Geek Squad: Difference between revisions
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Geek Squad technicians have been caught on numerous occasions searching and copying pornographic content stored on their customers' computers without permission. When asked about the practice at a conference, Geek Squad founder Robert Stephens went into a long-winded diatribe about bloggers, who originally broke the story, not being real journalists and adamantly refused to answer questions about the porn scandal<ref name="sfgate.com">Blue, Violet. "[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2008/02/21/violetblue.DTL The Geek Squad's ongoing porn problem]", SFgate.com. Retrieved on October 25, 2009.</ref>. |
Geek Squad technicians have been caught on numerous occasions searching and copying pornographic content stored on their customers' computers without permission. When asked about the practice at a conference, Geek Squad founder Robert Stephens went into a long-winded diatribe about bloggers, who originally broke the story, not being real journalists and adamantly refused to answer questions about the porn scandal<ref name="sfgate.com">Blue, Violet. "[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2008/02/21/violetblue.DTL The Geek Squad's ongoing porn problem]", SFgate.com. Retrieved on October 25, 2009.</ref>. |
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Revision as of 06:55, 8 January 2010
 | This article contains content that is written like an advertisement. (October 2009) |
| Geek Squad logo | |
| Industry | Services |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1994 |
Key people | Robert Stephens, CI |
Number of employees | 24,000+ Agents |
The Geek Squad is a subsidiary of the Best Buy Company and is based in Richfield, Minnesota. Originally founded in 1994 by Robert Stephens, the company offers various computer-related services and accessories for residential and commercial clients. The Geek Squad provides services in-store, on-site, and over the internet via remote access, and also provides 24-hour telephone and emergency on-site support.
Locations and partnerships
Geek Squad "precincts" exist in all Best Buy stores in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, China, and the United Kingdom. They offer in-home and remote/over the phone services.[1][2] There are also a number of "standalone" locations referred to separately as Geek Squad Stores.These consist of full-time "Agents" who specialize in PC repair, troubleshooting, data rescue, in-home PC setup, and wireless networking [citation needed].
Best Buy terminated its partnership with Office Depot in Orlando, Florida, where Geek Squad precincts were located in 10 Office Depot locations.[3] The brand is also located in select FedEx Office locations. In October 2006, it was reported that Geek Squad would be launching in the United Kingdom in a joint 50-50 venture with Carphone Warehouse, where today it exists as both an onsite service and a remote repair service. It is now fully operational with onsite services in Greater London, the Home Counties, the South Coast and North West areas of England, and phone and remote repairs undertaken from Tulketh Mill in Preston (Lancashire).[4]
Recently, Best Buy partnered up with online tech support provider, SupportSpace to offer remote Virtual Agent services to its customers. SupportSpace was founded in 2006 and provides immediate online tech support services.[5]
Total Services
In 2007, Geek Squad officially added Magnolia Home Theater installation teams as well as Best Buy Mobile Installers to the Geek Squad brand. The change was titled, "Total Services" and was aimed towards the combination of major Best Buy services into one cohesive unit. Best Buy mobile installers and Magnolia Home Theater installers have now switched from their previous grey and blue uniforms to grey and orange shirts with grey cargo pants. This change removed all "Magnolia Home Theater Installation" branding and was replaced by "Geek Squad Installation Units" instead. This has now allowed Geek Squad to incorporate home theater installation as one of the in home services offered via telephone. All services previously offered are still available.
Despite this change, Best Buy's appliance installers were not incorporated under "Total Services"[citation needed].
Staff
Geek Squad employees are known as Agents and are assigned titles similar to those used by law enforcement authorities and the military:[6]
Uniforms and vehicles
Geek Squad Agents wear white short-sleeve dress shirts, black clip-on ties with the Geek Squad logo pin, black trousers or black skirts, white socks, other colors are not allowed, and black shoes with the Geek Squad logo imprinted in the sole. Agents holding certain positions including on-site Double Agents, Special Agents, and Directors of Counter Intelligence carry a metal police style badge. [7]
The Minnesota Historical Society added the official uniform to its permanent collection in 2000.[8]
Geek Squad Autotechs and GSIs (Home Theater Installers) wear a grey button-up work shirt with the Geek Squad logo on the front and optional certification patches on the arms. Matching pants or shorts are worn as well as a bright orange undershirt. These agents also have the option of wearing a grey Geek Squad hat and/or black Geeks Squad nylon jacket.[citation needed].
Double Agents & Special Agents drive black-and-white Volkswagen New Beetles (dubbed "Geekmobiles") with an orange-and-black company logo on the door. Geekmobiles in California are all-black with white roof and running boards, due to a request by the California Highway Patrol that the vehicles no longer resemble the paint scheme of their police vehicles (a violation of California law).[9]
Due to a number of financial issues, including a large number of parking tickets and thousands of dollars lost for parking garage fees the Geekmobile program was ended in Manhattan New York City Geek Squad Precincts.[citation needed]
In the UK, Double Agents use Smart cars. However, due to congestion charging, agents operating in the center of London usually rely on the London underground system.
Process and procedure
Geek Squad in-store agents work in a "first come first served" manner, are non-commission, and base repair work on a flat fee, a process designed to avoid time constraints and excessive fees. Geek Squad Precincts offer Express Service at an additional $150 on top of the service cost, which guarantees your computer will be repaired by 5pm the next business day, or a full refund of the express service fee. Recently, Geek Squad added a "check repair status" feature to their website, allowing clients to check their computers' repair status online.
In-home services are also available from Double Agents, although they typically cost around $100 more than their in-store counterparts for the first service. Geek Squad also offers "911 repair service", where appointment can be made and completed in-home on the same day, and carries a $500 emergency fee on top of the original service charge.
Controversy
 | The neutrality of the style of writing in this article is disputed. |
Geek Squad technicians have been caught on numerous occasions searching and copying pornographic content stored on their customers' computers without permission. When asked about the practice at a conference, Geek Squad founder Robert Stephens went into a long-winded diatribe about bloggers, who originally broke the story, not being real journalists and adamantly refused to answer questions about the porn scandal[10].
At least one former Geek Squad employee has stated that the practice of surreptitiously searching for pornography on their customers' computers is not restricted to isolated employees, but is often shared with management.[10]
In 2006, Geek Squad was sued for allegedly using a pirated version of Winternals' (now SysInternals, part of Microsoft) ERD Commander 2005.[11]
In 2007, A Los Angeles woman filed a lawsuit against Geek Squad when an Agent allegedly left his camera phone recording in her bathroom, to surreptitiously film her 13-year-old daughter taking a shower.[12]
Also in 2007, Geek Squad was believed to be using an unlicensed version of SpinRite[13]
Geek Squad in popular culture
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- The term "Geek Squad" originated in the movie Heathers.
- In the TV series Chuck, the main character works as a member of the Nerd Herd at a Buy More and drives in a Nerd Herd-branded car, respectively alluding to Geek Squad, Best Buy, and its GeekMobile.[14]
- In the episode "Make Love, Not Warcraft" of South Park, when Randy and the two heads of World of Warcraft take over the demo display at Best Buy, in the background is a sign saying "Nerd Patrol", similar to the logo of the Geek Squad.
- In the US version of TV series The Office, the tech help-desk Geek Squad's logo has appeared (logo on the wall of Toby's cubicle and a toy of the Geek Squad Volkswagen car atop a filing cabinet, in "Michael's Birthday" and "Drug Testing", respectively).
See also
References
- ^ "Best Buy Asia", Best Buy press release. Retrieved on June 2, 2007.
- ^ "Geek Squad (Canada) acquires PC Lifeboat", PC Lifeboat press release. Retrieved on September 1, 2005.
- ^ Tomassi, K. "Best Buy Drives Geek Squad Via Office Depot", Forbes online. Retrieved on December 1, 2006.
- ^ Durman, P. "Geek Squad comes to Britain", The Sunday Times online. Retrieved on April 4, 2007.
- ^ support.geeksquad.com
- ^ "Geek Squad Ranks and Titles".
- ^ "geeksquad.com - Agents Up Close"
- ^ "Geek Squad History".
- ^ "California Vehicle Code Section 27605"
- ^ a b Blue, Violet. "The Geek Squad's ongoing porn problem", SFgate.com. Retrieved on October 25, 2009.
- ^ InformationWeek Global CIO. "Best Buy's 'Geek Squad' Accused Of Software Piracy", informationweek.com. Retrieved on November 13, 2009.
- ^ Wired. "More Like Peep Squad", wired.com. Retrieved on November 13, 2009.
- ^ Wired. "Geek Squad Caught Again. This Time it's Piracy?", wired.com. Retrieved on November 13, 2009.
- ^ Tevlin, Jon. "Dates aside, TV's Nerd Herd rings true to Geeks." Minneapolis Star-Tribune, 27 November 2007.