No electronic device lasts forever. Every computer, smart phone, iPod, or TV will eventually break down or crash and will need some sort of repair expert to service the product. How do you decide where to have the repair done? Do you want to go to that mom’n’pop shop down the road? Or do you want to go to that well known chain of nationally successful computer experts? The choice is yours, but first let’s take a look at the difference between the Geek Squad at national Best Buy and that local New Jersey guy.
Ask Them
One of the best ways to find out anything about a person or a company is to simply ask a person who is most familiar. And not just the sales person at the company who is trained to say nothing but positive things with a smile, but a genuine person who wants you to know exactly what goes on behind the scenes. A great source is someone who has previously worked for that company. Whether it is the little guy or Best Buy, someone who has worked for that company can tell you all about it and whether it’s worth your time and money. Most people who work for small businesses stay there until it’s time to move on, so finding past employees is less easy. Post Geek Squad guys are everywhere, a dime a dozen. That’s our first clue. I think we can agree, little New Jersey shop scores 1-Geek Squad scores 0.
What They Said
One former Geek Squad member spilled the beans and told all about the inside of Geekdom. He divulged a number of things such as: Most new Geek Squad members lack the ability to perform basic troubleshooting tasks on machines, and they remain unable to identify the problem. Many times people are sent to the Geek Squad from other parts of the store to help sell services and products — more selling, less servicing of devices. Geek Squad members are taught to push the customers to buy warranties before they complete the repairs. They are also taught to drain as much money from a customer as possible, even over little things like software issues. If a Geek Squad member is down on sales, they get a pep talk about how to push sales better, similar to speeding ticket quotas. In the Geek Squad there are no promotions, no hierarchy of experience and seniority; there is only Geek Squad member and Geek Squad manager. Not only does that make it hard to find the smartest Geek Squad member to service your device, it also makes it so the Geek Squad members don’t want to put forth as much effort. It becomes quite apparent that the Geek Squad at Best Buy isn’t a great place to work, or to send your devices. So, local New Jersey shop 2, Geek Squad 0. (source Glassdoor)
Ask a Friend
Who do you trust the most? Do you trust Facebook comments, web blogs, the newspaper, or your close friends? Chances are you have a friend that has had work done on their electronics. Ask them to give you a referral. Have them tell you who they went to, who they didn’t go to and why, and what they thought about the price and the service. That local New Jersey computer repair shop will probably give you the exact same quality service and satisfaction they gave your friend. Always ask a friend. You can trust them to tell you the good and the bad about any service they had done. Another rule of thumb is don’t give second chances. If a friend or relative gives you a bad referral, you shouldn’t reward that company by giving them more business. There’s no reason that someone who has proven their incompetence should have the chance to prove themselves incompetent a second time. You’ll be sorry if you do. Generally, if you ask people, unless they have stock in Best Buy (BBY), they will give you a thumbs up for that local guy, and thumbs down for the Geek Squad. So, local New Jersey shop 3- Geek Squad 0.
Check Them Out, Up Close and Personal
Take all the ideas and presumptions out of your head; put them in a box, and throw it away. When you form an opinion about a business, make sure to form it based on observation and facts. Don’t think of a company as good or bad because it is big or small, or because the manager looks like a weasel. Go to that business and watch what goes on. Are the existing customers happy and plentiful, or are they grumpy and annoyed? Look at the staff. Do they look like they can’t wait to get out of there, or do they look like they are eagerly waiting to help you and find out what your problems are? First impressions are made in the first 7 seconds of exposure. From the exposure you’ve had in those first 7 seconds, pick one word to describe what you saw. If that word is positive, you’ve probably found a winner. If that word isn’t so positive, like rushed, impatient, or exhausted, you’ve probably found the Geek Squad. What’s your word to describe that little computer shop from Hillsborough? My word is “four.” Little computer shop 4- Geek Squad 0.
Every computer job is different, and it takes a knowledge expert to get it done. You need to find that guy, so take the advice above and give Dave’s Computers a try. You just might be glad you did!
