Geek Expert
Triangle,#2Consumer Suggestion
Thu, July 23, 2009
After putting many of their largest owners out of business in places like Portland; Phoenix, Kansas City, Chicago, NY, Boston and Washington DC Geeks on Call has replaced these dedicated owners and quality w2 techs with Onforce's "so-called" techs as well. Ofcourse Geeks on Call attempted to use their own proven system but could not show a profit either and fired all company techs because the model was too expensive to operate. In discussions with regional managers at COMPUSA many of them blamed their use of Onforce for their initial closings saying those level of techs would not only miss appointments but when they got there could not do what they were hired to do so many computers and parts were returned to the store. Geeks on Call's new more profitable 3rd party tech model using Onforce allows them to still charge the same rates for what used to be certified techs with background checks driving company cars for Onforce techs who will work for peanuts, drive their personal vehicles while competing with them for their customers. I wonder if the thousands of Geeks on Calls customers across the country know their trusted, high quality neighborhood experts have been replaced with teenagers working from their parent's home with no experience or work ethic. Sounds like bait and switch to me.
Retrogeek42
Pampa,#3UPDATE Employee
Fri, January 16, 2009
To the rebuttal above: Yes, they take 10%, that's upfront. But several of your other points don't mirror my experience at all. I have about a 60% acceptance rate on my conditional offers. If I don't get what a job is worth, I let it go. Yes, some jobs go to the lowest bidder, but if someone else wants to drive 100 miles for a $60 ticket, that's their business, not mine. There will always be people unwilling to pay your price, it's best to let those people go. I have several buyers that route tickets to me right away, because they know I show up, ontime, and do the job. In a year and a half on OnForce, with over 35 jobs done for them, I have only had to block one buyer. I'd consider that a pretty good rate. I consider the 10% a bargain, as they route the tickets, take care of the billing, and process payments. On average, it takes me between 3-5 business days after a job is complete to get paid for a ticket and to have the money transferred to my bank account.
Davioh
Akron,#4UPDATE Employee
Wed, September 12, 2007
Hi, I have to unfortunately mirror the first complaint. POINTS: #1. They don't pay you a lot for the work orders (if you ask for more they just go get another worker). It is truely the low bidder here. #2. Also, if they ever cancel you only get $30. What if you drove an hour to the job and its cancelled? You only get $27 to cover your costs (they always take 10% off of everything). #3. the companies who use you sometimes are difficult to respond. A job could take 3 hours more than expected. You can call the company and be put on hold for 45minutes-1hour. You can email the company. Days go by and finally they give you $18 bucks more. Then you have to wait around for them to approve the payment. Then you wait for them to transfer it to your bank. An awful lot of trouble just to get paid what is earned. #4. If you complain too much about anything, call them too much, or email them to much they ban you as "unprofessional" anywhere from 1 week to 1 month. #5. In my case they told me something about setting up a bank account which was incorrect. All my funds are "in limbo" in their system with no way for me to get paid. Their general attitude is indifferent, after all they have a solid paycheck every week , why should they care? #6. Less of a new point than a restatement for emphasis, they take out 10% for absolutely everything you do. All labor, parts, even misc. expenses such as tolls and parking!!! And for this they set up a website and an 800# they won't even let you call.