.
I always try to be upfront and honest with customers. It's my personal belief that if you give a person honest advice, they'll respect you for it. Just yesterday, a lady came in with a harddrive giving the "click of death." I outright told her that it was a serious issue, gave her our prices for data recovery services, explained that it would take time and there's a possibility that the price would go up if the Level 1 recovery didn't work, and advised her to shop around and compare prices and repair time frames with other companies. Sometimes, we'll refer customers to the PC repair shop down the road, if the issue is something that's outside of warranty and we'd have to send to a service center for, but could possibly be handled much quicker by someone with a local stock of parts. The people I've worked with all seem to genuinely care about helping the customers to get the best, quickest service, even if it can't be provided by us.
As for Fry's...some of your points are completely valid (prices of accessories), but most seem incredibly subjective (attitude, clothing). Besides, they don't exist everywhere. Kinda hard to go to one when the nearest is 300 miles away.
And as for your last example, that's just a load of BS, plain and simple. When we send a unit off, we don't know exactly what it's going to cost, but we have an idea. If the potential cost represents a significant portion of the original purchase cost, we will warn the customer that it might be wiser to consider a new PC instead (but of course, people yell at us for doing that and trying to push sales...just can't win). Also, when things get sent off outside of warranty like that (where you'd be on the hook for repair costs), the service center generates an estimate for the cost of parts + labor, and they must call the client for approval. Seriously, no work can be done without approval. No one's forcing you to actually pay for the service. You're perfectly free to decline, and they'll ship the unit back as-is, and only ask for shipping charges (~$35 for a laptop). All of this is explained at check-in. More than that, it is also standard operating policy to ask the customer if they keep a backup of their user data, because there is the possibility that it could be lost, and to offer backup services if necessary. The customer must sign a waiver stating that they refuse data backup and are willing to accept the potential loss of any data. If it comes back with a new hard drive and all your data is gone, you have no one to be pissed off at but yourself. It's not Best Buy / Geek Squad's fault you never backed up your own data. It's not Best Buy / Geek Squad's fault you didn't want US to back up your data. If the costs for repair are high, is is not Best Buy / Geek Squad's fault that you approved the repair costs.
Do you see where I'm going with this? There's no justifiable reason to be pissed off at Geek Squad if the repair cost is a significant portion of the original price, nor is there justifiable reason to be pissed off if there is data loss. The procedures, prices, and risks are all explained at check-in, if only you listen. All prices are subject to client approval. Data loss is explained and you must sign a waiver (or, alternatively
See my other comment regarding manufacturer's warranties. When something is only covered under them, we are bound by the manufacturer's terms. I don't think I've personally handled anything from Bose, but I've handled numerous cases with Apple products. For iPods (Touch, Nano, Classic, whatever) and iPads, those items are exchanged immediately in-store for identical, brand-new items.
People just get unrightfully pissed off when the manufacturer's warranty obligates us to send the unit off to the service center. Everyone expects something brand new, and right this second, and there's absolutely no justification for expecting that. If they have an issue with MFW policies, they should take it up with the manufacturer, not the poor guy/girl at the counter who has zero control over it, nor even the company as a whole that sells the products but has no control over the policies.
People just like being pissed off at Best Buy. They like to bring up things like extended warranties and Monster cables as examples of their awfulness, completely disregarding the fact that these sort of things happen EVERYWHERE. I just dropped an obscene amount of money at Newegg for computer components, and what did they do? They tried to sell me extended warranties (at checkout and in subsequent emails), tried to sell me accessories, etc. And for items like Monster cables, plenty of other retailers / e-tailers carry them...so why is it just Best Buy that's evil for carrying them? And why do people ignore the fact that you actually can find more reasonably-priced cables in the store? Best Buy has simply become the popular whipping boy of the retail consumer electronics industry. There isn't anything about it that stands out in particular, other than its size in the market. The practices and products are otherwise unremarkable compared to their competitors.
And that would most certainly be wrong, but unless you have any evidence of this actually occurring--as opposed to being a bunch of hot air they're blowing in a show to their constituents--you're simply being a troll.
To me, that sounds like exceptional service, which by definition is not typical.
Besides, it does not sound like we are comparing the same type of issue here. I'm talking about repairs covered under a manufacturer's warranty, and how we fulfill those warranties. If you have an Dell laptop that has an issue covered by MFW, and you go to Dell about it, they'd have you ship the laptop to them, replace the faulty parts, and the whole process would take a few weeks on average. If you have a Dell laptop that you bought at Best Buy that has an issue covered by MFW, and you go to Geek Squad about it, they'd have to ship the laptop off, replace the faulty parts, and the whole process would take a few weeks on average. This is what I'm referring to. We handle manufacturer's warranty repairs according to the terms set forth by the manufacturers. If they want the unit sent in for service to replace just the defective parts, that's what we're obligated to do under their warranty. To expect otherwise sounds unreasonable to me. However, many people expect an immediate replacement of the entire laptop. They're asking the store to personally eat a few hundred dollars to provide an replacement that no one else would do, and then get pissed off when it doesn't happen. I'm sorry, but that's just wrong.
But of course, it all depends on the manufacturer's policy. Some are more generous than others. When we go to enter the information into our service order system, it will either tell us that it needs to be shipped off, or alternatively, that it is unable to be repaired and should instead be exchanged in-store. Most Apple products (including iPads) fall under this latter category, for example. Regardless, though, it's not our decision whether it gets replaced immediately or not, and I think it's rather unfair that so many people lay the blame at Best Buy / Geek Squad's feet for conditions that are set by the manufacturer.
Sure, it'd be nice if the store could ignore the manufacturer's policies and immediately exchange everything out for shiny, new units, and I'm sure that'd make the customers very happy (most of them...some are simply never happy), but that would be bad for business in the long run, because how long could you continue to take a hit on those items before your cash flow turns negative?
[And just for an explanation of how such a transaction would be processed: The store would do an out-of-coverage exchange, returning the original cost of the laptop. The store would then ring a new sale, applying the refunded cost to the new product, and taking a hit on any adjustments necessary to make sure the new item doesn't exceed the refunded amount. The old laptop is then considered "store stock," and would be sent out for repairs, which the manufacturer may not compensate the store for. Once returned, the unit would have to be sold "refurbished," meaning that they couldn't even recoup their original costs and come out even. This process is done occasionally, but once you understand that it's a losing game, it should be pretty obvious why it cannot be done for every single broken/defective item.]
I don't know where you're getting your figures, but they are incorrect. The current price for an "Annual Tune-Up" at Geek Squad is $99.99. There are a number of programs that make it simpler, but there is not one single, all-encompassing script that you run that will do it all for you.
Now again, I can't speak for all stores, but at my Geek Squad, we make a point to run hardware diagnostics on every non-new computer that comes through our doors. Most of the time, this just adds an extra 4-8 hours to the length of the repair and confirms that the hardware's acting all right. However, there's a very good reason for running it. If someone comes in claiming that their computer is running slow and they want a tune up, and we find out that the hard drive is starting to fail, no amount of tuning up will ever make it go full speed again, and the client is likely to experience serious issues in the near future (see: Google statistics on SMART reporting being the best indicator of impending failure). As such, if the computer will still boot into Windows, but is failing some diagnostics, we tell them so. We let them know that it will run, but it's likely to have a failure in the near future, that they should make sure to back up any important documents, and that it would be best to get a new harddrive.
Now, getting back to the matter of price, there are some services that I would say are on the steep side--data backups, in particular. But then again, it's not Geek Squad's fault if you've never backed up your data, do not know how to remove your hard drive and set it up in an external enclosure, or (and this is more commonplace than you think) completely unwilling to learn how to do such. In those instances, the price is what it is, and it's all up to the client whether their data is so important that it's worth that price. If it is, that's entirely their own decision; no one's holding a gun to their head.
Way to put words in my mouth there.
I was just making the point that it's rather hypocritical to lambast one side for opposing something they disagree with, but not finding anything wrong with the other side supporting something they do agree with. In both instances, it seems like the parties are letting their personal beliefs get out of control and are pushing for actions they really have no business pushing.
"I disagree and think we should oppose them" in my mind is no more significant than "I agree and think we should support them." To acknowledge one and disgregard the other is, as I said previously, an example of ignorant, partisan hypocrisy.
I agree that the mayors have absolutely no legal standing when it comes to blocking a business over personal beliefs. But then again, unless they actually take any sort of action, such as drafting legislation (not even caring if it passes), it's nothing more than a bunch of hot air coming from political blowhards, and nothing to get that worked up over, like the person I replied to seemed to be.
Well, I can't speak for all of Geek Squad, but I can assure you, I wasn't handled for my sales ability or for an outgoing personality. I was hired because I'm intelligent and know how to deal with computer issues. Yes, sometimes I end up doing some sales, but if you were to count the number of people I actually sell things to (or even try to sell things to) versus the number that I help--for free--at the counter, just answering questions and fixing minor issues, it's actually a very low ratio.
I think Geek Squad--much like Best Buy as a whole--gets a much worse rep than is deserved. I've said it before, and I'll say it again--they're far from perfect. But from what I've personally experienced, the majority of people who come to us leave satisfied. The problem is that the minority who aren't satisfied are VERY vocal about it. Moreover--and I could go on for hours with examples, but I'll avoid that here--many of the people who are dissatisfied, in my opinion, are that way due to their own unrealistic expectations.
Just a few quick examples: someone who has a TV with nothing more than the manufacturer's warranty comes in just weeks before it's about to expire and wants service done. Since we're bound to honor manufacturer's warranties by the manufacturer's terms, this means we have to send the unit out for service, which can potentially take a couple weeks. At this point, quite a few people just go apeshit. They think that any problem with their device, no matter how minor, entitles them to an immediate replacement to a brand new device, no matter how old their other is. Not only that, but when the unit comes back from service, they expect the warranty to magically be extended for another year (or however long it was originally for). When you have to break it to them that this simply isn't the case, they get pissed off, and then go shouting to anyone that will listen how awful Best Buy and Geek Squad are for something that is entirely out of our hands, and entirely standard across the industry.
Other times, people are just impatient. Computer maintenance takes time, pure and simple, to make sure you're not missing anything. Add on top of that the fact that sometimes you get a backlog of work and can't immediately start service on a person's computer. So, you tell them at check-in that it could take up to a week, and that you will give them a call just as soon as it's finished. So they call back the next day, asking if it's done. And then the next day, asking if it's done, and so on and so forth. When you try to explain to them what you're doing and why it's taking so long, suddenly everyone becomes the most important person in the world. "But I'm a student! I need it for class!" "But I need my computer for my business!" "But I have important emails to respond to!" People just don't seem to understand that EVERYONE thinks they're important, and we can't prioritize service based on how highly you think of yourself. If things were truly so important, you'd have a backup computer. Regardless, even if you manage to get the computer back to them in 4 days, versus a quoted 7, they show up all in a huff, complaining about everything taking so long, and proceed to go out and complain to everyone that'll listen how horrible service is. There's simply no winning with people. And God forbid if you need to send a computer to a service center for serious repairs...
This is pure conjecture on my part, but I'd say the biggest problem for Geek Squad does not necessarily come from the quality of the actual work done, but from the customer service aspect of the interactions. People simply hate being told something will take time, or that something is not covered (no, we won't send your device out just because you're getting near the end of your warranty if it shows absolutely no signs of malfunctioning). Unfortunately, I have no idea what anyone could do to fix that problem.
Incorrect, sir. The store actually does make a profit. And, in fact, profits are continuing to grow. The issue for the store is that profits are growing at a much smaller rate than they'd like. It's not like the store is actually losing money (yet), on the whole, but it could certainly turn that way if they don't make some drastic changes.
Perhaps because it becomes impossible to ensure even the slightest bit of consistency when using third parties?
Sure, Geek Squad isn't perfect--full disclosure: I work there--but if you thought the quality was inconsistent or lacking right now, just try coordinating 1000+ local third-party repair outfits. Talk about a nightmare waiting to happen.
That would be one register at the front...and probably one also in the PC department, and one in the videogame department, and a couple at Customer Service (yes, they can do checkouts)...and perhaps even a few more beyond that, depending on the size of the store.
Is what you describe any worse than Republican Governors declaring "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day" over the exact same comments? Or more generally, trying to give special benefits/priveleges to a company because you *agree* with their message?
Here, have another helping of ignorant partisan hypocrisy...
The article also does not explain what Android is, or what jailbreaking is, or what source code is.... If you don't know these things already, it either doesn't matter for you, or you should go Google them.
And for the record, it says right in the summary that XBMC is "your favorite media-center software." Seems pretty obvious that it's software that allows you to organize and watch all of your digital media.
That's the problem though--they can't. The whole reason Amazon (and others) can maintain such low prices is that they *don't* have to have a large number of physical locations, filled with employees to manage the merchandise. Now, I could see Best Buy scaling back the number of stores, but that will only do them so much good. The bottom line is that they cannot directly compete with the likes of Amazon and Newegg.
However, they don't have to, at least not 100%. This is something I didn't learn until after I starting working at Best Buy. I used to think just like you do--"Why buy it when I can get it slightly cheaper online, and all I have to do is wait a couple days longer?" The answer to that is that Best Buy simply isn't designed for folks like you and me. We already know everything we need to know about what we're buying, and therefore can skip right to the point of finding it at the cheapest price point. The real target is the "Average Joe"--he perhaps knows a tiny bit about what he wants, but not enough to make an informed decision on his own, and he's not savvy enough to do all the research on his own.
Granted, this still present problems. Eventually, that segment of people who are not knowledgeable will dwindle. But at least for the time being, if they scaled back the number of stores, there is still a large enough group of people willing to pay the extra money to be able to see and touch the actual products, and to ask more knowledgeable people for information and advice.
As for the long run, who knows? Unless there's some drastic change in the tech landscape, the only resolution I can see is for the number of stores to continue to be cut until it reaches some sustainable balance, with only a few large stores serving relatively large regions, sort of like IKEA. Anything else would simply be trickery (like having special editions of produts that are substantially identical to more generic models, but simply have a different designation to thwart comparison shoppers).