Comments for LEAKED: 5 More Geek Squad Manuals

LEAKED: 5 More Geek Squad Manuals

2007-03-30T23:47:28Z

Here's 5 more Geek Squad manuals. They're not a fascinating as the troubleshooting manual, but perhaps if you use the Geek Squad you can use them to make sure they're doing their job right. Or you could learn how to open up your own Geek Squad store. Sort of like a lemonade stand, except instead of turning lemons into a tasty beverage, you turn laptops into lemons.

Data Backup Checklist
VoIP Training
Double Agent Handbook
Camcorder Training Guide
WiFi troubleshooting leave-behind
All 6 manuals (ZIP)

This is probably the best part:

THE GEEK SQUAD GUARANTEE Here's the deal. You are the customer. If it weren't for you, the Geek Squad wouldn't be in business. If, for any reason, you aren't completely satisfied with the service you've received, please call us. We'll remedy the problem, free of charge.

How well do you think they live up to that guarantee? Let us know in the comments. — BEN POPKEN

Comment from erwebb on 2007-07-07

2007-07-08T00:21:33Z

Are many of these Best Buy and Geek Squad horror stories really true, or are they just all made up and hyped up?

I am really beginning to wonder.... I am personally witnessing the nightmares one of my friends is currently going through with a new BB computer. We've been back and forth to Geek Squad with that computer, and I've had conversations with Geek Squad agents there where they are not able to solve some problems with the machine.

I've always had a computer since 1988, and I fix, repair and upgrade all my friends computers. He wanted to use GS because of the warranty on the computer. Even though GS did the supposed repairs, I ended up installing all the needed patches, software updates, firmware updates, remove spyware, defrag the hard drive, etc. Stuff that GS never really did.

My friend doesn't know how to do all that stuff, being that he is in his 60s, and is not that computer saavy. I fix computers for the fun and challenge of it, as it is a hobby / side biz for me. It concerns me that I know more about computers than some of the teenaged Geek Agents that I met in the store.

It is even more scary that I am more of a Computer Geek than some of those agents. I have 10 old computers at home, with every version of Windows on them that I constantly practice on doing repairs and upgrades to. I also learn from clients computers I fix or upgrade. I constantly read and learn everyday about new changes in the computer industry.

I even once thought of applying to work as a Geek Squad agent, but now I am changing my mind after reading all the complaints people are saying about GS and Best Buy...

If anyone can share with me their real nightmare experiences with Geek Squad, I would be interested in learning the truth behind all the hype.

Comment from Cpujunkie11 on 2007-05-04

2007-05-04T11:47:11Z

I used to work for geek squad over 6 months ago. I never read any of that crap in those manuals that they were supposed to have each agent know and understand. I have repaired and built pc's since the early 90's and I know for a fact that most agents are not even certified or have college degrees in computer sciences, however, if you have a pc and don't know how to fix it, that's your own fault. I personally have the education and experience to fix pc problems on all platforms and can charge whatever I want to correct it. So if people want to complain about problems that 99% are user error, get a clue. Capitalism works that is why americans take their pc's in to geek squad, because they look good in their uniforms and they are too fat and lazy to do it themselves. That's why I got paid alot more money than most non certified so called techs because they didn't know anything. I personally feel they could raise their rates as high as they want and people will still pay for it just like gas because they are too stupid to take time out and learn how to use and repair their own pc's
Go Geek Squad..

Comment from Laptop Freak on 2007-05-03

2007-05-03T11:16:06Z

Here are some laptop service manuals for HP, IBM, Dell, Acer and Toshiba. Very helpful for all DIYers.

Comment from teitoku on 2007-04-05

2007-04-06T04:59:00Z

"Thousands of cunsumers use Geek Squad every day. How many horror stories have you heard? 50? how about 100? Better yet, 1,000? That's still less than 1/10th of a percent of the people they help out annually. That's like saying they had a bad day once every 2 years. "

You could also read it as "less than 1/10th of a percent of the people they help out anually know enough to recognize what a poor job they do."

Consider it.

Comment from antirem on 2007-04-05

2007-04-05T18:37:15Z

I worked there. They dont teach you anything and i dont think there is any value in them.

There was a new employee who didnt know that the boot menu was... he got the hang of it after i taught him what the BIOS were.

I posted a copy of their sacred mri cd (a runined version of bart pe) on demonoid.com

Comment from synikal on 2007-04-03

2007-04-03T07:49:42Z

Ooooh, I'm so bored and have such an important life and I am so much smarter than someone who's passion in life is computers. I will never need geek squad to fix my computer. However, many of you or someone you know will. So what. Thousands of cunsumers use Geek Squad every day. How many horror stories have you heard? 50? how about 100? Better yet, 1,000? That's still less than 1/10th of a percent of the people they help out annually. That's like saying they had a bad day once every 2 years. Big deal. Tell me you have never had a bad day at work? I am not and was never a Geek Squad employee, but come on people. Do you have nothing better to do with what little free time you have? Go ride a bike, read a book, go to the park. ENJOY your day....don't spend it complaining about something this retarded. This David and Goliath mentality is destroying american life. How big are is the consumerist following? Let's say a million people. Hello...there's almost 300 million people in america!! Stop wasting time complaining and do something positive with your life. consumerist=communist for sure.

Comment from lukeangel on 2007-04-01

2007-04-01T13:34:11Z

There is no reason to call Guidance (877 number listed above.) Guidance is only for scheduling deliveries so they would not be any help, that is why it is not for customers.

Comment from RagingTowers on 2007-03-31

2007-03-31T22:20:48Z

I love the word "Communiqué"

It sounds so tactical!

Comment from tvaughn05 on 2007-03-31

2007-03-31T20:30:17Z

Anyone else see this?

When calling Guidance you should call 1-877-433-5773.
THIS IS FOR AGENT USE ONLY!
If customer needs assistance,
they should call 1-800-GEEK-SQUAD
for help. This number should not
be given out under any circumstances.

I think we should have someone call that number...

Comment from Etatheta on 2007-03-31

2007-03-31T19:25:49Z

1. With the Mac issue only the geek squad stand alone stores work on mac. And since best buy just announced thay are closing 5 of the 14 its a dieing breed of Agent

2 The reason anti-spyware and anti-virus programs are listed for voip is becasue bets are if the person has voip they have the internet. and most of the time no internet + no protection = viri and spyware infections.

3. The manuals as stated in previous comments are 2 years out of date and new ones are in the process of being made. in regards to the DA manual mentioning the forums. Geek Squad has a private forum that is used for agents around thte country to communicate news and such with each other

Comment from Skorme on 2007-03-31

2007-03-31T18:49:50Z

I have been an Agent for about a year now, and just because these manuals are leaked out to the public 3-4 years after they are made, people on here can still make judgement calls.

Come on here people just because there are manuals on basica rules and guidelines doesn't mean we are freakin' robots. Be realistic.

If everyone did everythign by the manual then I wouldn't drive anymore because I would hate getting pulled over for going 2 MPH over in a 55.

Comment from FLConsumer on 2007-03-31

2007-03-31T10:43:56Z

on the VoIP manual (last page):
"Complete Solution:
* Anti-Spyware Installation
* Anti-Virus Installation"

WTF does this have to do with VoIP (in terms of the Vonage/Callvantage setups they're doing)?

Comment from ptkdude on 2007-03-31

2007-03-31T08:19:58Z

There's no way in hell I'd trust them to work on my computers when they clearly don't know how to deal with spell and grammar check. Some of my favorite errors from the "Double Agent Handbook":

"Clenliness", p. 7 (a topic heading!)
"The Geek Squad message boards are a good place to communicate other agents..." p. 33
"Return clients phone calls in a timely manner." p. 34 (it should be client's or client)

Comment from modestmac on 2007-03-31

2007-03-31T05:50:12Z

Some of these manuals are WAY outdated...so take them with a grain of salt..

And about the Mac's, only certain Agents are able to handle them. Instead of just giving basic training they would rather only send DA's that are familiar with them.

Comment from nevesis on 2007-03-30

2007-03-31T04:31:43Z

I love how the "day in a life of an agent" uses PC anywhere on a kitchen PC to vnc to living room computer to check basement email server.

Not even close!

Real geeks use their laptop -- once they get to work -- to VPN to their home network, then VNC (using free and secure TightVNC, not expensive crap PC anywhere) to their desktop. On their desktop they load their email client, which connects to the IMAP server they're hosting out of Equinix Chicago. Of course, they can't just check this from work, because their server has strict filtering allowing only a few IPs from the C block their ISP assigned to them when they got the T1 wired to their house.

Comment from ckanitz on 2007-03-30

2007-03-31T04:23:09Z

kenposen:

I worked for best buy in the summer of 2005. I sold
a ton of Toshiba A75-S206's to people and eventually bought one myself.

Then it had the same problem you described.
I found this website:
http://www.a70m30xsettlement.com/

Also to fix it yourself:
http://www.irisvista.com/tech/laptops/ToshibaA75/satA75_1....

Hope this ends your plight.

Sorry for selling bad products, everyone.

I never, ever sold a single Geek Squad add-on...I swear.

Comment from geel on 2007-03-30

2007-03-31T04:17:18Z

@ ldnyc

I think that its only at certain precincts that are in best buys with the full mac lineup and a have at least a least one tech that does mac....I some areas only have one mac tech that goes around to the different locations

Comment from clip-on_tie on 2007-03-30

2007-03-31T03:21:47Z

@Ben
These documents are quite old, they've been revised several times. You should email Robert and ask for the current ones. Seriously.

@ldnyc
There are a lot of things not mentioned in these guides, Geek Squad has always supported Macs, from day one. I'm quite sure that if we read only a select few of any companies outdated internal documents, we might be able to take jabs at them...

Comment from ldnyc on 2007-03-30

2007-03-31T01:31:49Z

They claim to support Macs if you call them. Yet there's no mention of Macs at all in any of these guides. That explains so much...

Comment from kenposan on 2007-03-30

2007-03-31T01:22:33Z

I have posted my problems with GS in the past but I'll post something in their favor recently. After the post earlier this week about Mr. Stephens trying to make things right, I emailed him about my situation (essentially, I was told my old computer wasn't worth fixing so I bought a new one, at BB of course).

I received a prompt reply stating GS would give me some free support in the future. Not much needed as I have only used external techs twice in ten years, but at least Mr. Stephens appears to be trying to make things right with customers. Now that just needs to work its way down the ladder.

Comment from Atsukunare on 2007-03-30

2007-03-31T01:13:38Z

My sister-in-law took her laptop that she purchased at Best Buy (with extended warranty) in for service - the connector to the power supply was semi-broken, and you had to fiddle with it to get it to connect and charge.

After having the computer for a week (I don't know if they sent it out to Geek Squad Central or not), they told her it was not covered under her extended warranty, because she must have "abused" it. This is patently false, and she takes better care of her laptop than anyone else I'd ever seen.

Being the non-confrontational type, she didn't make a fuss, but didn't let them charge her $150 for the repair.

She (and I) would NEVER take an extended warranty from Best Buy ever again (to the point of laughing in the salesperson's face), and NEVER allow Geek Squad to touch the machine.

I appreciate that GS is now slave to the dollar since Best Buy's buyout, and perhaps the new head of operations there intends to actually make things right. But these tactics have driven me off completely.

Comment from forgeten on 2007-03-30

2007-03-31T00:35:44Z

@mccxxiii: if its stuff they need to log back into the computer I wouldn't see an issue with that. Seeing how they need that stuff to fix your computer

Comment from mccxxiii on 2007-03-30

2007-03-31T00:21:30Z

Anyone else concerned that on page 29 of "Double Agent Manual" the GS employees are instructed to make notes of the clients' "usernames, passwords, wep keys or other vital information"?

I'm paranoid, so I'd probably change my password if someone had been in my house messing with my computer, but still ... this just seems creepy to me.

Comment from DrTweeker on 2007-03-30

2007-03-30T23:31:50Z

By far this is the best line:

"There should be at LEAST one paragraph of notes for each hundread dollars spent."

This is from the handbook on how to take notes that the customer sees, on each case. So more money buys you more bullshit from the agent's pen.

Comment from DeadPlasmaCell on 2007-03-30

2007-03-30T23:21:23Z

I worked for a call center recently and worked for Geek Squad specifically.. When you call the 800 # you got connected to us, "Mission control" It was hard to talk to these people and try and sell them on these services for so much $ I still have the training manual that has all sorts of sh*t in it about the services, methods, etc.. Many of the services offered like, Virus & Spyware removal, which is like $150 I believe, you can do at THEIR website for free! They have virus & spyware scanners and stuff you can use.. it's crazy.