This evening before picking up Lisa from her place of work I dropped by the place that claims to have the "Best Buy"s (and yet we all know that isn't true) to acquire some technology for our forthcoming trip. After I had selected my item (and trying so VERY hard not to make eye contact with any sales people) I started to wander around the computer section comparing what I knew of prices with what I was seeing on the shelf.
Now, I do IT stuff because I enjoy it. I have fun doing it, and not only do I enjoy it but I enjoy helping other people. God has blessed me with an ability to find and fix problems in computers that not a large section of the population claims (or wants) to have. Thus, when I find myself in a retail environment like this and there are CLEARLY people walking around who have NO idea what they are looking for (and heaven forbid I overhear a sales person telling them something that is clearly NOT true) I have a hard time not stopping and asking, "How can I help you?"
I stood beside a guy in the hard drive section for 5 minutes and if he had said anything at all, anything, maybe something like, "Boy these things all look the same!" or "This stuff is all so confusing!" I would have given him all the information he would have needed to know about the products in front of him. I do not volunteer this information however as I do not work there. While I would be helping someone, I would also be helping a company I wouldn't be overly sad to see disappear, and helping with their enormous markups isn't something that they pay me to do.
These are the reasons I try not to go into retail places where they have computers. Computer places designed to sell computer parts (Computer Stop, etc) are a different story as the guys actually know what they are talking about and genuinely want to help you out. Big places, like "Best Buy", are a lot about the bottom line. (I will not start talking about "Geek Squad" now...)
Health wise I continue to feel better each day. I think getting out and about for a couple weeks will be good. I thank you all for the continued support and look forward to seeing some of you in the next few weeks!
(You'll have to let me know where the rest of you are so I can make an effort to visit you too...)
~B.
You know where we live:-) Would love to have you visit sometime soon!!!
ReplyDeleteI understand the urge to help, though for me its not with computers. I was in Borders the other day (no, its not books either) and overheard someone asking a clerk about HD TVs and movies. I listened for a few seconds, long enough to know the clerk had NO idea, and then jumped in and answered the lady's questions. You're right, Ben, when you know, its hard to let someone who's genuinely trying to get information go without it! :)
ReplyDeleteI help people in Michael's alot because their people know nothing about art.
ReplyDeleteYou shouldn't have held back on your "Geek Squad" rant. I'd like to hear it. I just had a frustrating experience with them. Best Buy stinks!