By Bessie King
Geeks: the new superheroes.
The geeks have endured a long period of living in the shadows. But now, thanks to the Geek Squad, they are saving people in technological despair and rising to fame for it in Best Buy’s new computer customer relations service.
Whether it is the prices or the services, customers are sure to at least get comic relief from their computer sorrows. The “agents,” as they like to be called, wear short-sleeved white shirts with clip-on ties that have Geek Squad tie clips. They also sport black pants that reach the ankles to show off white socks and black shoes, and shiny badges clipped onto their black leather belts that denote each agent’s position.
Robert Stephens, a self-described geek, decided to start the Geek Squad, a computer consulting business, in 1994. Stephens, a Chicago native and graduate of the University of Minnesota with a degree in computer science, worked at his university’s Human Factors Research Laboratory while he was a student. He became the lab’s lead engineer and earned scholarships from the U.S. Navy and the FAA building flight and driving simulators, all while planning to start his business.
The Geek Squad served the Minneapolis area until Best Buy noticed the rising business and offered to buy it from Stephens in 2002. Now, all Best Buy stores in the U.S. and Canada are equipped with a Geek Squad precinct and agents ready to serve.
“The Geek Squad is a good business idea because it gives people options for computer repair. Whether in the store, at your home or over the phone, people can talk to a trained technician one on one while paying competitive prices,” said John Milton, a counter intelligence agent senior at Best Buy Landmark in Boston.
“The image is kind of stupid, but if they like to dress that way and call themselves geeks I don’t really care; it’s actually funny,” said Toby Shepherd, a sophomore political science and history major.
Besides having a distinct uniform, the squad has affordable prices. A standard in-store computer set up is free. Computer upgrades, like memory or anti-virus installation, range from $29 to $59, and maintenance services, like computer cleaning or data backup, range from $29 to $89. Customers can also pay flat rates for in-home or in-office services, varying from $129 for computer set-up to $229 for advanced computer training, without an hourly rate.
“This is the best thing about our services that is not found anywhere else: customers can talk to experts in their homes and get the help they need until the problem is fixed, paying only by the job and not by the hour,” Milton said. “We make sure we get it done, and get it right the first time.”
Bob Weir, vice president for Information Services, said the idea behind the Geek Squad is interesting but, as far as Northeastern is concerned, is not competition against ResNet.
“It’s an entirely different system from what we are trying to work on,” Weir said. “They are generating customers where we are trying to help the community, and if nothing else, at least we have them beat on price.”
Currently, technical help services are paid by student tuition, and are available 24/7 over the phone at 617-373-HELP, or at the Snell Library InfoCommons or Speare-Commons, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Weir said most students on campus have enough computer knowledge to avoid using basic services from businesses like the Geek Squad. For more elaborate technical problems, ResNet is there to help, he said.
“There is the day-to-day care and then there are the technical problem solutions. Our students pretty much have the first covered, and we are ready to solve the rest, I don’t believe the Geek Squad will be seen a lot on campus,” Weir said.
The busiest time for getting on-campus technical help is typically in the fall, Weir said, but every year Information Services works on new ways to serve students effectively and quickly. Although students say there are advantages to services like the Geek Squad, the price for ResNet is best for a college budget.
“I think [Geek Squad] services are good for people who have no clue about using computers, but I don’t think I’d use the services if we have ResNet available. The good thing about them, though, is that they can also set up home entertainment centers or other things you buy at Best Buy,” said Rob Mirabelli, a middler history major.
Since being bought by Best Buy, Geek Squad agents have been trained to set up televisions, surround sound systems and other electronic goods that customers want set up immediately. For the purpose of following customers home, the Geek Squad also utilizes “geek mobiles.” The black and white Volkswagen Beetles, equipped with GPS tracking device and mainframe built-in computers, carry the Geek Squad logo on both doors and are used to follow customers home for set-ups or for house calls.
Whether the Geek Squad becomes the new “it” group for technical support or just joins the list of technical services is still to be determined by customers. To learn more about the business, visit www.geeksquad.com or call 1-800-GEEKSQUAD. Meanwhile, agents just hope people use their services.
“Geeks are here to stay, and it’s a great thing because there are many of us out there,” Milton said.
