Company News
April 10, 2014
Shane KitzmanStaff Writer
Fun fact. Geek Squad turns 20 years old this year, and has been on TV stations acrossthecountry helping ease the transition with the end of Windows XP.
What’s even more fun? These 20 fast facts about the rapid response task force:
1. Geek Squad was founded for $200 in 1994.
2. On average, Home Theater Agents complete 3.67 in-home installations every 60 seconds.
3. Best Buy’s Richfield, Minn., headquarters is referred to as the Magic Castle in the Geek Squad community.
4. The 1,700 Covert Agents (those who assist clients online and over the phone) serve almost 6,000 people daily—that’s more than 2 million every year.
5. While the classic short-sleeved white dress shirt and black tie is the original uniform, today it’s worn by just one type of Geek Squad Agent – those who repair computers. Geek Squad Agents now make up one of five roles within Geek Squad and the uniform varies by the type of service that Agent performs.
6. Geek Squad City (the world’s largest computer repair facility) will service about 3,000 computers per day this year.
7. Geek Squad Agents always refer to customers as clients because of their lasting relationships.
8. More than one million vehicles get the Autotech treatment annually, meaning that an average Autotech will provide mobile electronics install support to approximately 373 vehicles in 2014.
9. The first Geekmobile was a 1958 Simca Aronde 1300 Elysee. Today there are 1,095 Geekmobiles on the road along with other Geek Squad-branded vehicles, including 1,329 cargo vans, 216 box trucks and 95 Ford Transit Connect vans.
10. A secret group of line-level agents make up what is called the Council of the Chief Inspector (CoCI) and it exists to represent the voice and culture of Geek Squad within Best Buy.
11. Swarm: a fleet of Geekmobiles traveling in a tightly choreographed formation to celebrate a special moment and reach a common destination — all at five miles per hour below the speed limit.
12. Since its inception, and thanks in-part to a badge re-launch program this year, more than 84,000 Geek Squad badges have been produced.
13. Geek Squad acquired Best Buy in late 2002.
14. Who is Agent 001? No one. That number is reserved for the client.
15. You won’t hear Agents tell you, “I don’t know.” Instead they’ll say, “I’ll find out.” This is one of six pledges signed by all Geek Squad Agents to protect the reputation of the organization.
16. Tightly-knit cultures tend to have norms that can’t be explained. National Talk Like a Pirate Day (Sept. 19) is one such example for Geek Squad.
17. Agents help eradicate approximately 75 million viruses every year.
18. The coveted Geek Squad badge, once earned, must remain on the Agent’s person at all times.
19. The North American roll out of in-store Geek Squad Precincts in all Best Buy U.S. and Canadian stores in 2004 produced a black Volkswagen Beetle shortage for everyone else.
20. It’s not only about proven tech skills — Geek Squad Agents must possess three other vital characteristics: curiosity, ethics and drive.
Download the Geek Squad Culture App for free from Google Play (Android) or iTunes (iOS). The app houses The Little Orange Book, as well as a Geek Squad dictionary and timeline.
