"Double Agents" to the Rescue

Somehow, a trojan horse or worm or virus has attacked my desktop, wiping out all the Microsoft programs. And, the trojan is at the gate of my hard drive, because it has blocked re-installation. I shop at Best Buy a lot, and have engaged the "Geek Squad" occasionally with a question, but now I really needed their help. So, off I went to Best Buy to set up an appointment. I could have called them up, or went online, but since I was out running errands anyway, thoughI would stop in for a few minutes and set up a service call.

How naive and foolish that was! I got in line behind about four other people. From the looks on their faces -- clenched teeth, glazed eyes -- I could see they had been there for awhile. There were two "agents" behind the counter, helping two customers. The time went by, and the line got longer, but no progress at the counter. I was quickly taken into the brotherhood/sisterhood of the waiting line, and we commiserated with each other. Some people were holding computer towers or other pieces of equipment, and as time went by they engaged in some creative balancing acts, leaning them agains the posts of the line barriers, holding them like teddy bears, or sitting on them.

As we waited, I noticed a lot of "geek" personnel (you can tell from their shirts) milling around, walking in and out of an office next to the counters or from behind the curtains behind the counter, but none of them noticed the line and came to help more customers. At one point, one of the agents finished with a customer and then, instead of taking the next customer, proceeded to put papers away, wandered around, disappeared for awhile behind the curtains, all the while deftly avoiding eye contact with the customers in the line. At one point this agent was carrying a CD behind the counter and in a surprise move, snapped the CD in half, sending shards of the CD into the air, some showering us with plastic missles. Not even a warning "incoming" or "fore!" A comment from one guy in the line got no response, not even a look or a nod. We began to feel like the Whos from Whoville in the Dr. Seuss book. Were we so insignificant that no one noticed us?

I noticed that when a transaction was completed, the agent would make some entries in a register and then leave the counter, walk to the back of the store, and return with papers in his hand. This happened every time. I wonder why, since they were techno-geeks, they didn't figure out that if you put the printer behind the counter you can save a lot of time walking back and forth. It didn't escape the brother/sisterhood in the line. We watched as this was repeated time and again.

Finally, I got to the front of the line, and was told that I had to call the 800-Geek line to set up an appointment, but that one of their "double agents" (the double agents do the in-home service) may be available as early as that afternoon. My hour in line got me information that I could have found if there was an "info" only line, or a poster somewhere with that info and the number.

Putting the printer at the counter where the transactions are completed, posting information for customers, making eye contact, and refraining from actions that can put your customers in jeopardy are only a few of the observations for making this customer service experience better. How is your customer service area arranged? Where is your equipment? What about signage, and flow? A simple analysis of these items and some observation can make a big difference to your customers and help keep their attitude positive while they are waiting. As for me, I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my "double agent" tomorrow. I wonder if he will arrive by scaling the back garden wall, or be dropped out of a helicopter, or something equally 007-ish. I don't really care, just so long as he can slay a trojan, squash a worm or cure a virus.

Have a great weekend.