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180 Comments
- remygs, on 11/30/2007, -3/+193Best buy is just like politics. The more you learn about its inner workings, the more you want nothing to do with it.
- gifflen, on 11/30/2007, -1/+104I used to work for the geek squad for a while as it did pay moderately well.
What was originally supposed to be a side job to mess around with computers and get paid turned into a bunch of red tape ***** and managers who knew nothing of technology but insisted on enforcing pointless policies. I really enjoyed helping people with their problems and often enough policies stood in the way of this actually occurring. Sure we were non commission but all that boiled down to whats the fact that they were slave drivers of numbers and we got nothing in return for it.
As I cannot speak for all of the precincts and am only making generalities based on my store it's hard to say how accurate my experience was across the board. However in the words of XKCD "*****. That. *****." - haveacigar, on 11/30/2007, -2/+78heh... i work in PC World in the UK and recently someone brought in their computer because they couldnt log in. I took it behind the desk, plugged it in and asked him what his old password was. It worked and loaded me straight onto his desktop, which as it was windows vista had the sidebar loaded.
This would have been all well and good, had he not had pictures of him and his girlfriend fornicating for the camera.... - fezzler, on 11/30/2007, -5/+77I worked at Best Buy for a little over a year, and I got to know how the Geek Squad worked. At the location I worked at, they had a computer in the back room which they used to go onto Google to find out how to fix computers. Seriously. I looked up all the things they had searched for, and there were a lot of gems. Such as, "How to install a hard drive", "What is RAM", and "iPod broken". The worst thing about the place is how they have a CD binder about 5 inches thick filled ENTIRELY with pirated software that they use to fix the computers. Copied versions or Norton, Windows, Ad-Aware, all that stuff.
- Rageous, on 11/30/2007, -1/+50As another former Geek Squad Agent, I can confirm gifflen is on point with 100% accuracy. Couldn't have said it better myself. Perhaps the most unexpected unpleasantry of the job is how little repair and how much upselling really goes on. There's a reason Best Buy fills open Agent positions with good sales performers in other departments, instead of people with A+ or MCSE certs.
- isellmacs, on 11/30/2007, -0/+41Be happy you got the dude and his girlfriend.
I've seen many a goatse style desktop involving multiple old guys, one of which is inevitably the client.
They apologize afterwards for not changing their desktop, but then it's already too late. - ZeppFreak89, on 11/30/2007, -5/+40wow
this is weird because my store (being as i used to be an agent as well) was a store that had are hard drives confiscated due to having software that would recover data off hdd that had been formated. we used this software once in a while i will admit to pull a kind of robin hood.
after they took are hard drive the physical search of are store was crazy. they opened every single cabinet and looked at every disc and hdd we owned. luckly we only had that one piece of sofware for we were all threatened by our jobs. luckily no one lost their jobs in the "interview" stage due to all of us being new agents (including our supervisor and senior).
In the interview stage we were asked many questions and it was like they were only expecting certain answers to come out of our mouths and wouldn't settle for less. after this incident we were forced to take a new approach to customer back up which was a whole new hassle.
they required us to copy anywhere from 3-5 gb of data and then erase it. and so on and on until the back up was complete.
this wasn't the only thing they had us change. the changes got worse and worse to the point that i no longer work or associate with this company. Their styles of selling and repairing are so crooked.
Their were some point i remember in my job that i felt so immoral b/c i would have to charge $199 to some sweet old lady who only had a few minuscule problems i fixed in a few minutes.
some food for thought
and thought for fuel - sgglynn, on 12/01/2007, -1/+35"At the location I worked at, they had a computer in the back room which they used to go onto Google to find out how to fix computers. Seriously."
Thats how ALOT of problems are fixed. No offense, but no one should be expected how to know everything, and even if you do, it's always good to confirm you know what you're doing. Google while working at a helpdesk is how I learned all of my helpdesk skills. Google while working in Systems and Networks is where I learned most of my S&N skills. - floridiot2, on 12/01/2007, -1/+34This is why i always carry my iPhone when I'm doing surgery. When I'm not sure where to cut, i just Google it.
- AdonisEffect, on 11/30/2007, -1/+31Hey there, welcome to the Internet. You must be new here.
- lordtyros, on 12/01/2007, -1/+29BREAKING: Innocent Best Buy Employees Tasered For Just Doing Their Jobs!!!
And digg goes wild - smacksaw, on 11/30/2007, -1/+26Makes you think that surgical gloves should be standard in computer repair. I'm sure the keyboards are nothing but jizz and boogers.
- kevinmoore, on 06/13/2009, -1/+21What... like the back of a Volkswagen?
- Kurisuku, on 12/01/2007, -2/+21Hey man, if you're in the Geek Squad, they equip you with three things: Sunglasses, A reformat CD, and a backup of that reformat CD. From there you are a computer PRO.
- stevenb, on 11/30/2007, -0/+19Or you know how to read a book. ;)
- digitalarcanum, on 12/01/2007, -0/+19Being a former geek squad agent myself, I can agree with what he says. For the most part managers at Best Buy are 20-something high school graduates or college dropouts who don't know ***** about technology or computers, or have a passion to learn about it. Like most computer shops, all they see in people is money. Inter-store drama was more important to most than actually doing their jobs. Oh and the VW bugs? only senior agents, those who have no ***** life and have been there for a while and have A+ certifications get to ride in them. I find it funny that I'm not even A+ certified, and I work part-time, yet I maintain systems more complex than a geek squad agent could ever imagine, make more sitting on my ass doing near nothing when everything is running well, and don't have some ***** salaried manager blowin' steam up my ass to upsell useless services I can get for free.
- davidjunit, on 11/30/2007, -0/+17So what was 'headquarters' doing remote scans OF!? Do these Geek Squad employees come in and dock their drive full of pirated software and customer data at work!? I read the entire thing but I'm a little confused. Are stupid people keeping questionable material on their work computers? Come on, this should be common sense, people. Keep the junk at home.
Sucks for the good folks that lost their job. - spimp08, on 11/30/2007, -7/+24dugg for "Pants were shat."
- latrosicarius, on 12/01/2007, -1/+18So the guilty people kept their jobs because they just lied. And the innocent people got fired because they were honest, forthcoming, and by-the-book.
Way to improve your employee population, Best Buy!! - Devotia, on 11/30/2007, -1/+18While working there, did anyone have sex in an uncomfortable place?
- norman619, on 12/01/2007, -3/+19Meh. The Geek Squad is a joke. Hey charge you a premium for sub-par service and techs. I helped a friend of mine buy parts for a new system a few weeks back. He lives 2 states away so I couldn't be there to help him troubleshoot any issues. Well he did run into an issue. I did the most I could with him over the phone and determined either his CPU was shot or the MB was. Told him to have it tested at a local shop. He lives in the boonies so his only option was Best Buy. They had his damned system for over 2 weeks and were unable to give him a straight answer about his problem. These fools couldn't even tell him if his CPU was OK or not. With manual in hand he found the problem the "Geek Squad" couldn't find after over 2 weeks. Mind you my friend is a computer newbie. ***** posers.
- darkcss, on 11/30/2007, -2/+18then go to myfreepaysite.com
they got it, but don't sign up with your usual email address. I literally get 3000 spam a week in the email account I used to open it with. - MattB123, on 11/30/2007, -1/+16Classic!
- smacksaw, on 11/30/2007, -0/+15Wow, a Geek Squad MCSE? That is wrong on so many levels.
- inactive, on 11/30/2007, -1/+16If your not being sarcastic, its a type of certification test that is composed of hardware and software portions. Basically means you can work with computers very well.
- fezzler, on 12/01/2007, -1/+16Oh I absolutely agree! I do the same. I was just trying to point out how ridiculous some of their searches were, showing how little they know about computer repair.
- andrewcsayer, on 11/30/2007, -9/+24***** corporate cowboys "just doing their job" and not having a clue about anything need should be tasered.
- wedgemartin, on 11/30/2007, -2/+15I'll bet you looked cute in that little Volkswagen
- MikeFallopian, on 12/01/2007, -0/+13If you get wrongfully terminated, sue - posting on a blog isn't going to get you the compensation you deserve.
- Godlike, on 12/01/2007, -2/+15A+ means that you know how to memorize a lot of pointless facts that it's much easier to google so that you can get jobs over people who are vastly more qualified only by experience.
Not that I couldn't just go pass it, but I don't want or need it. Low end tech certs are complete ***** and any IT manager worth a crap will ignore them.
It might mean you 'know' *****, but it doesn't mean you can troubleshoot or even that you have a brain rattling around in there. - Godlike, on 12/01/2007, -0/+11People really pay 200 dollars for that? I'm in the wrong business.
- mrblue182, on 11/30/2007, -1/+12and this kind of stuff was unexpected from best buy?
- themoosejuice, on 12/01/2007, -1/+12Rule #1 - Always carry a voice recorder into meetings (or cell phone that can record) I did that at just the right moment one day and now my boss will never fire me. He has thought about it, but I got the goods on him so he keeps me around.
- norman619, on 12/01/2007, -2/+13You think having a cert is any indication of your true knowledge/skill? I went to college and got a BS in computer science. Get this. I didn't learning much more in collage than what I had already learned on my own. I only needed the piece of paper to get a real job. That's all these technology degrees and certs are. While I was in my 2nd year of college I had already landed an admin job but since I didn't have the degree completed I was paid a slave wage. After I completed the degree I was paid MUCH more reasonably. The level of expertise didn't change. It's pretty sad.
- reevolutn, on 12/01/2007, -7/+17dude, learn some engrish
- ScottyMcBaggs, on 12/01/2007, -3/+13"I didn't learning much more in collage than what I had already learned on my own. "
- Dragon88, on 12/01/2007, -0/+10Man, this makes me wanna work at BestBuy. You get free amateur porn, and can just lie instead of doing real work. I gotta go apply.
- norman619, on 12/01/2007, -0/+9Yeah yeah I made a boo boo. :-)
- dgh1973, on 12/01/2007, -2/+11The first response to this is classic... and was along my lines of thinking as I read this article.
"You can't really be surprised from a burn when you work with the devil, can you?"
So true. - dptechie, on 12/01/2007, -0/+9The x makes it sound cool.
- stevenb, on 11/30/2007, -2/+11google: 10minuteemail
- ryanwritescopy, on 12/01/2007, -0/+9Computer repair people are just car mechanics in khakis. Don't leave your change in your ashtray.
- isellmacs, on 11/30/2007, -0/+8As somebody who's done retail computer repair of various forms for varous outlets for almost 10 years, I think it speaks when I say that i've never encountered a case where financial or personal data was taken from a customers machine.
Porn was another story... sigh. - heathuff23, on 12/01/2007, -5/+13Holy ***** dude!!! Do me a favor and order this like yesterday....
http://hooked-on-phonics.com - AnarchoGoth, on 12/01/2007, -0/+8Blackmail is such an ugly word.
I prefer Extortion. - tempusrob, on 12/01/2007, -0/+8"but kinda your fault for leaving it on your drive and taking it to a shop."
C'mon, that's like saying I shouldn't leave my toll change in the cup holders when I take my car to the shop. Certain things should just be non-issues if there exists any modicum of ethics in these employees.
Or maybe I'm just too optimistic... - IllBeBack, on 12/01/2007, -2/+9"They charged a freind's parents $200 just to set up a Wireless Network"
If your friend's parents agreed to pay that amount, then what is unfair about that? - ElRayQuieres, on 12/01/2007, -1/+8Yeah, you can do anything with google, but you should know how to install a hard drive or what RAM is if you're paid to fix computers.
- digitalarcanum, on 12/01/2007, -1/+8the absurd upselling, and insane cost for services is what made me leave Best Buy.. combined with a lack of hours and ***** managers. I couldn't sell best buy's "services" with a clear consious. Now, this may sound stupid, after all this is a retail shop and all, but I genuinely like working on computers and teaching people better practices when using them.. I'm a computer technician and now, I'm a data center operator, not some two-bit swindler.
- inactive, on 12/01/2007, -0/+7Wow. So you think you have the right to snoop through other people's stuff? People put their trust in you to fix their computers are you look through their private personal files? That's sick. There's no reason or excuse for doing something so low.
This is why the average consumer simply buys a new computer when theirs has problems. And why people don't recycle their old ones. You can't trust the people at the local shop to do the right thing. It's a sick, sick way of thinking you have. -
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