Tech Help for Granny? Geek Squad to the Rescue
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CREDIT: Senior computer image via Shutterstock
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No longer do seniors only have their grandchildren to turn to for gadget help.
Geek Squad, Best Buy’s 24-hour tech support task force, and the AARP launched "Tech Support for AARP Members," a comprehensive subscription program that supports AARP members and their personal technology with unlimited access to Geek Squad personnel by phone, online and in the store. The partnership also offers discounts on in-home service calls.
Geek Squad’s own customer demographics attest to the growing interest access to tech support from people who are 50 and older. More than one-third of their subscribers for service for computers and tablets are between the ages of 55 and 64.
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Brian Hutto, vice president of Best Buy Services, said the program will help those over 50 choose the devices that are the right for them and make the most of their electronics.
"It’s a fallacy that technology adoption is biased in favor of youth,” Hutto said. "The benefits of these tools are well-known and highly desirable to the 50-plus (age group)."
A one-year membership in the program costs between $99.99 and $169.99 and includes a personal tech shopper, setup and installation of computers, tablets and peripherals and troubleshooting and repair services. The service also includes phone training on every device from digital cameras to Internet safety.
Chad Brooks is a Chicago-based freelance business and technology writer who has worked in public relations and spent 10 years as a newspaper reporter. You can reach him at chadgbrooks@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @cbrooks76.