With the recent announcement of Dell selling its PCs at Best Buy, many began to wonder who would be responsible for the Tech Support. It turns out that Dell has authorized both the Geek Squad and Best Buy to provide support for the Dell systems purchased there. All Dell products sold through Best Buy will come standard with a 1-year warranty, a return policy of 14 days, and everything would be handled according to Best Buy's policies. Extended warranties are also to be purchased through Best Buy. For the rest of Dell consumers, this (hopefully) means there will be less congestion on their Tech Support phone lines.
View: Dell Products at Best Buy
View: Dell Products at Best Buy
good for dell that there selling in retail stores
i bet it will boost there sales by large amount
You can't throw the baby out with the bathwater on the GS. There are some Agents who are just plain bad and others who do some great and amazing work. It seems, though, as time goes by that the plain bad group has eclipsed the good group.
Back to the topic on hand...
This is perhaps the only way Dell can survive. HP has been working with BBY & the GS for several years now, including allowing any HP PC under HP warranty to be repaired by the GS (even if it wasn't purchased at a BBY store). This is a smart business move and means that Dell is finally ( ?! ) learning to play the game.
Last edited by DrIndianaJones on 14 Jan 2008 - 18:36
I agree. What a joke. I've been in I.T. consulting for over 10 years (with formal training and plenty of monkeying around) and have seen enough for me to steer anyone I know away from geek squad. I've heard stories of them charging ridiculous prices for simple things such as installing memory. I have another guy that I worked with had his parents bring their computer to geek squad (they live in another state so he couldn't help them) and ended up with a bill over $300 to clean up a few spyware items and uninstall programs that they deemed as unnecessary.
Sorry but it's wrong it charge someone $80 to install memory which takes all of 3 minutes or charge $15-$20 for every program you uninstall.
Sorry but it's wrong it charge someone $80 to install memory which takes all of 3 minutes or charge $15-$20 for every program you uninstall.
Sorry either they were not at a Geek Squad or they are mistaken.
Memory inst is $40 for as many chips in 1 machine.
There is no charge for uninstalling but that is included in the optimization $30 which also includes tweaks and updates. If you came in and only I repeat ONLY wanted unistalls done then it would be based on time to completion.
FYI most prices are avail on Geeksquad.com.
You can't throw the baby out with the bathwater on the GS. There are some Agents who are just plain bad and others who do some great and amazing work. It seems, though, as time goes by that the plain bad group has eclipsed the good group.
Back to the topic on hand...
This is perhaps the only way Dell can survive. HP has been working with BBY & the GS for several years now, including allowing any HP PC under HP warranty to be repaired by the GS (even if it wasn't purchased at a BBY store). This is a smart business move and means that Dell is finally ( ?! ) learning to play the game.
You don't think that the Geek Squad is a corporate attempt to turn what should be a decent paid career into a minimum wage job?
oh i turned my back on brand name computers long ago
i will always buy my parts and build them the way i want
if people have the know how, i highly suggest going that way too
it was a great learning experience, i know my computer in and out now
oh i turned my back on brand name computers long ago
i will always buy my parts and build them the way i want
if people have the know how, i highly suggest going that way too
it was a great learning experience, i know my computer in and out now
Even if you had discounts from sonewhere I doubt you could build an intel core 2 duo system with 1GB of ram and 300GB HD with Windows Vista Prem. on it for under $500 let alone $400 so for most people retail is fine. Too often people only remember the bad and not the good or care that the problem rate for all retail sold machines is about the same for all mfg and is actually quite low.
oh i turned my back on brand name computers long ago
i will always buy my parts and build them the way i want
if people have the know how, i highly suggest going that way too
it was a great learning experience, i know my computer in and out now
Even if you had discounts from sonewhere I doubt you could build an intel core 2 duo system with 1GB of ram and 300GB HD with Windows Vista Prem. on it for under $500 let alone $400 so for most people retail is fine. Too often people only remember the bad and not the good or care that the problem rate for all retail sold machines is about the same for all mfg and is actually quite low.
true
but then again i dont by parts based on price
Last edited by X'tyfe on 14 Jan 2008 - 20:03
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Abit IP35-E LGA 775 Intel Motherboard $67:
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HP PC2-5300 1GB - $5:
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GeForce 7300GS - $5:
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Windows Vista Home Premium Upgrade (Use Vista Upgrade DVD Trick for Clean Install) - $65:
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COOLER MASTER Elite Case - FREE:
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COOLER MASTER 600W PSU - FREE:
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Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 (Retail) - $99:
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Abit IP35-E LGA 775 Intel Motherboard $67:
http://www.fatwallet.com/t/18/784318/
HP PC2-5300 1GB - $5:
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Maxtor 320GB Hard Drive - $50:
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GeForce 7300GS - $5:
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Windows Vista Home Premium Upgrade (Use Vista Upgrade DVD Trick for Clean Install) - $65:
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Total Cost: $300
How long have you been building computers? Who will pay for the optical drive, the real RAM, keyboard, mouse..and 7300GS lol...if you have some $5 RAM please sell some to me
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Total Cost: $400
Last edited by XP1 on 15 Jan 2008 - 10:24
they need a computer that works not one that keep breaking down. since we have started selling Dell 2 of the 5 displays have died. only 1 HP in 4mo's
they need a computer that works not one that keep breaking down. since we have started selling Dell 2 of the 5 displays have died. only 1 HP in 4mo's
First I hear about the displays dying
Last edited by Mikee4fun on 14 Jan 2008 - 19:59
The truth is the technical ability when it comes to computers on a website like this would, on average, be comparable or higher than many stores or repair firms.
The truth is the technical ability when it comes to computers on a website like this would, on average, be comparable or higher than many stores or repair firms.
Here here. A lot of members on this site work for some pretty high end companies doing some pretty awesome stuff. Geek squad? pfssssh. Retail store computer repair personel are very poor at what they do (if you compare cost to result). Most of the work they do is using tools (virus removal? Charge customer $99 for Norton then charge $40 labour to sit and watch it check for viruses) Essentially they have limited computer knowledge and repair by a book.
The truth is the technical ability when it comes to computers on a website like this would, on average, be comparable or higher than many stores or repair firms.
Here here. A lot of members on this site work for some pretty high end companies doing some pretty awesome stuff. Geek squad? pfssssh. Retail store computer repair personel are very poor at what they do (if you compare cost to result). Most of the work they do is using tools (virus removal? Charge customer $99 for Norton then charge $40 labour to sit and watch it check for viruses) Essentially they have limited computer knowledge and repair by a book.
[sarcasm]
$99 for Norton? I don't know where you shop but its like $30-40, tops. Of course, if you want anything repaired shouldn't you use tools? I mean, i'm all for mechincs repairing my car with a pencil, a paperclip and a rubber band...btw just to use the same argument as most people, i'm sure you're well overpaid to do whatever it is you do, and it should be free.
[/sarcasm]
But seriously, there is more to just labor in the cost of things. What if your neighborhood repair man charges $10 for a ram install and your system gets fubar'd, what do you do? What if he sets up your network and in 1 week it goes down, is he obligated to come back for free, or does he charge you again? I mean 60-75% of all networking equipment sold gets returned because the user doesn't know how to make it work. I know most users on sites like Neowin don't need people like Geek Squad to help them, so its cool to dog them to make your e-penis look bigger.
I happen to run an IT business and I simply despise using tools unless absolutely necessary. I find it so much easier and quicker to diagnose and remove spyware and viruses manually and then run it over with an online checker while I work on other jobs. I also don't charge for the privelage of running the online tool when the customer can do themselves for free and it has no impact on my time as I am doing other jobs at the same time.
Last edited by petroid on 15 Jan 2008 - 06:49
I happen to run an IT business and I simply despise using tools unless absolutely necessary. I find it so much easier and quicker to diagnose and remove spyware and viruses manually and then run it over with an online checker while I work on other jobs. I also don't charge for the privelage of running the online tool when the customer can do themselves for free and it has no impact on my time as I am doing other jobs at the same time.
Is HiJackThis! a tool?
Last edited by Conscript on 15 Jan 2008 - 01:38
Yes, we charge $39 for RAM install (even people who know how to do it and know how easy it is sometimes don't feel confident putting it in for some reason, why its beyond me, but it happens). We also charge $199 to remove viruses and spyware (and no we don't use just 1 program, we use at least 10 with two or three passes on each one, we also have tools to help us get at the root of issues in the registry and more).
Our workers are also usually knowledgeable. This varies depending on which of the 800-1000 stores you visit employing the 10,000+ "Geek Squad Agents", but in any large group like that you are bound to find a percentage of bad apples.
It's funny how the stories bout incompetent Agents get much more play on forums and the internet than the stories of agents who took a computer from unbootable in any mode (safe mode included, blue screening within seconds of startup), repaired damage done by viruses in the registry, salvaged all the customer's important files, updated their software, had the computer running good as new, and even showed the customer how to resolve issues with 3rd party software installed that went above and beyond what they paid for.
Yet things like this happen fairly regularly. But I won't count on being praised here or on Digg or other sites where Geek Squad bashing stories get 100% of the coverage versus 0% for the Geek Squad success stories.
But that wasn't the main reason for my post. The main reason for my post is to say that if people think they are going to get free tech support like they can with Dell over the phone they are MISTAKEN.
Unless I have missed a meeting, we do charge for tech support. If you don't know how to use some software and want someone to walk you through it, you will be charged the appropriate training fees for help. The only thing you do get for free is repairs on the HARDWARE. A lot of has a misconception that 1 year warranty support includes someone showing them how to use their computer or taking care of software conflicts and viruses for free, which it does NOT.
(And it makes sense, if you buy a BMW at a dealership they will not teach you how to drive "under warranty"
The thing is that people ARE buying these services at these prices because of the simple fact that A) they do not want to to do it themselves, or B) they do not know how to.
Sure, Geeksquad charges some ridiculous prices on some things such as memory install, but if people KNEW how to install their RAM, they wouldn't be in the store asking them to do it in the first place.
You people have to remind yourselves that not every PC user is a savvy with their product. I would say that over 85% of PC users have no idea of how to repair their system or install certain hardware and that is what keeps the other 10-15% employed.
Do yourself a favor and value your time more. Unless you're just looking for experience and have nothing to do, if you can fix people's computers in a way that they become more educated and enjoy your company and their computer you have a very valuable talent. BTW if you are using someone else's software legallly to make money you have to pay for a comercial license for it, which would drive your cost of doing business up, along with business insurance in case a repair goes bad, and then what if someone decides to sue you if they claim any data gets lost? Yea silly things like that will drive up prices....
Great! Okay, so you charge what 50$ to remove a virus. Now take into account what GS has to pay to have the "Agents" in the field. Car Insurance, cell phone bills, car maintenance, car payments, people to schedule the calls, gas for the cars, the tools for the Agent not to mention the Agents pay. BBY has to charge that much so they can make a profit. BBY/GS is in the services market to make money.
Also, just because you use *free software* doesn't mean its legal to use to make money off of. Why do you think GS got slapped with a lawsuit from Sysinternals? But hey, ignorance is bliss, right?
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