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The Geek Squad is a subsidiary of the Best Buy Company and is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Originally founded in 1994 by Robert Stephens, it offers various computer-related services and accessories for residential and commercial clients. The Geek Squad works both in-store and on-site, and also provides 24-hour telephone support.

The company's services are branded with a "law enforcement" theme.

Contents 1 Locations and partnerships 1.1 Geek Squad City 2 Staff 2.1 Uniforms and vehicles 3 Winternals controversy 4 References 5 External links

Geek Squad "precincts" exist in about 85% of all Best Buy stores in the United States, Canada, and China.^{[citation needed]} There are also a number of "standalone" locations referred to separately as Geek Squad stores. These consist of full-time employees who specialize in PC repair, troubleshooting, data rescue, in-home PC setup, wireless networking, and other fields.

Best Buy is in currently in a trial partnership with Office Depot in Florida, where Geek Squad precincts are located in 11 Office Depot locations.^[1] In October, 2006, it was reported that Geek Squad would be launching in the United Kingdom in a joint 50-50 venture with Carphone Warehouse.^[2]

On October 25, 2006, Geek Squad opened a new 165,000 square-foot facility in Brooks, Kentucky, titled "Geek Squad City";^[3] it has since become the official worldwide headquarters of the company's 24-hour computer-support services. It also provides "Express Repair" facilities, speeding up repair of items that cannot be done in-store.^[3]

Humorously, Geek Squad employees are known as "agents" and are assigned titles similar to those used by law enforcement authorities and the military:^[4]

• "Field Marshals": liaison between technical support and employees working on-site.
• "Director of Intelligence": provides employees with technical information and other materials such as computer-part information, or stock.
• "Special Agents": work with Best Buy's Best Buy For Business segment and offer business technology solutions.
• "Double Agents": work both in the "precincts" and respond to housecalls to offer in-home services.
• "Mission Controllers": technical support identifying customer issues and recommending solutions.
• "Covert Operators": 24-hour technical support via the company's hotline.
• "Counter-Intelligence Agents": customer service.

Dress code for Geek Squad employees consists of white short-sleeve dress shirts, black clip-on ties with the Geek Squad logo pin, black trousers (or black skirts for female employees), and black shoes. In addition, Special Agents and Double Agents are assigned unique badge numbers. Trainees usually wear black polo shirts that bear an embroidered Geek Squad logo on the chest.

The Minnesota Historical Society added the official uniform to its permanent collection in 2000.^[5].

Double Agents drive black-and-white Volkswagen New Beetles (dubbed "Geekmobiles") with an orange-and-black company logo on the door. In the summer of 2005, the California Highway Patrol requested that the Geek Squad vehicles be repainted to no longer resemble the paint scheme of their police vehicles (a violation of Californian law).^[6] As a result, Geekmobiles in California bear an alternate color scheme consisting of an all-black vehicle with white roof and running boards.

Prior to the Beetles, Special Agents would drive classic cars such as 1960 Ford Falcons, or Renault Dauphines.

In April, 2006, the Geek Squad was accused of allegedly using unlicensed versions of Winternals. A judge granted a restraining order on April 12, requiring that use of all unlicensed software be stopped, and forcing Best Buy to turn over all copies of Winternals software within 20 days.^[7] After settlement, a version of the Winternals software was released to be used by Geek Squad.^[8]

• Geek Squad
• Geek Squad Canada
• Robert Stephens - Founder of Geek Squad