My First Service Call

[#1]

It was the spring of 1998. I was in my first week as a Geek Squad Agent. I was working in the office/Precinct, as every new Agent did, until I could convince Robert (Stephens, Geek Squad’s founder) and some of my fellow Agents I was ready to go out to help a client alone. I was excited to make the jump to assisting business and home clients on-site, but understood these things take time.

One day a call came in and soon after Robert approached me, saying that we had a 911 service call and no other Agents were available to take it. I would have to head out and try to handle it.

The call was from a restaurant in downtown Minneapolis called the Pickled Parrot. They were unable to print their list of daily specials that needed to be inserted into their menus that afternoon. They really needed their specials inserts ready for the dinner rush, so I needed to get moving. I was out the door before I knew it.

I arrived at the location excited and nervous about the opportunity. I was escorted to the suspect, where I met the restaurant’s owner. He explained the issue and I quickly got to work. I poked around for a few minutes and then, more out of luck than skill, determined that conflicting printer management software was causing the problem. The owner was thrilled to have the problem resolved and he bought me a delicious lunch.

I arrived back to the office with confidence in my step and a smile on my face. Robert came over and told me that the owner of the restaurant, a friend of his, called and told him I did a great job. Not only solved the problem, but did so with communication and personality. Robert told me I would begin being scheduled for on-site service calls starting next week. He didn’t come right out and say it was a test, but I felt I had passed my first right of passage as a Special Agent.