Geek Squad

Thanks to Andrew at the Best Buy (Geary St) store in San Francisco. While he was unable to help us with our iPod battery problem, he gave us some very good advice on how to get it serviced. We really appreciate his honesty and help (he helped us even though it was his lunch hour).
Andrew — wherever you are — you rock!

Was browsing an offshore restaurant site and wound up with some issues.
Took my laptop to The Geek squad and the diagnostic showed some issues…
Got is back 3 days later with 8 viruses removes and a new a/​v recommendation.
The staff were really professional and gave additional input for browsing.
Glad to have such a great support team close by!!!

I’m giving GS a 5-​star review in-​part to offset all the emotionally charged 1-​star reviews, but also because they resolved my problem and an error on their part astoundingly well.
I went to exchange an Xbox one because the kinect had stopped functioning. They offered to send it out and expedite a replacement. Turns out they only expedite replacements on the console itself. 2 weeks later and they realize their mistake (which was accepting the whole bundle to begin with). They responded by giving me a brand new AC: unity bundle off the shelf.
Above and beyond, pure and simple.
I see a lot of people insulting the clerks at the pickup counter for not having BA-​in-​CIS– level knowledge of computers. Please. The pickup clerks and the Geek Squad employees are completely separate entities. Don’t get it twisted.
And give GS a break! They deserve it!

This rating is based on the actual technicians that came to my home for the installation. I call them Team Jason. The installation of my new TV went like a dream and these two Jasons were professional, polite and thorough. Because of them, I would look here first for the purchase of major electronics. Please see the letter I wrote to their supervisors below.
Sirs–
I feel badly that I have not provided this feedback until now after the service was rendered back in December, but I guess that in a way, after all this time if I am still sufficiently impressed to want to provide it, then it should count as twice as powerful.
Everything one does in our world today has an element of service within it; some professions even more than others. As someone who has prided himself on providing exemplary support in all my positions in the past, I have heightened awareness and sensitivity to the experience when it is as spectacular as that which Jason *** and Jason *** provided with the installation of my home theater during your busiest time of year.
This was a first and huge step– I never imagined I would spend so much on a television and I would not have had I shared my plan with wife beforehand. We live in a studio apartment so she nearly dropped a brick (pardon the vernacular) when she came in and saw a 59″ plasma 3D mounted on our wall. However, Best Buy should provide financial bonuses to your staff because it was these two who sealed the deal with me to become a loyal and true customer of theirs and yours.
These guys are 100% true professionals who treated me with enormous respect, politeness, and provided thorough explanation and instruction so that I could easily and quickly begin to enjoy my new investment. Techies tend to be a little snotty at times about those of us who are less gifted with technology. These two were the opposite. They enthusiastically and friendlily answered even the stupid little questions that I asked twice! They left me feeling capable and empowered and most importantly– looking very forward to my next occasion to make a significant purchase and benefit from their top drawer service.
Congratulations for having two great people on your team who set the standard several notches above for everyone else!
Please feel free to call or write–
Highest regards to the Team Jason–
PS: were I able to speak to the President of the company about these two, I would. Please pass this feedback on to everyone as far up the ladder as possible. Everyone deserves to hear about the good stuff!

Okay, there really should be a no-​zero-​option because it pains me to even give them one. My Samsung 32″ flat screen stops working. No problem, I think. I have a 4-​year Best Buy warranty and the TV is only 2 years old. Pack it up. Drive it over on Saturday. Wait in line for 45 minutes (only 1 person ahead of me the whole time). Get up there. Have my receipt but the service plan numbers misprinted somehow? Spend 1.5 hours there with them trying to figure it out even though it plainly states that I paid $ 79 for a 4-​year plan. End up having to leave with my broken TV and need to call on Monday to sort things out.
Make the call Monday morning. After being on-​hold and transferred for more than half an hour, I get a service technician who schedules an in-​home repair appoint for me the following Saturday from 8am — 12pm. Great! Right? NO!
I have waited here for the past 5 hours. No one ever showed. Called the Geek Squad. They said «We don’t know what happened. The tech’s phone is turned off. Oh well, we’ll reschedule you.» Naturally, I demanded to speak to a supervisor, who after a long, long, long time figured out that the technician had called in sick. No one else could come out because the sick tech is holding my necessary TV parts. «Sorry, we usually try to call people when a tech calls in sick. Guess we didn’t this time. Whoops.»
THEY SUCK! DON’T USE THEM! AVOID AT ALL COSTS! Best Buys’ Service Plans aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on.

Hell to the no. I hate giving bad ratings but then again, I hate receiving bad service. I have a 3-​year performance service plan for my laptop, which is only 2 years old.
About less than a month ago, my laptop suddenly froze and wouldn’t start up again. Everytime I turned it on, the monitor wouldn’t display anything but I could hear something working internally. No bueno especially when finals are around the corner. So naturally, I took it to BestBuy. Of course, the laptop started working again when I attempted to show the Geek Squad agent my problem that had kept me up the whole entire night. The agent volunteered to run a diagnostic on it overnight. The next day, he called me saying the diagnostic reported nothing wrong with my laptop. As I was on my way to pick it up, he called me back saying the problem occurred again and that he’d expedite it to the main facility to have them get it fixed and that in the event of any major changes, I’d be notified. Fine. Sounded reasonable.
A week came and went and I never got a call. So I finally decided to call them. After being hung up twice and being put on hold, I finally got through to an agent who told me my laptop was ready for pick-​up. Wow. Thanks for keeping me updated. I picked it up, started the laptop up right there, and found no operating system on my laptop! Apparently, they replaced my hard drive without calling me and without re-​installing an operating system. Are you freakin’ kidding me?!? Then the agent had the balls to try to charge me $ 200 to re-​install what should have been there already. Until the first agent that I initially brought my laptop to said I didn’t have to pay. He said he felt bad so not only did he re-​install the operating system but also installed Microsoft Office 2010. Awesome.
Until I started encountering more problems with my laptop at home — blue screens and displays of «file is corrupt. Please re-​install operating system» and «reboot not found.» What the hell did they do with my laptop!!! When my laptop froze on me and wouldn’t start up again, I took it back. Once again, my laptop started working in front of the new Geek Squad agent I talked to. So he said there wasn’t anything he could do but run another diagnostic. So he did and of course, another clean report. But same thing is happening again at home.
I know electronics are not reliable (as the second Geek Squad agent informed me with a hint of superiority) and I have not had the best of luck with technology (everything always seem to fail on me) which is why I purchased this stupid plan in the first place — so that you guys can make it more reliable for me. This has definitely made me hate Geek Squad and along with it, Best Buy for refusing to check them.

0 stars. I called to make an appointment for a car audio installation service. Helpful enough person made one for two days later — it took about 10 minutes for him to check if they had the parts for my car. He said they would call if additional parts were needed. No one called so I showed up for my appt. The two men there were abysmal — no greeting, no communication while I watched one try to find out what parts would be needed for my car on a tech sheet (so obviously no prep was done for the appt.). Finally, after standing there for 25 minutes, I asked if I should schedule an appt. for another time. He told me no one would be able to help me! Thanks for nothing! Avoid them! A total waste of time!

Geek Squad at Best Buy on Masonic — WATCH OUT !!!
Even though I bought my new Dell computer from here just 4 months ago, they wanted to charge me over $ 200 despite the computer being under warranty… the guys behind the front desk have a very unfriendly, fuck you attitude… I got screwy customer service when I first bought my computer here, the data transfer from my old computer to the new was very poorly done… and now, removing a virus from the computer? I was warned that the hard drive may be damaged, that a backup needed to be done which would cost atleast $ 130, and another $ 100 for doing the diagnostic, blah, blah, blah…
These guys dont know a damn thing about customer service or customer care… and I think, we, the customers, need to get them to get out of there, and get someone else in, someone who knows how to provide customer service in the 21^st century…

This place is INFURIATING. Like another reviewer, the Harrison st store refuses to answer their phone though I’ve been calling on and off for days. They have had my computer for 2 full weeks and will not give me an update. I suppose I will have to physically visit the store in order to find out if my $ 300 was money well spent.. .so far, I’ve been nothing but disappointed.
And, since I’m not a computer expert (heck, I just need it for word processing, internet fun, pics and music), don’t ask me lots of questions about what’s wrong with the damn thing when I drop it off.. . that’s why I’m paying you money! Geez!

Data Recovery —
So my external HD crashed and started to make this clicking and ticking noise — a very bad sign of a mechanical problem. I called other services and they wanted an arm and a leg 200‑2000 for the extraction. i mean, WTF, all i want are photos.
Anyways, the rate for extraction is 160 plus a purchase of another external drive. I asked to see if I can get a discount on the combo and got 10% back. They fixed my drive and I was all set.
Customer service was lacking though as I wanted to check my drive to see the data and the associate there was not so helpfu, but since i didnt sign the form until he did it, he was forced to. I mean, come on, I paid for it, at least show me the results.
Other than that, the value was pretty good.

0 stars is right. So for the 3^rd time I’m waiting for my SLR camera repair which is taking 3+ weeks. The repair is sent out to a 3^rd party, but each time sits in the store for at least a week before its shipped, and once it was «lost» for about 3 days.
This of-​course meant that it was not fixed before I left for my trip. This is not a complicated repair, just sensor cleaning and grip replacement.
When trying to call for status, I get placed on hold, 5 – 10 minutes I timed it, and at least half the time the call is dropped (by best buy) or I get put on yet another hold. I was in fact able to register for Unilocal and write this review as I’m STILL sitting on hold!!!
When leaving messages, the soonest I’ve gotten a call back was 4 hours, and never gotten a real explanation for the delay with the repairs/​service or lack there of

What a great idea. It’s like a Film Noir Theme Park inside an electronic super store. Full of stylized branding and good intentions, these real life geek-​type citizens are just not supported by the Best Buys corporation.
The Geeks are busy and Geek Squad should hire and staff the place to get the work done. But the Squad gets bogged down and jobs take a long time to be completed.
I’m ready to ADD more stars… lets get to work Squadettes!