CBC-"Getting Gouged by Geeks" link

[No1sFanboy]

http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2007/10/03/geeks/

This was so funny I had to share the link with this community. This seemed like the most appropriate section.

 

[vertigo_2000]

The computer industry is moving toward the likes of the medical industry. It's getting to the point where noone can know everything about everything. More and more "geeks" are specializing in different fields. Networking, hardware, programming, etc.

The same problems from the medical industry are showing up in the computer industry... general practitioners do not know enough to effectively diagnose the problem and come up with an accurate solution.

I think Marketplace just "discovered" this.

 

[itotallybelieveyou]

LOL with $120 could've gotten Curcial 800mhz. Sweet Vid

 

[utaka95]

Makes me wish I had actually charged several of my friends for the work I did for them! They woulda had to pay thru the teeth if it wasn't for me! Live and learn.

 

[notherdude]

Just watched the whole thing and it's pretty damning. The Geek Squad was the worst, next of course to that one thieving moron they focused on. (who DIDN'T get fired after all!) The GS didn't fix the problem and charged a bundle for just showing up and giving horrible advice. Somehow I'm glad I will be able to confidently tell people that the precious little Geek Squad SUCKS!! And then direct them to that video.

Having been in and around the PC repair business for 15 years I can't say I'm totally shocked but I would have expected better.

They never told us exactly what the symptoms were. That was unfortunate.

Does anybody know what a so-called tech at Geek Squad makes? Do they get commision for selling parts or total billed? Sounds like they bill pretty high per hour. Anyone know? These pricers we saw were Canadian right? How does that transfer to US? Yes, I'm too lazy to look it up.

 

[No1sFanboy]

I just transferred some money today and only got about 98.5 CDN cents for each US dollar though the nominal rate is almost par. We still generally pay about 10-20% higher for most items.

Re. the symptoms I would guess after they purposely damaged some contacts on a stick of ram that the desktop machine would not even boot. With the notebook I wouldn't even guess.

I found it funny how the nerds on site guy could barely keep a straight face himself when he told the woman it would be about $2000 to repair.

 

[notherdude]

I'd expect maybe some error beeps for bad ram, but then again maybe the PSU was shutting down right away if anything was shorting. Hard to say.

If the system was totally non-responsive it would have been a much tougher troubleshoot then if it was simply crashing or else error beeping. Perhaps a bit of a contrived problem since it's not often you'll find physically damaged RAM in a customer's PC. They still should have found it, mind you.

The one guy immediately saying it was hard drive should be flipping burgers instead of fixing PCs.
.

 

[StevieD]

I'd expect maybe some error beeps for bad ram, but then again maybe the PSU was shutting down right away if anything was shorting. Hard to say.

If the system was totally non-responsive it would have been a much tougher troubleshoot then if it was simply crashing or else error beeping. Perhaps a bit of a contrived problem since it's not often you'll find physically damaged RAM in a customer's PC. They still should have found it, mind you.

Yep. Intentionally damaged stuff can be difficult to diagnose, if not impossible doing a quick desktop diagnostic test.

All things considered the guys doing desktop diagnostics did quite good concluding there was a physical problem.

 

[philmcknight]

Just watched the whole thing and it's pretty damning. The Geek Squad was the worst, next of course to that one thieving moron they focused on. (who DIDN'T get fired after all!) The GS didn't fix the problem and charged a bundle for just showing up and giving horrible advice. Somehow I'm glad I will be able to confidently tell people that the precious little Geek Squad SUCKS!! And then direct them to that video.

Having been in and around the PC repair business for 15 years I can't say I'm totally shocked but I would have expected better.

They never told us exactly what the symptoms were. That was unfortunate.

Does anybody know what a so-called tech at Geek Squad makes? Do they get commision for selling parts or total billed? Sounds like they bill pretty high per hour. Anyone know? These pricers we saw were Canadian right? How does that transfer to US? Yes, I'm too lazy to look it up.

Geek Squad Agents are not on commission. In regards to the pricing for the services they offer, I honestly would not use Geek Squad services myself. Having said that, Geek Squad is well within their right to price their services at the rate they deem fit. If clients wish to pay that price, it's on them. It's a free market. In regards to pay, most starting agents will make just below or at the level someone with an A+ Certification would expect to get elsewhere. Having said that, hours and pay are all based on meeting certain financial goals. If they are not met, labor budgets are cut and that's when the fun begins because you end up with not enough agents to complete the work in a timely manner.

 

[smeezekitty]

LOL This thread is 5(!) years old