Who Is Geeks On Time?

Geeks On Time (geeksontime.com, sometimes called GOT) is a service organization, once based in Phoenix, but now relocated to White Plains, New York.

GOT operates in all 50 states and maintain a network of more than 1200 contractor-technicians. Geeks on Time has a customer base, including YMCA, Michaels, Rennert Bilingual, Smart Analyst, and Brienza Academic Advantage. The slowing economy is having a disproportionate effect on the National Service Organization (NSO) industry. It is not unlike the Madoff Ponzi scheme.

As Warren Buffet said,

"You only learn who has been swimming naked when the tide goes out."

The slowing economy is the tide going out.

Geeks on Time likes to boast about awards that have been received. And indeed the company did receive awards, but all of the awards are now looking a bit dated. The company last received a significant award in 2005, and during that same year, the company had a significant amount of positive press. The awards and positive press have been absent for the last 5 years.

Customers have complained about incompetent maintenance that led to the computers being unusable, and about the company failing to take responsibility for the problems caused. But unlike some of the competing companies in the NSO industry, there are few reports of fraudulent practices such as the charging of credit card accounts for services not performed. To be fair, any company in the technical services field will have performance issues, and the problems reports for Geeks on Time seem in line with a technically competent organization.

However, with the business problems of the last few years, many technicians will no longer take calls because they are owed a significant amount of back-pay, or they know of GOT by reputation. Remember that the technician is not only out the time, but the technician is supplying his own parts.

As Geeks on Time's reputation has gotten worse, the company has been getting desperate for contractor-technicians who don't know about their operating procedure. This problem has gotten so bad, that Geeks on Time has resorted to telemarketing techniques, calling long lists of technicians, trying to find anyone who will take the call. This has obviously led to a reduction in the competency of the workforce.

Telemarketing has become the method of choice for many NSO companies to find contractor-technicians.

In December 2008, "Media Awareness International", a Nevada corporation, acquired Geeks On Time. Very little is known about Media Awareness International, but the CEO and Chairman of Media Awareness International is Venus McNabb, who held the same positions with Geeks on Time.

There are opportunities for the NSO that survives this period of transition. Computers are going to need service. As the computer systems get more complex, and they do every year, the need for technical expertise increases.

"Consumers have been very consistent in expressing both their frustration with the complexity of today's digital home products and services and their willingness to seek professional assistance to solve these issues," said Kurt Scherf, Parks Associates Vice President. "We view the customer service and support area as not just a critical challenge for retailers, manufacturers, and service providers to overcome, but also a significant revenue generating opportunity for forward-thinking companies."

Parks Associates projects that the annual IT NSO revenue will grow from less than $500 million in 2007 to almost $1 billion in 2011.

With all of the NSO problems, a vacuum has being created. Who will fill this need? The challenge will be credibility, and the NSO industry has been tainted by these operations. Companies like Geeks on Time will have difficulty avoiding their past.

Geeks On Time has earned the Geeks Informed Smell Test rating of Very Stinky.