Geek Squad: Best Buy's Killer App

Entrepreneur works with retail giant to give it an edge
By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 1, 2010 5:01 PM CDT
Geek Squad: Best Buy's Killer App
Best Buy Geek Squad employees Masanori Yusa, left, and Joey Mank troubleshoot computers in the San Francisco store Friday, April 6, 2007.   (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Most entrepreneurs don't stay long after their companies are bought by corporate behemoths—but most entrepreneurs aren't Robert Stephens, the founder of Geek Squad who's meshed his creation with Best Buy to create a billion-dollar customer-service army. Stephens started Geek Squad in college, guiding the company to a solid enterprise with 60 employees and $3 million in sales.

Now, 8 years after acquisition by Best Buy, 24,000 "agents" work for Geek Squad, clad in white shirts, black pants, and clip-on ties. The squad is a big source of revenue for Best Buy, but also bolsters the retail business, giving the chain a service beyond what competitors offer. "Geek Squad's going to become a bigger and bigger component of their core strategy," a business analyst tells the LA Times. "Beyond driving sales, it increases customer satisfaction. Best Buy becomes the trusted advisor and the IT staff for the individual."
(More Best Buy stories.)

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