I have been working at Staples Easytech for about 8 months now. I did freelance before that. Before Easytech was even around, I used to get complaints about how geeksquad messed up their computers. I took the customer's word for it and branded geeksquad incompetent. Once I started Easytech, I did not know what to expect as far as how much control over determining prices and ensuring proper repairs. I was just a hired gun that needed a job. I am not saying that I would have sacrificed my morales just to make a buck, I am saying that for all I knew, I was just there to fix computers and the rest of it was up to other people. It didnt take long for me to realize that the only person in control of Easytech, was me. I was the only resident tech. The Easytech lead was on the sales floor and didnt know much about actually repairing them, just using them. The Business Machines Manager was very knowledgeable about the process and procedure set in place, but also did not know how to repair the computers. In a nutshell, once I got my bearings, I was in complete control of determineing the proper services to repair the customers' computer so if any computer went home unfixed, it was ALL on me. I will admit, I stumbled on a few computers. Once, I mixed up 2 identical computers and put the data of each persons computer on the other. I openly admitted to the customers what had happened, and one was okay, and the other was really upset. It took me a long time to get over that, and my bosses were smelling lawsuit, and my termination. I liked working there, so I put some extra time into refineing the process in which we take in computers and label them. Its taken about 6 months, but now we are at a point where I am the pointman for all computer repairs in the store and our customer satisfaction rating is probably far highers, as well as the satisfaction with our turn around time. Okay so there is the background. Now let me get into why I think Muoot's statement was.... well...idiotic. Anyone who has done computer repairs for a living knows that shit goes wrong and its not always the tech's fault. I learned that lesson quickly, especially with some of the shadey customers I get. Working in a retail environment, it is just that much harder beucase if something DOES go wrong, and you know that it was not your fault, then you MUST charge the customer to repair the problem. This is where your disatisfied customers come in. Some of them are not willing to get the work done and then brand us as incompitent. If this situation had happend in my business, I would have just fixed the problem as best as I could minus the cost of parts, then I would have probably given the customer a discount on the original service. I have that kind of flexibility. It is my time, I will use it how I see fit. There are several other situations that come up that might leave a customer unhappy, but it is not my fault. Just going to list a few so you get the idea: 1. Customer gets a virus removal. I finish virus removal. Everything checks out. I recommend antivirus software. They say it costs too much and they cant afford it. Customer takes computer home. Customer goes on porn sites. Customer gets another virus. Customer brings it back to me. I tell them, sorry, the last set of viruses weren't porn ads. I tell them, it will be another $xx.xx to remove the virus. Customer gets angry. I laugh at them(ok not really). Customer leaves. Goes on craigslist. Finds a freelance business. And guess what, I show up at their door! Yeap, that was my business on craigslist! 2. Customer brings in computer. Says they want a tune up. I boot it up, everything seems to be okay. I ask if it has any other problems, they say 'no'. I write up the work order, customer leaves. I start working on the computer. Boom boom boom, pop up ads everywhere on customer's computer. I call customer and tell them they have a virus. They say that they dont, and it must be something I did. Bullshit. I tell the customer, it will be $xx.xx to remove them. Customer immediatly says they will call corparate and complain. I say okay. They were bluffing, they didnt call beucase they know they were full of shit. Okay so most customers arn't that big of assholes, but I have had my fair share already in the 7-8 months I have been working at Staples and I am telling you, wow, I get a lot of scammers so before you go blaming every tech in the entire Staples network, ask yourself if your customer is really as innocent as you claim them to be. I give my customers the benefit of the doubt, but I am slowly developing my scammer 6th sense.  |