It seems like a number of comments in the Backslash stated that many projects are a waste and don't contributed to anything. I would have to disagree. Researchers and institutions would not put in all of the effort of setting up such a program if they didn't feel something good would come out of it. It is just that some projects do not publicize their results as much as others. Regardless, even if it did come up with nothing useful, it would at least be known that projects need to be planned better for results. This leads to further development in distributed computing.
First of all, he handed me a winter hat for his custom motorcycle company and I didn't realize there was anything in it until I left. I know we weren't supposed to accept tips but theres nothing I could do about it. Its not my store, its our entire district, or whatever its called now. Also, I am not saying its overprice, I am saying you aren't getting the quality you pay for. I took pride in working there but how can you be proud when you know half the stores may be legitimate and the other half not. Furthermore the unit wasn't fubar, it was a 5 minute fix that the other morons I worked with couldn't figure out. You talk about customer service, how is making a customer pay $1100 for a new computer when their old one isn't even broken?
There are no requirements for techs to be A+ certified. Geek Squad supervisors were supposed to be certified a year ago but they continue to push off the deadline.
Unfortunately for you, Best Buy still controls your mind.
I am a former Geek Squad agent. I worked there for two and a half years and it paid great enough to get me through high school. It used to be good before it was switched over to the Geek Squad.
You are taking a small service center in Best Buy, making a new advertisting campaign and feel, and tripiling your business in a matter of two years. When that happened Best Buy was in so need of Geeks that they hired many morons just to fill the spots. I am not saying every Geek Squad agent is bad, there are many talented people. However, at my old store, 50% of the current techs don't know enough to fix a computer and are more based on ripping off the consumer by charging them as high as $600 labor on a single repair.
Integrity doesn't exist in many parts of the Geek Squad. Some of the things that our store used to do is amazing. Here is an example, a Dell that wouldn't boot, said something about PXE and cable not connected (don't remember exact message). So, of course this was too confusing for the techs who worked on it. The PC Area Manager tried sellign him a $1100 computer package. I checked the person in a few days prior and saw they were buying a new system. I didn't think it was necessary so I took a look myself. Change the boot priority off of network boot and the system worked fine. I save the guy $1100, he slipped me a $50 tip later and then I got bitched at by the manager for loosing the new computer package. Corporate XP keys, overcharging, not doing all the work... common things for the Geek Squad at my store.
In fact, that $129 you are paying for a in home diagnostic, or any other service turns between 78% and 84% profit margin according to management. I understand companies need to make money, but you aren't paying for quality, you are paying for cars, ugly uniforms (they felt degrading to wear, I preferred the old black service polos), and gas for the Geeks that cruise in their car when there is nothing to do.
The fact that the focus in our store was more on selling is partially why I quit. That and shitty management. Stay away if you can, if not... be ready.
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It seems like a number of comments in the Backslash stated that many projects are a waste and don't contributed to anything. I would have to disagree. Researchers and institutions would not put in all of the effort of setting up such a program if they didn't feel something good would come out of it. It is just that some projects do not publicize their results as much as others. Regardless, even if it did come up with nothing useful, it would at least be known that projects need to be planned better for results. This leads to further development in distributed computing.
First of all, he handed me a winter hat for his custom motorcycle company and I didn't realize there was anything in it until I left. I know we weren't supposed to accept tips but theres nothing I could do about it. Its not my store, its our entire district, or whatever its called now. Also, I am not saying its overprice, I am saying you aren't getting the quality you pay for. I took pride in working there but how can you be proud when you know half the stores may be legitimate and the other half not. Furthermore the unit wasn't fubar, it was a 5 minute fix that the other morons I worked with couldn't figure out. You talk about customer service, how is making a customer pay $1100 for a new computer when their old one isn't even broken?
There are no requirements for techs to be A+ certified. Geek Squad supervisors were supposed to be certified a year ago but they continue to push off the deadline.
Unfortunately for you, Best Buy still controls your mind. I am a former Geek Squad agent. I worked there for two and a half years and it paid great enough to get me through high school. It used to be good before it was switched over to the Geek Squad. You are taking a small service center in Best Buy, making a new advertisting campaign and feel, and tripiling your business in a matter of two years. When that happened Best Buy was in so need of Geeks that they hired many morons just to fill the spots. I am not saying every Geek Squad agent is bad, there are many talented people. However, at my old store, 50% of the current techs don't know enough to fix a computer and are more based on ripping off the consumer by charging them as high as $600 labor on a single repair. Integrity doesn't exist in many parts of the Geek Squad. Some of the things that our store used to do is amazing. Here is an example, a Dell that wouldn't boot, said something about PXE and cable not connected (don't remember exact message). So, of course this was too confusing for the techs who worked on it. The PC Area Manager tried sellign him a $1100 computer package. I checked the person in a few days prior and saw they were buying a new system. I didn't think it was necessary so I took a look myself. Change the boot priority off of network boot and the system worked fine. I save the guy $1100, he slipped me a $50 tip later and then I got bitched at by the manager for loosing the new computer package. Corporate XP keys, overcharging, not doing all the work... common things for the Geek Squad at my store. In fact, that $129 you are paying for a in home diagnostic, or any other service turns between 78% and 84% profit margin according to management. I understand companies need to make money, but you aren't paying for quality, you are paying for cars, ugly uniforms (they felt degrading to wear, I preferred the old black service polos), and gas for the Geeks that cruise in their car when there is nothing to do. The fact that the focus in our store was more on selling is partially why I quit. That and shitty management. Stay away if you can, if not... be ready.