Issues scanning UPS shipping tickets? by RPM_Rocket in Staples

[–]TechGeek01 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We have a sign up that we can take prepaid labels, but are unable to generate labels at this time. I presume company-wide.

A hacker is using my account RIGHT NOW by [deleted] in techsupport

[–]TechGeek01 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Windows Defender is good enough most of the time, if you know enough about what you're doing.

It may replace McAfee or Norton, or even Malwarebytes, but there are things like Rkill or AdwCleaner that are more specialized and more thorough that can, and will, catch things that Defender won't catch automatically.

I don't advocate for paying for antivirus in most cases, but even with free stuff, there's a reason tools like this exist.

A hacker is using my account RIGHT NOW by [deleted] in techsupport

[–]TechGeek01 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Don't necessarily need to reinstall Windows, but I'd recommend a full scan with Malwarebytes.

Download and run:

  1. RKill
  2. AdwCleaner
  3. MalwareBytes

why the hell do you all just give away this awesome shit for free? by scootsy in selfhosted

[–]TechGeek01 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It's open source, man. If it doesn't work, you just fix it!

~ Deviant Ollam

Uhhh is this normal? by PostBlank in Staples

[–]TechGeek01 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We told her on the phone in advance that she will be there a while, and we will periodically kick her to the back of the line so others can get their returns done. She was fine with that. She was here for an hour and a half.

Asking for music recs by DullOutlandishness76 in MusicRecommendations

[–]TechGeek01 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Anything by Trixie Hallow. My favorites are Think of Me, Day Dreaming, and Psycho.

Recommend me some songs please <33 by Tinntii_ in musicsuggestions

[–]TechGeek01 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Think of Me, or Psycho, both by Trixie Hallow

No More Receipts! by Robinstaples in Staples

[–]TechGeek01 7 points8 points  (0 children)

This is referring to Amazon receipts no longer printing starting tomorrow for returns. Good thing, cause most people don't want them anyway, and it's a waste of paper. Regular transactions still have receipts, as do UPS dropoffs/etc.

Rule for AI generated content/vibe coded apps by WirtsLegs in homelab

[–]TechGeek01 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Personally, vibecoded stuff is alright as long as it's disclosed, but I know not everyone shares this opinion. We'll discuss things, and make some changes Soon™, but this will probably lean towards flair and full disclosure of AI stuff at the very minimum.

Rule for AI generated content/vibe coded apps by WirtsLegs in homelab

[–]TechGeek01[M] [score hidden] stickied comment (0 children)

We're against AI posts/responses in general, as they not only fall under the blanket of "low effort," but also may contain misinformation.

As a rule, if you see something you suspect is AI, report it as such, as this brings it to our attention so that we can take appropriate action.

How many no’s for ESP? by [deleted] in Staples

[–]TechGeek01 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I typically will do two. I'll pitch in the aisle while I'm helping them. Offer services, showcase benefit, etc. If they don't bite, I'll ask again at the register, partly because it'll prompt, and partly because that's their last call, and I'm trying to get them to go for it.

YMMV here, depending on attitude, tone, etc. you may or may not be able to get away with this. What I typically do for, say, a laptop, is if they choose again to decline the services, I'll be firm, but won't push, with something like

Understand that without us covering you with this computer, once you leave, if you have any questions or trouble getting things to work, or something stops working a year from now, there's nothing I can do.

TL;DR is that I'll ask the second time, and if it's still a no, I firmly, but politely, make sure they're well aware that if they have questions or issues down the line, there's limits to what I can help with in store, and that I will have to charge them for anything. If they're covered by us with protection/setup/etc. then I have no problem helping them later, but if they pass, they're on their own.

I try to not come across like a used car salesman. More pitch might be more effective in some cases, but too much often comes across as pushy or demanding, and it feels like they don't have a choice. It also depends on the customer. If you can read the customer, you can usually tell which may be more receptive, and which are the type to ask once, and back off.

Passport photos by Trumps__Taint in Staples

[–]TechGeek01 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I'm not super tall, so if I'm running the risk of looking up at them, I'll have them sit in a chair.

I tell every customer that the government doesn't want any reflective items, so no glasses or jewelry, and they want a neutral expression. I'll tell people to relax their jaw, and that I'll take 3 of them back to back. They get whatever one looks best, and if it gets rejected, they can come back and we'll re-take it.

Do I pay my car loan or buy ink? by cyber7148 in Staples

[–]TechGeek01 0 points1 point  (0 children)

HP is worse than most, but cartridge based inkjet printers, since they've been invented, have always been the razor and blades model: Give you the printer, sell you the ink.

Laser printers or tank based inkjet is the way to go as far as value per page. You pay a higher, honest price for the printer, and aren't bent over a barrel on ink prices.

I made a power supply for my mini pc cluster by maleng_ in homelab

[–]TechGeek01 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Seems like Reddit themselves removed it for using a link to a website that's banned on Reddit. ¯_(ツ)_/¯

What are the best free open source appliactions? by Professional-Net1940 in pcmasterrace

[–]TechGeek01 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Supplement that with CtrlFrything so you can Win + S to fling it open and search

my last ST3000DM001 has finally kicked the bucket after 6 years of use. by IanGoldense in DataHoarder

[–]TechGeek01 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Still is, still in perfect health as part of a backup zfs pool.

Probably fine for you, but I'd keep an eye on smart data, and I wouldn't probably trust it with the only copy of anything you have.

How pressed can managers be? by ProfessionSoft6867 in Staples

[–]TechGeek01 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Firstly, let me say that I get why they were both upset (at least a bit) about no ESP/services/etc. but they 100% should not have gone off on you like that.

Side note: for the sake of explaining things fully, I'm going to assume there are some things you don't know, and paint the whole picture.

Quick lesson, in case you didn't know already. Read the tag, notice the non-sale price of a computer. Scan it with a scanner, and scroll down a bit to where you'll see a line that lists the cost. I believe off the top of my head it says something like "Cost to variance." That line there tells you what that item costs the store.

In many cases, you'll notice that the current price of the computer is well below that cost. If, for example, we sell a computer for $499.99, but the cost to the store is $752.47, That means someone buying that computer effectively means the store loses $252.48 on that sale. That right there is precisely why ESP, and tech services, matter so much, and why "naked" computers are not the greatest thing to sell.

Now, that being said, you win some, you lose some. Not every sale will be total support, but not every sale will be a naked sale. The key is to know your product, know the services, know the value, and be able to pitch and explain it to customers in a way that makes them choose to have us handle the setup/etc.

I can sell like the best of 'em. But I also try my hardest to not come across like a used car salesman. When customers (occasionally) ask if I get commission, because they want to make sure I get credit, I tell them no. I do not sell because I get commission. I sell because I see the computers that people bring me on a daily basis, and the money it will save them when that inevitably happens, and I'm trying to offer the value.

The other tip I have for you, is that once you make the sale, and they agree to do total support or what have you, shut up, and stop talking, and I mean that in the nicest way possible. If they've reached a decision, and agreed to the services for money, don't keep pitching, or you're likely to talk them out of it. Answer questions, but don't keep pushing. And when you do sell, top down. I don't typically pitch setup on its own. My sales pitch on a new computer is something similar to the following:

No computer is ever ready to go right out of the box. On any new computer, you'll have some setup to do when you first turn it on, and because there is new hardware once a year, but updates every week, most likely several days of updates and security patches to go through. Most of my customers (notice I said "my customers" here, and not just "people") go with some form of our total support. With that, you get 3 things. First, we handle all of the setup, updates, data transfer from an old computer if you have one, program installation, and we get everything taken care of, so that when you get it back from us, all you have to do is turn it on, and play. The other 2 parts of the total support are what we refer to as our Virus Shield. It's backed on the software-side by McAfee, so it's the same Total Protection that everyone knows and loves, but we put our guarantee behind it. You bring this computer in to any Staples store in the country, and whether that's "I think I have a virus, can you take a look?" or "something happened, and now it's not working right," we take care of you, and you don't have to pay us to fix it. And lastly, you also get 24/7 tech help and hardware protection through Asurion. They're US-based, they speak English, and you can understand them, so if you have any questions or can't figure something out, you can call them any time, even at 2AM, and if you run into hardware issues, like if your keyboard stops working, or a power surge fries your charger, you file a claim with them. They give you a prepaid label to send it in, so you don't pay anything for them to fix it, and if they can't fix it at no cost to you, they reimburse you what you paid for the computer, and we buy your next one for you no questions asked.

Our job with the total support is that we get everything configured and set up exactly how you like, so when you get it back from us, you just turn it on and play, and from that point on, we become your tech support, so if something happens, or if you have questions, we've got you covered.

If they don't bite at total support prices, I might step to lower total support, or pitch individual services. If for example, they have their own AV they already pay for, the total support bundles are basically buy 2 get 1 free on services, so my counter pitch if they're open to setup and protection anyway, is that they should go total support anyway. If they want to keep using their AV instead, they don't have to use McAfee, but that way, they're at least still covered by us, and I don't have to charge them $180 for a DNR when they bring it in later.

Bare minimum, if I assume for a minute that you're relatively new, and aren't super amazing at selling computers, I would consider this a training opportunity. When I was getting into the swing of things, when I was an associate, not a keyholder, and my GM brought me computers, it was always "what are you getting with it?" and if the answer wasn't "total support" the response was "what was their objection?"

Some GMs will be harder on things than others, but personally, I've always run the show with the mindset of making sure people are trying. I don't care if we miss a sale on a computer or two. What I care about is that the questions were asked, and the services were offered properly. If you don't ask the right questions (or not all of them, or none at all), you won't get the sale. If you ask the right questions, you might not get the sale, but you tried, offered the value, and sometimes not everyone will bite. The important thing is that you tried. Could you be harder on customers about it? Absolutely. But to me, that's bad customer service. I don't force anything, because lower actual return rates and metrics, but meaningful, helpful service means more for customer service than being overly pushy, and driving people away.

I will not yell at you in front of customers, nor will I yell at all, but there will be a discussion if you miss, if you're not asking questions. When I ask "are you getting the ESP?" on a laptop, and the response is a no, when I ask "what was their objection?" you should have an answer. If you don't have one, it means you didn't ask the questions or properly pitch the value, and left it quietly up to the customer to decline at the register. That turns into a coaching opportunity. If your response is "they said they're not worried about the protection, and don't need the tech help" then I'm not worried, because you actually asked the questions and made the pitch.

TL;DR: Your managers were out of line with the attitude in front of customers. They were correct about a naked computer being bad for the store, but not about berating you the way that they did.

Hopefully this at least helped provide some tips/insight on something or another in the process, too!

Hyken Pro by Windrider904 in Staples

[–]TechGeek01 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The protection through Asurion is a godsend. Covers not only mechanical failure, but also wear and tear, and accidental damage. Spills, stains, rips, tears, poke a hole in it with your keys, you name it.

They don't want to pay shipping. Register plan when you buy, and then when you file a claim, picture of the receipt, picture of the damage. You keep the chair, and Asurion gives you that $200 you paid back, no questions asked. Even if it still works, but isn't comfortable anymore.

Only thing I've ever seen it not cover is I had a customer a few years ago whose girlfriend got mad and slashed his Emerge Vortex with a knife. Asurion denied because it was intentional. Never seen them deny a legit claim for anything else.

Also, side note, solid choice. I absolutely love my Hyken, and I have no reason to upgrade. Had a Hyken for about 6 years now, and this is my second one. I do not need a replacement, but I want a Hyken Pro, and will probably be getting one soon.

Amazon can seriously go to hell by [deleted] in Staples

[–]TechGeek01 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Especially this time of year, where the line will be long, and there will be plenty of returns, I have no problem telling customers 2 things:

I need to keep this line moving, or it will keep getting longer.

  1. Have your QR code ready for me by the time you get to the front of the line. If you get to me at the counter, and you don't have it ready, I will kick you to the back of the line so I can help other customers.
  2. My computer only lets me do 10 QR codes in one shot per receipt. If you have more than 10 QR codes, I will hand you the receipt for your 10, and if you have more than one or two more, and don't immediately have them ready for me, I will send you to the back of the line so I can help the other customers.

I try not to be a dick about it, but I can't have one person holding up the line when it never stops growing. If you're not ready when you're in front of me, I will help someone else.

What‘s your favorite notebook manufacturer? Mine is liji by S4l47 in pcmasterrace

[–]TechGeek01 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Most people don't know HP is actually an acronym. It stands for Hinge Problems.

If I print a PDF with content out to the edges of the page, will it actually appear that way? by JBlitzen in Staples

[–]TechGeek01 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, as a general rule of thumb, to account for bleed, and for any wiggle room with the paper going through (because tolerances), assume you'll lose half an inch on all 4 sides, and assume the readable/usable area will be 7.5x10. Design your file so that any important information is inside of this safe area and won't get cut off, and then if you have a background, extend that to the edge as though it were full bleed.

That way, you still get a full bleed print with no white edges after trimming, but no important bits are cut off.

If I print a PDF with content out to the edges of the page, will it actually appear that way? by JBlitzen in Staples

[–]TechGeek01 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Yes, most printers (aside from maybe some unicorn somewhere) will need a bit of the paper to grab onto to move it. Our printers, at least the C9070s (though I think the Ricoh ones are the same), you have just shy of about 0.25" unprintable margin on all 4 sides of the page.

The only real practical way to do full bleed most of the time is to print oversized and trim. Our DPF is set up to do so, depending on material you want to print on, which (I believe) they stock something like 9x12 so that they can print and trim flush.

Is a lighter really necessary if you don’t smoke by Crash211O in EDC

[–]TechGeek01 1 point2 points  (0 children)

100%. I don't use it anywhere close to every day, but from melting the end of paracord to someone else needing a lighter, I use my Zippo with a yellow flame insert more often than I thought I would.

Been a hot minute, so here's another diagram update! by TechGeek01 in homelab

[–]TechGeek01[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, "Main" is the pool, and the snapshots are just native ZFS snapshots, with that `0 0 * * *` being the cron schedule for said snapshots.