Office Depot review: Scam tech services 15

I took my computer to office max after I had problems with a virus..They kept it for 4 days and we finally had to call and find out what was going on and was told it was ready for pickup (no communication whatsoever). We got there (Clermont Fl) and had to wait for over an hour as they were still working on it... Told us they would do the tech support plan ( $129.00 ) for future problems.. Had problems when we got home and had to call tech support and it took forever..Final result was we had to take it back to the store and 3 days later picked it up.. It was slow but we had enough and dealt with it.. The point of my complaint is we saw a charge for $129.00 on my credit card in February 2020 for tech service (our problem happened in 2019 ) found out it was an automatic renewal every year and we were not aware of this. I called and cancelled and got a confirmation that it was cancelled Per my request (got no details of the plan )..I have been calling for weeks to get a refund and keep getting the run-around .My next task is to get in touch with BBB AND LODGE MY COMPLAINT..

I wish I had found this site before I used Office Depot to "fix" my slow computer. I paid $169 for the on-line service, and immediately afterward, the computer was a little better, but still quite slow. Now, 13 days later, it's even worse than before, and there is no warranty. So basically, I just donated $169 to Office Depot for nothing.

I was a Tech Manager for Office Depot for a number of years. I'm a certified Technician A+ & Microsoft Certified as well as almost done with my Masters in Information Systems. I agree with a fair number of posters on here about the services. For those that know how to optimize their system and setup and configure all their hardware these services are not needed. Many people out there aren't even sure how to install software. I've seen many a computer come in where customers tried a do it yourself approach and did a lot of software no-nos that made Windows unstable. I took a different approach to services. McAfee is nowhere near a top rated brand for antivirus. Out of the largest 20 companies they may be rated 14-16th in performance depending on the year. For those that had issues with McAfee or we could tell they were going to be a virus risk for themselves we gave them two options. They could pay the $29.99 for the new PC setup and pick their antivirus off the shelf and buy that and we would install it, or we would install a free AV (Comodo) on their systems. We usually recommended the tech support to the really lost and would install Comodo and setup the PC manually when we installed the subscription service on their PC. As for in store repairs the furthest we did was pulling hard drives for data backups and replacing laptop keyboards and adding memory. Both of which I spent time training only select associates to do in case I was not there. Anything beyond that would be a huge no-no as the stores are not insured for that kind of repair and it would have been required for them to send it out to be repaired.

wow so many people who "work at office depot" saying they are giving inside information.

this is what the tech service does. we connect the pc to the internet and have a tech remotely connect to the computer. the tech then works on your computer to fix the problem.

its not an anti-virus scan or any other BS that people on here say. in fact, you can even purchase the SAME service to use from the home.

I know this personally because many times I chat with the techs if the customer is having a specific problem.

oh, and for anyone saying that the OD tech opened their laptop, they are either lying or at the worst store location on the planet. no-one at an OD store is allowed to open a laptop, we only do software service, not hardware (at least at my store).

we would ship the PC to a repair facility if it needed hardware repair.

yes, the services are expensive, as they are everywhere.

hercules was right about the 2 HDD's and the CMOS battery. I've worked on well over a thousand laptops and came across maybe 5 ever that had 2 HDD bays and of those maybe 2 had both bays occupied. Even 2 HDD's in a desktop are pretty rare for an off the shelf computer. Im not vouching for the OD tech he sounds inexperienced based on your description and i wouldn't want him working on my computer (again based on your description) but based on what the second tech you took it to told you, he was a liar and trying to get your money, any tech who would confidently say that about the CMOS battery knows you arent tech savvy and is trying to take advantage of you. OD has a track record of doing services the techs arent qualified to preform, this is a combination of poor training and pressure on the techs to sell services that they may not fully understand how to complete.

@Enterman

I am by no means dismissing what you are saying. You have every right to be upset, but there are some things you should know and before you start asking my qualifications, yes I have a degree in Computer and electronic Engineering.

1. The office depot tech was not showing ineptitude when he expressed surprise at your laptop having 2 hard drives. It is very unusual for a off the shelf laptop from a retail store to have two hard drives only the more expensive models have those. If he was not aware of how pricy the laptop was to begin with he would have been surprised to see the second HD.

2. The technician you saw afterwards was either mistaken or lying. The battery the OD tech removed was the CMOS battery. That would reset your BIOs settings back to factory default. It would in absolutely no way erase your second hard drive. The most logical reason your USB ports are no longer working is a glitch in the bios or the drivers missing in windows. you can reset the bios to factory settings by removing the CMOS battery again and waiting 2 minutes before reinserting it. You could also go into the BIOS and manually re-enable them.

I will say I am shocked that the OD tech bent the pins on the hard drive. It is nearly impossible to insert IDE harddrives incorrectly to the point where pins are bent. It would be almost impossible while using the correct amount of force. Either he was knowingly pushing to hard, or he was simply inexperienced and didn't know how hard was too hard. The other option I have seen in the past is a third party tech breaking something on accident and then blaming a retail store tech once they find out you've taken the machine to another place first. Did you watch him initially open your machine. I find it hard to believe that the tech opened up your machine right there in front of you. This opinion comes again from working in the field. By opening it in front of you they would be exposing your machine to ESD or Electrostatic discharge, which not only could fry your ENTIRE system, but cause glitches in the future.

Please think about what I have pointed out here. I agree that the OD tech should never have opened up your laptop, so you have my support to return the laptop, but please take anything a third party tech tells you with a grain of salt. Even me. ALWAYS do your own research.

I work at Office Depot and I consider the tech services to be completely disingenuous. First off, the customers are under the impression that the employees at the store are certified technicians. We, however, have received no additional training (besides watching a couple of videos) and most certainly are not "certified". All we do is connect the customer's computer to the internet, run whats called a "free pc checkup", and tell the customer what the checkup recommends. Here's the catch...the checkup always recommends the SAME thing; a Diagnose & Repair. This service costs $170. It doesn't matter if the customer's computer is infected with a virus, has a faulty hard drive, needs RAM; the checkup always recommends the Diagnose & Repair. I've scanned computers that had absolutely nothing wrong with them and its always the same. You might ask "What does the Diagnose & Repair do?". Good question. To my knowledge, when we connect a computer online and run the Diagnose & Repair (that is, a person from a remote location runs the Diagnose & Repair), a few different antivirus programs are employed on the customer's computer and then proceed to run a virus scan. Thats about it folks. 1. Customer brings in their computer 2. We run a pc checkup 3. We tell them they need a diagnose and repair 4. If the customer is gullible enough, they will buy it. Of course the problem with this is that there could be a number of things wrong with the customer's computer. The most common complaint we get is "My computer is running slow". There could be a million and one different reasons to why their computer is running slow, but Office Depot only offers one solution; the Diagnose and Repair. We don't have the ability to check for hardware issues which makes our services completely useless. This, my friends, is a disgusting exploitation of the general public's ignorance. Just in case you were wondering, Yes, we do have a lot of complaints after we have completed the service. I've seen a number of times where the customer comes in about a week after the service was completed and complains about the same problems persisting with their computer. This is expected since the Diagnose & Repair did not come even remotely close to fixing the problem. Anyway, there's my $.02. Also, if you were wondering, I've never sold a Diagnose and Repair and never plan to no matter how much commission I'm offered.

OD covers it's [censor] well. I took in a laptop (HP DV8000) for service because my screen went black. The tech said "Well, let's see if I can read your drivers." After he opened it up he looked surprised saying "Oh, you have to hard drives". Personally I thought to myself "Your a computer tech and your surprised there's two hard drives?" He then took out both hard drives and forced them into a sleeve and plugged into another USB port on one of their computers. Then he said "Humm... I don't understand I can't read it, let me look at the other driver." Forced the other driver in and pretty much said the same thing. After he pried the driver back out he continued to look at the laptop. He lifted my wireless board and seen a disk battery. He said "That battery might be dead" Pulled out a box cutter and pried out the battery. He told me that I should take it to another place because he didn't know what else to do. After I took it to another computer shop, they asked me if anyone had been into the back of my computer. I told them that I'd just been to OD and was referred to them. He flipped over the laptop and took off the panel. He pulled out the hard drives and took out a pair of needle nose pliers and pulled the pins out where they'd been forced into the hard drive. Then he moved the wireless board and said "Where's the battery that's suppose to be here?". I pulled the battery out of my pocket and handed it to him. He told me "You never take that battery out, it's the battery that holds all the memory to your computer. He got my screen to come back up and said "Now that your screen is up, here the prices of our services if you want me to fix what he messed up." I took the computer home to see for myself what damages had been done. I turned on the computer and I lost all 4 of my USB ports. Nothing was left in my memory. I couldn't reset anything because it was gone. Nothing that plugs into my USB Ports work, won't even read it. I called OD and talked to the dept mgr. He told me to bring it back to the store and he'd see if he could fix it. A week had went by and not a word. When I called I was told he couldn't fix it. When I went to the store the guy that messed it up was there to. All he could say was "Oh, I'm sorry. Oh, I'm sorry. Oh, I'm sorry. Oh, I'm sorry. Oh, I'm sorry". They turned it over to Corp office. 2 weeks later I hadn't herd from anyone, so I started calling. The OD store manager told me that the adjuster "Liz Plaska" had (through emails) gotten statement from the Store Mgr, Dept Mgr and the Tech that messed up the computer. She also gave me "Liz Plaska" phone number, I'd been calling for a week with no return phone calls. I gotten a hold of a guy in executive corp. relations by the name of Ken Worshman. After telling him the whole story he told me... "Funny, it's against OD policy for tech's to open up laptops". I told him that whom ever "Liz Plaska" was won't answer her phone nor would she return phone calls. He told me he'd leave her a message and have her call me. That never happened. Later that night, I got a letter from UPS from her. All I can say is that tech that worked on my computer knows how to cover his [censor].

And I quote...

" We have carefully examined the circumstances surrounding this incident and believe we have sufficient information, at this time, to make a proper decision regarding this matter.

On the day of the incident you called the store and advised that your laptop was not working and when brought into the store the status was the same. As the laptop was not working, it was not necessary for the associate to plug into your USB ports for service. The associate performed extra services at your request. You acknowledged to the Store Manager that you where not charged for any services for alleged damages repaired by the Tech for Less. I was also determined that your files/date where not lost. If you have a problem with the ports being detected, there is a known issue that is listed on HP's website, and this only requires a walk through of steps to correct the issue.

Based on our current information, we have not been able to find any negligence on the part of Office Depot. Please understand that my obligation to Office Depot is to pay only those claim for which Office Depot es legally responsible.

Liz Plaska

NO NEGLIGENCE? IT'S AGAINST COMPANY POLICY TO OPEN UP LAPTOPS
I NEVER ASKED HIM TO OPEN IT UP.
HE BROKE THE PINS ON BOTH HARD DRIVES
HE LOST THE MEMORY ON THE SECOND HARD DRIVE BECAUSE HE REMOVED THE BATTERY.

SEEMS OFFICE DEPOT LOVES THE COVER UP. THEY ARE GOING TO BACK THEIR EMPLOYEE'S. AND IF THE EMPLOYEE IS TELLING A LIE, AS LONG AS THAT LIE DON'T COST OFFICE DEPOT ANY MONEY, YOU CAN BET THE FARM THAT'S WHO THEY'LL BACK.

Coming from an od manager and computer tech, If you know what youre doing, MOST of the services are a waste of money. Fortunately for use, staples, best buy, and omax, 95% of people dont know what they are doing so the services are actually worth it and everyone wins.

As far as customer service, only people who have never worked retail would say they would never shop with a company again because someone lied to them, that just shows your ignorace and lack of intellegence of the real world and the fact that not everyone is the same, a logical person would just not deal with that person or that location anymore, do you think by shopping somewhere else you are not going to risk being lied to? If anything you are doing yourself a diservice by limiting your options as to where you can shop, and a place that will price match the lowest price anywhere isnt really somewhere you want to write off, **insert pause** let me finish, who are you kidding though, I've had customers tell me to my face they will never shop there again (Ive worked 3 different big box retailers) and i see them in there days or months later and they try to act like it never happened, im sure to bring it up to them. God forbid i ever go into your place of business or meet you on the street, i never forget someone who says something intentionally malicious like that and trust me that bridge is burned forever, i will never be your friend, i will never work with you if i see you at your place of business, and god forbid you get trapped in a firey car crash because the first words out of my mouth as im about to save you is, "remember that time you were an [censor]?" and than ill leave you to meet your maker. /end rant

Back to the facts:
-I make it a point to give full refunds to anyone who isnt 100% satisified even though that is way outside the return policy for tech services and most stores would absolutly not do that, thats how confident i am with my work and the work of my staff.
-I make it a point to undercut anyone who offers to do it cheaper even a local shop.
-I always go above and beyond to register all the associated products with the consumer inlcuding warranties, i even change the backgound to something i associate with that customer or think they would like because good customer service is about personalized service that youre 100% satisified with.

This is really not to defend office depot becuase they are just my current paycheck, i could leave tomorrow and not think twice, tech and managment jobs are a dime a dozen. This is to let people know that just because you have one bad experience with one person at one place at one time doesnt mean you should write off that company or that location or even that person, people have off days, unfortunate circumstances arise and sometimes they dont go the way you plan them. Think before you say something that might ruin someones day or talk bad about a company.

johnmarks132 its because youre a bad manager
moses13 you did the right thing in that situation, that would have happened in my store so dont lose faith! poor managment.

Last week I purchased a HP PC from office depot in Boynton Bch, Florida. YES, I was conned into buying the optimization plan. The next day after bringing my PC home I noticed that I was unable to download properly from MS website and also unable to install software made for Vista. I called the special 8oo number given to me and I was told that they can not do anything for me.I called HP and when they heard about the optimization deal they told me that they were unable to help and it appeared to them that when the work was done some of my links were screwed up.I called the store manager, its like talking to a robot, NO

Hello everyone,

This is just a warning to you all, coming from an Office Depot manager:

Office Depot stores are loosing business everyday, our customer service
is no where to be found, and nothing is improving on the sales side.
Office Depot offers tech services that are fraudulent; they charge fees for new computers anti-virus installs for $99.99, when a customer could purchase the software for $29.99.

I am leaving the company, so this is just an inside tip!

I currently work at Office Depot as a Tech Department Manager; yes you may think that the services are dumb because you can do everything that our services can do yourself cheaper. However, many people are not like us, they can not do theses services. I am very proud of our tech services and feel that with Vista they are more important that even a warrantee. I am sorry that you are upset with Office Depot for what ever reason, but I stand firm on the services. And I will continue to recommend them to customers with every purchase.

I have also worked at Office Depot, and am currently getting a degree in Comp. Info Systems, and the optimization* is not a bad service.
Optimization $100.00 (includes McAfee and services)

So, breaking it down into two parts...
McAfee Virus Scan Plus $40.00
Services costs $60.00

Services include removing manufacturer *junk* software, unnecessary processes (which doesn't improve your computer's speed THAT much, but it is noticeable), and installing McAfee for you.

These are easy tasks for me, so I wouldn't need to buy an optimization since I am computer literate. For those who AREN'T computer savvy, this is not a bad deal.

Hi! I just bought a new computer and paid for the tech services. The employee selling the service to me said it was Norton anti virus softyware. When I got home and turned on my computer, it was McAfee, which I did not want. I told the guy that I could download AVG for free. They said it was Norton that was ranked number 1. When I got home it was McAfee, and I am never shopping in their store again! He said I should of looked at my receipt. Well if the salesperson is lying to you, why should I have to sit in a store and check and correct the salesperson?

You actually had a good point to make, but with your disgruntled and ignorant attitude it actually made them look good. Nice going.

I agree that you should not have to pay for an "optimizing" service when you are buying a new PC. They give you a $40 Anti-Virus program and a "Freeware" program and charge you $100.

Rebates will be rebates, if people have the brains to follow them correctly they will usually receive them.

You are a computer technician, and you worked for Office Depot. Suuuuure you are. Ever heard of "Spell-Check"?
Please review your spelling, it hurts my eyes.
deot=Depot
biguest=biggest
germani=Germany

And I'm not even going to touch your grammar. Were you even born in this country? I'll bet my Office Depot rewards card you weren't...