Complaint Review: Geek Squad Best Buy

first of all guys, this customer brought computer to geeks to fix virus, right?

dont they check if it is working after work is done?

customer paid 200 bucks for dissabling his network? actually if geeks removed the virus, they should go to internet options and uncheck the "proxy"... techs understand what i mean. this kind of virus, spyware put the check there, that you can not connect to any website. malwarebytes removes these kind of viruses in safe mode.

i am tech with more than 15 years of experience. the other day one of my customer (before being my customer), took her laptop to geeks, they charged her 70 bucks for telling her that her harddrive was not working, and she had to change it. they said they could not turn it on. While laptop was there she called me (my other customer reffered me to her). I asked her if i can come and pick up the laptop with her. she oked. when we picked up a laptop and turned it on, i realised they never never ever opened it. the problem was with "...missing windows/system32 folder, files...."

it took me 15 minutes to fix it. i do not understand how geeks turned it on and did not see it. if you google this problem then you will find solution of this problem in microsoft website. it is the matter of copying "system", "default" folders back...

well, i do not believe that geek squad fixes customers computers fairly.

I have recently started working for the Geek Squad. The group of "geeks" that I work with are TOP NOTCH and know as much as or more than I do about computers and networking than I do. I have been doing computer repair, computer building, malware removal, etc. for over 12 years now. One of the guys in our precinct is actually A+,  MCSE and Cisco certified. I myself am A+ and MCDST certified with a Networking degree. 

I can't speak for ALL Geek Squad precincts though, just the one I work at. Our guys KNOW what they're doing. 

One thing most customers don't realize is that when malware is removed from a computer, it CAN take parts of the operating system (Windows) along with it, which CAN cause you to not be able to access the Internet and cause other issues.

SOP as far as I know is to reinstall the Operating System and drivers so that your network capabilities would have been fully restored...that is IF after the malware removal the Internet/networking capability is lost. Did you speak to a Geek at the store or an operator?

first of all I got the certifications to do the job that geek squad could not do the first time as well as a degree in computer network admin. second  the company I work for 65% of the jobs that i do get are cleaning up geek squads messes.   always forcing people to do the advanced diag and repair  to meet the numbers is a no no, second over promiing under delivering also a no no. Geek squad are untrained. although  only thing useful they can do is get something out of the case or ring  you up for a purchase. scam squad dont like their secrets exposed the svc managers are also just as dumb if not ignorant. Without your MRI and customizer disks where would you be?  most of you "agents" would not know what to do even if i got you a pc repair for dummies book and every tool in the I.t. industry at your finger tips.

Guy I feel really bad for you and while the xp2009 bug is a bad one it's easily removed with Malwarebytes. It's a free program (you can buy the upgrade which i have) and it removes 2009 and a host of other new viruses. I do tech work for a living and have had a couple of people bring me their stuff after the Geek Squad "fixed it". Ask around..most everyone should know someone that has computer knowledge. Hit up your IT guy at work...it can't hurt to ask. Any questions...feel free to ask, always happy to help.

Solid Snake: If you hate Geek Squad and the tools they provide you to make YOUR job easier... tell me why it is you still work for them. If you were half the IT professional you make yourself out to be, you could have a job with any company you wanted.

Perhaps it's that personality of yours - it comes across as a bit toxic.

To the OP:

Sounds like either miscommunication (which in my opinion is rather inexcusable) or you have a complete moron working on your computer.

I would recommend speaking to the Supervisor or a Sales/Services Manager at your store. The Geek Squad has 30 days to rectify your botched Service Order. Act on it, or you'll be out of luck.

Removing a tricky virus like that should in no way compromise the networking capabilities of the computer. What *may* have happened is the virus may have had code attached to crucial Windows file that handle your networking capabilities, but that's a bit of a stretch.

Regardless, you are DUE a restore. You *should* have been told *up front* that as a result of your infection, the computer may need a restore and a data backup. Geek Squad should *always* be asking if you have backed up your data lately, and then go on to tell you about the data backup service (which is valuable if your computer won't boot, but this doesn't sound like the case). Then they should explain that in the event (during your Advanced Diagnostic and Repair) that the virus is not removable, your system will need a restore for full functionality.

The data backup is arguable. Your Advanced Diagnostic and Repair includes a potential restore. It does not include a data backup. But due to the fact that your computer left the Precinct with less functionality you actually brought it, you have been frustrated and I bet you don't want to drive through all the Christmas shoppers pillaging Best Buy as we speak.

As with all customer situations, be calm, be understanding, but let your voice be heard.

In regards to "Geek Squad Agents are a bunch of n00bs" comments:
I can't speak for every hiring GM, but I was hired to work with some darn knowledgeable people, many of which (mostly due to the economy) are well educated, and have no place dealing with end user issues. Level II tech support is remedial for most of these Agents. I have a college degree myself, but I won't be any less of an outstanding employee because I feel I deserve to be elsewhere. Unfortunately, not every Agent has the same value system, or at least can't avoid applying it to how they deal with the customer, as if they feel they are "above" this trench tech job.

What many Agents lack are retail skills. Customer service skills. A Geek Squad Agent must be a functional and efficient hybrid to ensure customer satisfaction.

To customers in general:

I am a champion of customer issues, but to assume we bust our butts figuring out some of these issues for free because *you* don't feel it should cost that much must have forgotten that you pay for our expertise. Would you give the same load of garbage to a automotive technician? It is understandable to feel you are getting gypped in some situations, but please be civil. We aren't fans of being called morons because YOU deleted half your system32 folder and are livid because we have to restore your computer. I personally will never make you feel stupid or belittle you so, as well, don't accept that from a Geek Squad Agent trying to sell your services so they get a rollback on labor or meet productivity. It goes both ways, guys, let's make it work!

first of all the computers that geeksquad fixes i would say about 80% comeback as redos(including the service centers) I work as a geeksquad agent not on the line in which the customers i dealt with never had a complaint cause i am not a backstabbing kid who couldnt fix the right way the 1st time. second being limited to those tools only a few of them actually do work without those tools geeksquad would be dead in the water. since i started working for them i have done every redo my store gets in due to other techs stupidity & lack of intregrity. reason your are defending the agents is because you know what i say is the truth. The people in the service centers are incompetent to the point of losing peoples merchandise than screw the customer over by telling them lie over lie. I guess the supervisors reason that geeksquad is where it is is because they know how to rip people off who are stupid & when that 888 best buy number and when a lawsuit is started up geeksquad/best buy is very quick to settle and give hush money. ironic isn't it well once the public finds out the truth I think geeksquad will follow suit just like the firedog.

first of all the computers that geeksquad fixes i would say about 80% comeback as redos(including the service centers) I work as a geeksquad agent not on the line in which the customers i dealt with never had a complaint cause i am not a backstabbing kid who couldnt fix the right way the 1st time. second being limited to those tools only a few of them actually do work without those tools geeksquad would be dead in the water. since i started working for them i have done every redo my store gets in due to other techs stupidity & lack of intregrity. reason your are defending the agents is because you know what i say is the truth. The people in the service centers are incompetent to the point of losing peoples merchandise than screw the customer over by telling them lie over lie. I guess the supervisors reason that geeksquad is where it is is because they know how to rip people off who are stupid & when that 888 best buy number and when a lawsuit is started up geeksquad/best buy is very quick to settle and give hush money. ironic isn't it well once the public finds out the truth I think geeksquad will follow suit just like the firedog.

first of all the computers that geeksquad fixes i would say about 80% comeback as redos(including the service centers) I work as a geeksquad agent not on the line in which the customers i dealt with never had a complaint cause i am not a backstabbing kid who couldnt fix the right way the 1st time. second being limited to those tools only a few of them actually do work without those tools geeksquad would be dead in the water. since i started working for them i have done every redo my store gets in due to other techs stupidity & lack of intregrity. reason your are defending the agents is because you know what i say is the truth. The people in the service centers are incompetent to the point of losing peoples merchandise than screw the customer over by telling them lie over lie. I guess the supervisors reason that geeksquad is where it is is because they know how to rip people off who are stupid & when that 888 best buy number and when a lawsuit is started up geeksquad/best buy is very quick to settle and give hush money. ironic isn't it well once the public finds out the truth I think geeksquad will follow suit just like the firedog.

first of all the computers that geeksquad fixes i would say about 80% comeback as redos(including the service centers) I work as a geeksquad agent not on the line in which the customers i dealt with never had a complaint cause i am not a backstabbing kid who couldnt fix the right way the 1st time. second being limited to those tools only a few of them actually do work without those tools geeksquad would be dead in the water. since i started working for them i have done every redo my store gets in due to other techs stupidity & lack of intregrity. reason your are defending the agents is because you know what i say is the truth. The people in the service centers are incompetent to the point of losing peoples merchandise than screw the customer over by telling them lie over lie. I guess the supervisors reason that geeksquad is where it is is because they know how to rip people off who are stupid & when that 888 best buy number and when a lawsuit is started up geeksquad/best buy is very quick to settle and give hush money. ironic isn't it well once the public finds out the truth I think geeksquad will follow suit just like the firedog.

I will agree that some of the staff hired for the Geek Squad are not "IT Professionals" but you have to consider one thing. Why would the Geek Squad need a complete staff of fully trained IT Professionals? You think the prices are high now to get your computer fixed, it would be outrageous with a fully trained over qualified IT staff to fix end user PC Problems. Geek Squad does not need experts to check in PCs to be repaired. I can almost guarantee that behind every Geek Squad Precinct there is at least one Agent that is very knowledgable but absolutely refuses to deal with customers (Something about Computer Techs and non computer literates, it just irritates the techs dealing with them, nothing personal ask any tech) Any way all I am saying is that it is very ignorant to make blanket statements about a company especially with over 1000 stores nationwide. We are obviously doing something right, not only that, for every customer complaint there are at least 10 customers that praise us (or take the time to) I am sure it is more in reality.

As far as Geek Squad agents not knowing anything about computers. That MRI disc, it was created by agents for agents. It is a disc full of tools used to rid computers of viruses. Any tech has this on a flash drive or whatever. Ours is just compiled neatly on a disc and is regulated through the company. Any Agent that cannot fix computers for customers and works at the Geek Squad that cant perform the Diagnostic and Repair manually probably works at the front counter. That is all I am saying.

Don't think we don't know what we are doing because I ensure you we do, we wouldn't be as big as we are if we didn't. We would be closing over 150 stores and filing bankruptcy with red shirts on if we didn't.

as a member of geeksquad also with a degree in computer network administration and a few certifications under my belt with over 10 yrs experience. I can tell you flat out from what i have seen is that alot of my fellow agents are ate up, need some major schooling & experience before they start working on customers computers. hooking a computer up to geeksquad.com/jonnyutah putting in a star tag and letting some random yahoo who makes less than you do fix a computer is lame in which only a noob or an amaetur would do such a thing in which it shows you know nothing about your field. the public expects us the geeksquad to know about computers in which a majority of my fellow agents know abosolutely nothing(playing with the family computer with agent tweaks does not make u an experienced tech). it kind of makes us look foolish & with our track record shoving hush money in gift cards down unsatisifed customers throat isn't a way to do business.
second a majority of the geek squad precincts have the restore cds from previous model computers or keep the ones from old customers computers. They just do not tell you this & enjoy ripping you off when u the customer who has no knowledge tells geeksquad to order the OEM disks in which they have the cds in the back. So think about it would u let a noob pretending to be a tech calling themselves an "agent" work on your computer? LAST you wanna check your work order agreement in which the agents never tell you is that when they hook your your computer to jonny utah (AJU) they download a file on to your pc that runs kapersky , panda, trend micro, a squared & ewido in which more damage is done to your pc than when it came in98% of the time. without the cds MRI & customizer(aka agent tweaks) geeksquad would be dead in the water the sad thing is that its so true. what i am saying & if you don't believe me google jonny utah. & do the research for yourself.

I work for Geek Squad and I am 27 years old, I have a degree in computer information systems, I've been repairing computers for 10 years...I work there because it pays good and I don't have certifications that are required to get a "real" IT job...that being said, anyone who says that Geek Squad employees are high school kids with zero experience are 100% wrong. All employees need some sort of experience/schooling, the only thing that is not required is certifications. Many of the employees have those, but it's not required to get hired...

To the original complaint...they had performed what's called an Advanced Diagnostic and Repair which is code for "virus/spyware removal" -- The tech's job is to eliminate all of the infections and repair your operating system, they obviously forgot something, which does happen, but that's why there is a 30 day warranty on the work, if the computer is still not functioning properly the procedure is to check it back in and perform a destructive restore - which means they format your hard drive and re-install your operating system from scratch (using discs that you must provide). All of your data/programs will be lost if you haven't backed them up (they can back stuff up for a fee, of course).

Performing the restore will ultimately fix everything.

Another note: the free anti-virus programs are only good if you are very careful when online and aren't using Limewire or similar programs. Also, I wouldn't recommend using free software unless you know how to remove viruses. I personally use Kaspersky Internet Security.

These people who work for GS are people who can not get a real job in the computer industry, because of lack of schooling, or other. I have talked to someone on who works for GS and all that is required is a HS Diploma/GED. No other technical training is required. Well I have two degrees in Computers/Information Technology, A bachelors and a Master's degree and I know for a fact that the network properties/files, do not have to be deleted to remove a virus. And there are plenty of good FREE virus removal programs out there that do an excellent job as long as you keep them updated which is usually free also.

I use AVG which is free and I have no problems with viruses, another program by Windows which usually comes with a new computer or can be downloaded from Microsoft's website is Window's defender and Adaware.

I have never gotten a computer virus that was missed from free software. Geek Squad only tells you that stuff because they want your business and want to rip you off.

I took a computer in to them to have them fix a problem with it, I knew what was wrong with it, but I wanted to see what they would tell me... They told me that it would cost too much to fix the computer, as needed a whole new motherboard... (The computer was only a week old). What I did was disable the integrated graphics card so it wouldn't work, and they told me it was my mother board.. I showed them what i did, and that nothing was wrong and they said... "Hmm that was weird that the motherboard worked" What a farse.. These are people that either can make it in the IT world, can't get a real job, just like ripping people off, or don't know what they are talking about.. and maybe even ALL OF THE ABOVE??

GeekSquad has mostly young kids working for them that look like that are only a day out of HS with not computer repair experience or a lick of common sense and think that some of us are idiots. Well they thought they could bluff me.. Well I called their bluff.

just a word of advise... don't do business with Best Buy/Geek Squad

This is my biggest PC pet peeve ever! People buy brand new PC's they leave the HORRIBLE Norton 30 day trial & then let it expire leaving them bare & up for grabs. Get your computer wiped and start over with Kaspersky & Spyware Doctor. Don't fall for that "my best friend's got AVG, I'll use that, too" garbage. My friend wouldn't listen to me and his computer is dead. This is a capitalist country, don't leave your computer security to free crap. Hope you get this resolved. This sounds like it's this particular store. Thank goodness your plan is good at 1,045 Best Buy's. Take it to another store. And for further reference to anyone who reads this DO NOT BUY DELL!

I wil tell you flat out geek squad are not professional technicians. most of them have no formal training or schooling in I.T. I currently work for geek squad and the customers computers I fix only deal with me so they know who works on their computer no 1 else.
the complaints i see is up there cause they lie and cheat & sometimes steal parts from customers computers.
that problem with antivirus xp should of only taken a few hours to get rid of. but they rather run from these 2 cds MRI aka face and customizer (aka agent tweaks)to hide the problem or hook it up to AJU which is agent johnny utah in which some yahoo over in god knows where runs dos scripts to attempt to remove the viruses in which they fail 99% of the time your pc goes back and forth over below standards repair & service.
I only been there for a short time but I can tell you that GEEk squad are noobs and amateurs. The black and white outfit with the lame badge is a psychological effect that they are #1. more like in the dumps.
s****.> Their service center aka geek squad city they do more damage there than if it the product was at the store. so find a lawyer & get it on the news. those investigative reporters love to expose stories with stuff like this. 1 thing best buy hates is bad pubilicty

I would like to be the first to point out that YOU got the virus. For all you know, it had infiltrated your file system so deeply that when they finally removed it your machine was rendered useless.
Sounds like what we call a pebkac in this industry

Whoever told you that they disable the networking capabilities so that the virus doesnt return lied. The associate may have meant that you need to disable the network capabilities to REMOVE the virus... but even that doesn't sit well with me.

KNOW WHAT YOU'RE ENTITLED TO...
-On your service order (the one that you signed).. as well as your receipt that they gave you upon pickup.. it says you have a 30 day period for which to get your computer repaired if you feel that the repair didn't correct the issue.

Obviously it didnt correct the issue (and have caused additional issues) so you should likely take these measures..
1. Request a complimentary data back up of all your data. (because of reason #2).
2. Request a system restore. This will erase all information from your hard drive and make it like it was when you first took the computer out of the box.
The reason I recommend you take these actions is that networking issues are very hard to deal with once they have been messed up (which it seems it has).

If the supervisor doesn't allow the data backup you could perform it yourself.. or ask them to service your computer again to fix the networking problems which they created by taking the virus off.

You may also want to try to get sympathy from the agent by letting the agent know that this is your only computer to get internet access.. and what use is it to you without networking capabilities to access the internet.

I wish you the best of luck. If you have any questions, feel free to update your post and I will respond accordingly.