Getting Gouged by Geeks

October 3, 2007

The Show

What you should know before you call a geek in to fix your computer

Their dorky company names and their cute little cars give off an air of friendly, helpful competence. But do the people who make computer house calls actually know what they're doing? As Erica Johnson's hidden-camera investigation reveals, most of the time the answer is "no."

With the help of experts from Humber College Institute, we modified a computer to simulate a common hardware failure. Then we called in the nerds. The result? Only three of the ten technicians who saw our machine managed to correctly diagnose the problem.

October 3, 2007
228 Comments | | Share on Facebook | Save on del.icio.us | Post to Digg


OK, let's talk about markup

Thanks for all your comments. As you’ve probably noticed, a few themes are emerging, and we at Marketplace thought it might be interesting to talk about them directly.

Former Tech wrote: "Has Marketplace never heard of a retail markup? I learned that lesson at the tender age of 17 working in a little shop. 'The first rule of retail is to mark everything up 100%.'"

Not a Geek added this: "Expecting every tech for every company to stock (in the vehicle) ram for ANY kind of system is not logical. To keep all of those pieces in the van costs money. DDR, DDR2, SODIMM and different speeds and capacities the number of modules is staggering. It is all very easy to sit in an office and say this should be easy to find. Without a replacement part of suitable speed in stock an accurate diagnosis would be difficult. In fact, the video shows the only techs who solved the problems HAD an appropriate module int stock. Why is it that you can buy a case of soda at a wholesale club for as little as $.15 a can; but the vending machine at work charges $.60? Look at the markup here. Yet nobody complains."

There are many others, and they’re worth reading if you haven’t seen them yet.

This all begs an interesting question: Where’s the line between fair markup and price-gouging? Those of you in the industry: what’s your take? Is there any common ground about where, exactly, the line is?

Thanks again. We’re glad to see the segment caught your interest.

All the best,

Bret

October 3, 2007
10 Comments | | Share on Facebook | Save on del.icio.us | Post to Digg

Online discussions on related topics

You don't have to look hard to find consumers unhappy with home computer repair services. What's interesting is that many of the disgruntled are more worried about privacy than about pricing or competence.

At Consumerist.com, there's a lively discussion that started with a series of newspaper reports claiming widespread violations of customers' privacy by employees of a computer house call service. Consensus view: If you have compromising material on your computer when you bring it in for repairs, you should expect the repair people to a) have a look, or b) make copies for themselves, or c) both. As one commenter writes:

I work for an independently owned tech business and we do good, reliable work but we get paid more then retail employees, and also charge more. It's a trade-off for the customer, you can pay cheap prices and get crap for work and possibly have your info stolen, or pay slightly more for a computer fixed correctly and also keep your info safe.

Privacy aside, there's also plenty of disdain online for the competence of the brand-name repair services. Witness this firestorm of unpleasantries sparked by a hidden-camera TV investigation.

At Slashdot, the self-described "news for nerds" site, the consensus is that the services with the dorkiest names are least deserving of those names.

We'll be following these and other online conversations in the coming days and weeks. If you have a link to suggest or a thought to add, please post a comment.

October 3, 2007
10 Comments | | Share on Facebook | Save on del.icio.us | Post to Digg

What to do when your computer breaks

Avoid paying for repairs. Get a three-year warranty for your personal computer (PC). If one doesn’t come standard with your PC purchase, paying an additional fee for a quality warranty package can save you money in the long run. It’s ideal to get an extended warranty directly from the manufacturer, rather than the store you purchased it from, so you’re getting support from the company that built your system.

Prevent the most common problems. Technicians told us that problems caused by viruses and spyware are responsible for more than half of their business. Buying quality virus and spyware protection is a miniscule investment to make for your system. There are free programs on the Internet as well, such as AVG.

Protect your data. It’s impossible to predict when your PC will fail, so consistently back up your data. Most operating systems have an easy-to-use back up feature. Saving your personal files on CDs, external hard drives or USB thumb drives means you’re never in desperation, and at the mercy of a computer repair technician. Make it a routine chore, just like doing laundry.

Protect your privacy. Ask technicians you use if they have a privacy policy. Even then, there’s no guarentee, so if there are files on your computer you don’t want anyone to see, then take them off your computer and keep them on external data storage devices.

Your IT friend. Having a friend who really knows computers can save you a lot of money, but it can also cost you. If they’re unsure of the problem, they could make it even worse. If they do solve your dilemma, make it worth their while. Come up with a barter system or make them a nice dinner to ensure they help you the next time something goes wrong.

Get the most for your money. The CDs you bought that got your operating system (OS) up and running in the first place can also help down the road. Keep them handy. If your OS is acting up, the simplest fix might be your restore disc.

What’s the problem? Diagnosing what’s wrong with your computer is the first step. There are a tonne of tech advice sites on the web, or it could be as easy as using Google to search for your problem and solution.

You can also call your computer’s manufacturer or software support line. Even if your computer is no longer under warranty, they can give you advice and help steer you in the right direction at no cost. Finally, if you have to go to a repair shop, call more than one before you bring in your system.

Choosing a repair shop. Use shops that know your system. Some shops are specifically authorized to do repairs on your brand of PC, which means they likely have experience with hardware problems specific to your system. If it’s a software issue, ask them if they’re trained and familiar with the programs you use. Get the rates up front and a realistic time frame for the repair to be completed.

October 3, 2007
20 Comments | | Share on Facebook | Save on del.icio.us | Post to Digg

Geeks Credits

"Getting Gouged By Geeks"

Producer
Sylvène Gilchrist

Associate Producer
Jasmin Tuffaha

Editor
Don Chung

Camera
Neith Macdonald
Mark Bochsler
Richard Agecoutay
Bill Arnold
Ed Middleton

Sound
Karndeep Jassal
Dave Fox
Mary Wong

Sound Mix
Chris Walsh

October 3, 2007
0 Comments | | Share on Facebook | Save on del.icio.us | Post to Digg