Is the 1990's home PC troubleshooting "GeekSquad" market extinct?

[GoodEnough]

My friend recently called me with a home PC issue (can't log into PC) and I had no idea where to refer this person. In the last 10 years, I've used Acronis to backup/restore, used a USB drive as a backup, and used XP/Win7 with no viruses, and Googled any issues I've had, and used forums.

Back in the mid 90s, there was a proliferation of PC tech support guys who would come to your house and install your printer or remove a virus.

It seems there are a few factors over the last 15 years that have made this entire cottage shrink or industry disappear.

On the supply side, I think many guys with good desktop/network skills have found jobs in corporate America paying $50k-$250k. Also, in the last decade, small businesses also got wired (then unwired) and there is a cottage consultancy industry serving small businesses at $100 to $200/hr with 5-25 workstations that these 90s small guys probably graduated to.

None of those guys are not advertising on Craigslist to fix your PC.
So, what is left at the residential troubleshooting market would be guys who could not get in on that action (or are too young and new) or just arrived in this country.

I think the PC troubleshooting demand has also shrunk, for an array of reasons.

1. Price of PC's dropped from $1000 to $300. If your PC doesn't work, or gets a virus, it's easier/cheaper to just buy a new one for $300.
2. Massive USB Flash drive capacity. The biggest problem with migrating your PC was porting over your documents. Few people knew how to do master/slave to copy the contents of mydocs/ Today, you can just copy everything to your flash drive and plug it into your new PC. Migration done.
3. Cloud based file storage. Similar to above. You're not tied to your PC, and therefore, don't need to get it fixed
4. Proliferation of tablet computing. Many people use consumption based tablets to browse. There is nothing to port, as these are mainly "dumb terminals". Even the apps are reinstalled via the cloud.
5. Windows XP had few viruses. Win7 has even ffewer. Getting a virus was a big reason you'd need a tech guy
6. BestBuy and others got into the support business via "GeekSquad". I am not even sure this service exists on a mass retail level anymore.
7. Google. Forums. You can now troubleshoot online. This was not the case 10 years ago. Every problem is 1 Google search away.
8. Free anti-virus. AVG led the way back in 2006? Since then, many casual users know enough to install it. This must prevent a lot of problems. MalwareBytes, Avast, AVG. Even Microsoft started to bundle anti-virus into Windows.

What are your thoughts? Am I on target?

 

[Fritzo]

Windows XP had few viruses.

LOL! IE5 and 6 got malware infections from simply thinking about connecting to the Internet.

The home tech market is still huge. I do it on the side and make an extra $120-$180 a week. A lot of older people are afraid of anything with buttons or want to keep their 12 year old computer running no matter what.

 

[Anubis]

pretty sure geeksquad still exists

my thoughts are that thats its not dead and it cant die for a while, still too many stupid people out there with computers that dont even know how to google to solve their issues

 

[Jeffg010]

http://www.technibble.com/
You are not hanging out in the right locations.

 

[disappoint]

My friend recently called me with a home PC issue (can't log into PC) and I had no idea where to refer this person. In the last 10 years, I've used Acronis to backup/restore, used a USB drive as a backup, and used XP/Win7 with no viruses, and Googled any issues I've had, and used forums.

Back in the mid 90s, there was a proliferation of PC tech support guys who would come to your house and install your printer or remove a virus.

It seems there are a few factors over the last 15 years that have made this entire cottage shrink or industry disappear.

On the supply side, I think many guys with good desktop/network skills have found jobs in corporate America paying $50k-$250k. Also, in the last decade, small businesses also got wired (then unwired) and there is a cottage consultancy industry serving small businesses at $100 to $200/hr with 5-25 workstations that these 90s small guys probably graduated to.

None of those guys are not advertising on Craigslist to fix your PC.

What are your thoughts? Am I on target?

So all of them are? Sounds like you're just miffed because your Engrish is just...

NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

pretty sure geeksquad still exists

my thoughts are that thats its not dead and it cant die for a while, still too many stupid people out there with computers that dont even know how to google to solve their issues

This. As long as there are people born in the mid 70's or earlier, there will be a population for computer services companies to take advantage of. Last I checked, Geek Squad was charging $40 to install Microsoft Office. Not to trouble shoot it. To freaking install it!

 

[Wyndru]

People still need help, it's just more likely these days that someone has a family member that knows how to do this stuff (or they know how to do it themselves).

I get asked at work a lot to work on home PCs, but I learned my lesson a while ago with that so I tell them I don't have time.

 

[JM Aggie08]

I've been going through the painful process of transferring over my GeekSquad Protection Plan (was purchased for the item by the original owner) to a member on AT for an item I traded him.

My God, I had no idea that data entry could be so complex, or that there could be so many disconnects in communication and processes within a single organization. It's going on 2 months since I've been trying to get this finalized and Geek Sqad still can't get their act together.

 

[Red Storm]

You say the market is extinct, but then you provide an example of why it is not.

 

[shortylickens]

You say the market is extinct, but then you provide an example of why it is not.

I think he meant the market for overpriced Best Buy services.

The problem is: There have ALWAYS been mom and pop stores and somehow GeekSquad managed to survive anyway. I think the core issue hasnt changed at all: theres too many ignorant people who will happily fork over tons of cash to take care of problems they dont wanna spend time learning.

None of that has changed just because computing has changed.

I will say for myself, as cheap as they are I will probably go store bought next time around and just keep all my stuff on a 4TB NAS. Cheap terminals with bulk long term storage makes a lot more sense. Its the same reason we had terminals with mainframes back in the late 80's/early 90's: save money.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

I think you're right, but the main reason is the move away from desktop computers (generally repairable) to laptop and tablet computers (basically disposable).

 

[silverpig]

LOL! IE5 and 6 got malware infections from simply thinking about connecting to the Internet.

The home tech market is still huge. I do it on the side and make an extra $120-$180 a week. A lot of older people are afraid of anything with buttons or want to keep their 12 year old computer running no matter what.

Ha this. I remember I had a disk of windows XP (the original, without any of the service packs), and tried to install that on my computer at home after a reformat. I didn't have SP1 saved anywhere so I had to go online to download it.

I fired up the new install, went to download a few programs, and boom, got hit with the remote reboot exploit. I remembered I had to get SP1 at that point, so as soon as I rebooted, I started to download SP1. The computer rebooted before I made it through the download.

I tried this one more time before I realized I needed to get a download accelerator for the resume function because I wouldn't be able to stay online long enough to get the whole thing in one go.

All told, it took me about 6 reboots to get the whole file. I saved it to a storage partition, unplugged my ethernet, did a fresh reformat, installed SP1, and then plugged the internet back in.

 

[SKORPI0]

There will always be "technology" challenged people who cannot fathom doing even some simple task. Like checking/removing viruses on PC/mobile devices (phone/tablets), installing software, printer/scanner/fax on their PC and backup important data/documents.

That's where there is still a viable market to provide that kind of "service".
Things are a lot easier today compared to the systems that came out '80s and '90s. And yes cheaper/more powerful too, making them disposable and easier to replace than spending money to fix something that would be probably obsolete.

Oh, I see a lot of Craigslist ads offering those kind of services contrary to what the OP is thinking.
And sure you can Google/YouTube all those "how to fix" till you're blue, but a lot of actual experience with the right tools is important.
Lots of wannabes on YouTube pretending to be "experts" and actually doing it right.

 

[Ketchup]

I think some of your stats are a little off, GoodEnough.

1. When I started working in a role similar to Geek Squad, 95% of virus-infected computers ran Windows XP. They came in, on average, about three times a week. By the time I left, Vista computers with infection were starting to roll in at a fairly regular rate as well.
2. Most people would pay extra, and be without their computer for a longer period of time, to have the viruses removed. Two main reasons: Almost all did not have backups of their personal information on the computer, nor did they like the prospect of re-installing (and configuring) the software that did not come on the pc.
3. Most would rather have their computer fixed than get used to a new one. They like what they are used to, especially when a new OS is involved.
4. Just because somebody says they are good at fixing computers doesn't mean they are. I was really surprised how many people I go out to see that payed money to a friend/family member to NOT fix their problems, or make it worse.
5. You are posting on a site full of IT folks. Of course you and just about everyone here know how to use Google, and find answers. This discussion does not correlate well with the general population.

 

[ViviTheMage]

shops like geeksquad pushed the small mom and pop shops out....

• Price of PC's dropped from $1000 to $300. If your PC doesn't work, or gets a virus, it's easier/cheaper to just buy a new one for $300.

• 
  
  I think this is probably on par with what people are doing ... 1 year later the computer gets slow instead of paying $150-$250 from geeksquad, just replaced it.

 

[Texashiker]

[*]Price of PC's dropped from $1000 to $300. If your PC doesn't work, or gets a virus, it's easier/cheaper to just buy a new one for $300.

I had several customers tell me that exact same thing.

Back in the early 2000s I would do free lance work along with my full time job. When I told people how much it was going to cost, they said nevermind, they would just buy a new computer.

 

[Sonikku]

It's true. If you get a virus, don't bother to download Avast or Spybot for free.

Just easier to pay $300.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

There's a market, but it's an underground market now. Everybody has "a guy who does that" and they frequently pay them in beer or exchanged services.

It's true. If you get a virus, don't bother to download Avast or Spybot for free.

Just easier to pay $300.

$300 is less than most places charge for data recovery / virus cleaning / etc. (They'll make you buy an HDD to store your data on while they reformat your main drive, for instance.)

 

[Jeff7]

LOL! IE5 and 6 got malware infections from simply thinking about connecting to the Internet.

Mmmm, rootkits, another delightful little scourge.

I got something nasty through Firefox while trying to find a specific aluminum extrusion manufacturer via Google Image Search. (Yes, seriously, just aluminum extrusions. I remembered what their ad image and logo looked like, but not the name of the company.)
I ended up with some kind of rootkit thing that took a few hours to kill. Unfortunately, its programmer is presumably still alive, which is unfortunate. I also installed NoScript later that same day.

And, I figured that this belongs here.

The home tech market is still huge. I do it on the side and make an extra $120-$180 a week. A lot of older people are afraid of anything with buttons or want to keep their 12 year old computer running no matter what.

This. Some people seem to be quite literally terrified that they will do something to the computer, like they're trying to ride a bull made of ceramic through a fine china shop that's balanced on top of a needle, which is resting next to a baby's crib.
Hesitant to try anything different, and something like a Firefox update popup can throw them off. (Though I will just throw in: Mozilla, we don't need to be told every 8 damn hours that you've just modified 4 lines of code, thus warranting a whole new version number. Stop being version number attention whores.)

Or if they've been taught how to use a single program, such as Excel, none of that knowledge is permitted to overlap into other programs; it's not adaptable. It's just rote memorization of procedure, so if there's a minor layout change happens or an icon gone missing, it's game over.

 

[Fritzo]

Or if they've been taught how to use a single program, such as Excel, none of that knowledge is permitted to overlap into other programs; it's not adaptable. It's just rote memorization of procedure, so if there's a minor layout change happens or an icon gone missing, it's game over.

I've always likened old people with computers to being in a maze: if you move one wall, they're lost, but they never figured out the pattern is just left, right, left....

 

[Red Squirrel]

It's not extinct, but it's smaller. It's very hard to make a living off of because you just don't have enough volume, so you end up having to charge a lot and with the availability of cheap $500 computers most people just go buy a new one. Computer wont boot? Buy another one! It's a waste, but it is what it is.

 

[thegimp03]

My grandma usually hires the guys that will come to her house when she has an issue. Some of them are fine, but I have a general mistrust of others that usually try to upsell her on stuff and she doesn't know any better. I'm sure a lot of money is wasted there...they'd probably charge her $150 to come plug in a printer USB and power cable, but there's only so much tech support I can do over the phone and I don't live close enough to her to help out with every issue. My dad sometimes wants to take her computer and throw it out the window so she won't risk getting a virus and her financial accounts drained.

 

[Murloc]

I can't stand those people, they send me into a state of nerd rage.
Those repair shops still exist but it's true that most people don't need them anymore, they'll keep their virus infested computer for some time and then change it anyway.

 

[Texashiker]

It's true. If you get a virus, don't bother to download Avast or Spybot for free.

Just easier to pay $300.

A customer has a hard drive failure on a home computer, you tell them its going to be around $150 - $300 for the new drive, recovery of their old data, and to reinstall the operating system along with all of the drivers and updates.

So yea, why fix an old out dated computer for $300 when they can buy a new one for less then $500?

 

[Red Squirrel]

I can't stand those people, they send me into a state of nerd rage.
Those repair shops still exist but it's true that most people don't need them anymore, they'll keep their virus infested computer for some time and then change it anyway.

That's another thing, some people just don't care at all, and will continue to use their computers even if it's full of viruses and other problems.