PC World !!!!!!

[RobC]

I can possibly understand re-installing windows... often if a file is missing there is going to be more then one that has been deleted

 

To tell you the truth, my job is now with an independant training/IT company and a LOT of my time is taken up by repairs. Basically, it is possible to fix a single/multiple missing file problem by doing a repair install of Windows and this is something that PC World's staff should most certainly be trained in (repair installs are also applicable to OEM machines with recovery partitions, such as Packard Hells as you can simply use a standard Windows CD). The only time we do a complete rebuild from scratch of the OS is if it is too badly infected with spyware/viruses, etc. to fix.

 

On the training side, I instruct the CompTIA A+ course which covers all of this information and much more and to be honest, this is the sort of level of expertise I would expect a large company such as PC World to insist on simply in order to do a good job. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

 

As far as networking on a dial-up connection, Windows comes with Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) which is more than adequate for networking multiple machines together in order to share a dial-up connection. Again, as a reputable retailer, this is an option I would have given the customer rather than simply moving wholesale to DSL. I personally know several people who will spend less in a quarter on dial-up charges than they would in a month on DSL fees and they are more than happy to keep it that way.

 

To be perfectly honest, most of my company's business comes now from our building signage and word-of-mouth. I like to think that our customers are so happy with the work/advice that we give them that they wouldn't even think of going elsewhere.

 

As you worked in PC World, you probably know more about how they work then the rest of us. Is there any other info you can give us about them that is interesting at all?

 

Unfortunately, I can't really provide any further info as that is all I know regarding the company. I wasn't really prepared to hang around when my contract was up. I will say though, that Grumbledook's description of their sales training is the real deal as that is exactly how they acted with the customers in the store I worked in.

[phreak]

He he. Funny clip eduabncs. Weebl and bob are great!

 

Anyway, I really freaking hate Pc world. In my younger more foolish years I used to work for Tiny computers and they were just as bad. I only wish that Pc world had gone bust like Tiny did. We actually had a few guys who used to work at PW come and work at Tiny and some of the stories they used to tell were very frightening from a customer point of view, but I was not the customer so I laughed.

[Guest richard]

Actually ha a good result at PC World last night. I went with a friend who was buying me a copy of Vista Ultimate as payment for doing a load of work for him and his family. When we went to pay I was asked if it was for business or home use and my friend for a laugh said it was my business and so they set up a business account for with with them and we ended up getting just over £40 of the price

[seanmh]

When I was a student I worked at PC World for a short time.

 

I can confirm that they are a nightmare to work for and have unethical sales practices with many people leaving the store with inappropriate kit for what they need it for.

 

Their biggest "Money spinner" was the "serivce level agreement" (now called "whatever happens" I believe. Sales staff where bullied by management into pushing this (which was extortionate with loads of "get out of jail free" clauses for PC World) at all costs, as they make more on this than the actual kit.

 

PC World is useful if you just want to go and have a play with some kit and then go off and buy elsewhere.

[bishopsgarthstockton]

one of our IT teacher was having problems with his computer recently, it would shut off after couple of minutes running time. so he called out PC work engineer. Blow the fluff and dust out of the CPU heat sink and fan started it up worked fine. charged him £90!

 

Any way he told me his story about how he was robbed in his own home and then went on to explain that the computer still wasnt working to great. I felt sorry for him and asked him to bring it in to school and i would take a quick look. He had a nice virus on his machine hidden in the documents and setting folder, romoved that, updated his anti virus did a good tidy up of his files etc....took me a day in between doing work etc. I got a nice bottle of red wine for my efforts, which i gave to my girl friend in turn i got an even better reward

[StewartKnight]

Huum... £90 for a 2 minute job, you spent all day on the computer and got... a bottle of wine

 

Seems like a poor deal to me, I'd have asked for a bottle of 18year old single malt!

[Lee_K_81]

Huum... £90 for a 2 minute job, you spent all day on the computer and got... a bottle of wine

 

Seems like a poor deal to me, I'd have asked for a bottle of 18year old single malt!

 

... or an 18year old single female

[mattx]

Dixons - ok - this is not PC World but the same group I understand.

I was in a Dixons shop once - [ this is going back about 10 years ago ] - and I over heard a customer ask a sales person what NICAM was as it was all over the new TVs he was looking at.

The sales person - paused for a while and then said:

 

' NICAM is Japanese for stereo '

 

I pi55ed myself laughing and had to leave the store.......

[Netwacky87]

The sales person - paused for a while and then said:

 

' NICAM is Japanese for stereo '

 

 

Well i have gotta hand it to that sales man, he did some very quick and funny thinking then lol

[contink]

Huum... £90 for a 2 minute job, you spent all day on the computer and got... a bottle of wine

 

Seems like a poor deal to me, I'd have asked for a bottle of 18year old single malt!

Well it sounds like the trade up worked in his favour

 

As for PCW... waste of time... My xmas was somewhat tarnished when my mums partner got her a 19" TFT from PCWorld on my recommendation.. What he missed was that the number on the box was different when he received it. so, boxing day we were back at the branch and taking no prisoners.. I think the sales guy recognised he was on to a loser straight away and didn't argue.

 

I do have a client who's played them at their own game and won a new laptop out of it in rebate after they screwed up his PC.. I think he actually had the legal papers drawn up and ready, with him when he went to talk to a manager

[Jon]

Dixons - ok - this is not PC World but the same group I understand.

I was in a Dixons shop once - [ this is going back about 10 years ago ] - and I over heard a customer ask a sales person what NICAM was as it was all over the new TVs he was looking at.

The sales person - paused for a while and then said:

 

' NICAM is Japanese for stereo '

 

I pi55ed myself laughing and had to leave the store.......

 

The alternative would have been to tell them

 

"Near Instantaneous Companded Audio Multiplex" 8O 8O

 

Makes much more sense I think!

[HodgeHi]

As posters have pointed out already PC World is for idiots. But if you know what you want and know enough about the goods you CAN get a bargain. I picked up a Dual 1.8Ghz Powermac and a 20 " cinema display for under £1100.00 This was before the Intel range came out and i zipped home first to do a bot of checking and found the same machine at the time was selling for £1500 for the powermac alone. I snapped it up. The screen was brand new and the machine still boxed also.

[_Bat_]

I've been to PC World several times. I usually go on behalf of a family member, once or twice I have been on behalf of one of the schools I work for and once or twice I have been for myself.

 

When I go, I'm usually out of work hours so I tend to be dressed very casually, probably almost scruffy. However once I did go during work hours and I was in a shirt and tie.

 

I found it very strange the difference from when I visit the store looking casual and when I looked smart.

 

When I visit the store in casual clothing (and I probably hadn't shaved), I -never- get a sales rep ask me if they can help. Bear in mind that I am only 21, I look young and they probably think I am a student who has no real money. It usually takes me around 20-30 minutes to find a sales rep who isn't already busy. I only ever need them to find out the cost of items as well, which makes it even more annoying that it is so hard to get the attention of one of them. I see them asking other people (i.e. older people) if they need help though.

 

However, I was in for a surprise when I visited the store during work hours in a shirt and tie. I didn't even want to speak to a sales rep, however I was asked at least three times if I needed any help by the staff.

 

Do you think there is something going on here?