Two Loose Screws

Two Loose Screws

Screws Last night I completely disassembled and reassembled my laptop computer. I’ve been having some struggles with Best Buy’s Geek Squad. The condensed version is that it involved restoring my system twice and reinstalling all my software, losing a bunch of email and eventually, after a misdiagnosis, a new hard drive. Quite maddening.

I had just one more complaint. My laptop’s fan makes a clicking noise like a tiny diesel engine in need of better fuel or a tune-up. The geek-boy listened for 4 seconds and pronounced the fan just fine. I protested, "You can’t hear it in this noisy store. I sit with this laptop all day in a tiny Wizard Cave beneath my front porch in Nebraska. I assure you it makes exactly the noise I’m describing."

Geek Boy wouldn’t budge. The fan is fine. I got the subtle message that perhaps he thought I was some kind of techno-hypochondriac.

Got the laptop home. Did I mention that I must drive nearly 3 hours one-way just to be treated like I’m losing my marbles?

I decided to try getting a smarter Geek on the phone using their call-in service. They answered promptly and I explained the entire story to the woman on the phone. My only option was to lose at least another week of computer down-time by returning to the store, handing over my computer and they would ship it off to California where someone with better ears would listen, and if appropriate, replace the fans.

I decided to take matters into my own hands. I purchased a fan housing directly from the manufacturer and got out my tiny screwdriver set and tore my laptop apart. What I thought would be a simple matter of taking a cover off the back of the machine turned into a complete removal of the mother board just to get at the final screws holding the large fan assembly. Turns out that the fan assembly basically holds the entire computer together.

I got it all put back together and I only have two extra screws. Not bad. The fan is quiet. The laptop is working just fine. I’ve got a grand sense of accomplishment, even with 2 loose screws.

I’ve gotta get a bit more mileage out of this machine before I buy another. The next will probably be a Mac. I won’t buy another computer from Best Buy. Too much hassle when you live a long distance from the store.

Phil Stewart

Just had to add that a few years back, Christmas, I ventured into a BB searching for more memory and was promptly shuffled into a queue created by a maze of product boxes and blocked Aisles with an “Associate” directing me into a line of other potential customers (sheep) where I was told it would be about 10 minutes before I could be allowed into the computer area to search for the items I wanted. Upon hearing this joyful news I did an aboutface and started back out of the maze only to be accosted by the assistant manager and asked ” Can’t you wait a few moments for help?” to which I replied “Help is not necessary, product is, why can’t I access the items I want?” his terse reply was “We just want to make sure you get exactly what you need.” I pushed past him, literally, and moved a few Aisles down and observed between the boxes an Associate putting the close on a happless customer for printer supplies she wasn’t sure she needed. It was a nightmare of customer disservice, and had I more time I might have just kicked down the boxes and rescued this poor lady. But I did resolve to simply vote with my feet, and they have never ventured into a BB again. So Dave . . . I’m feelin ya!
http://michelemiller.blogs.com/marketing_to_women Michele

Dave… it’s time to come over to the dark side. Buy a Mac… you’ll have so much fun geeking out with all the cool stuff you can do, your business might suffer. Glad to hear you got the laptop back together… ever considered starting a repair business for folks in the boonies?
Mark H. Stowers

Dave, you would be perfect fodder for a Mac/PC commercial.