Nerds On Site Joins Geek Squad In Denial [UPDATED]
A reader pointed me towards this press release from the Nerds On Site website that addresses that CBC Marketplace video that I posted yesterday. Just in case you missed it, let me recap. If you watch the video the Nerd in question not only completely blows the diagnosis of the issue, but then says the computer has to go to a “clean room” to get fixed and it will cost the customer (who is of course a Marketplace producer) two thousand dollars to recover the data on the computer. Also, he copies the data of the computer and leaves with it (wow, what a violation of privacy). Yet in the press release, Nerds On Site says:
“This is the third investigative report in which Nerds On Site has been featured and the first time that we have not been able to resolve the issue. We were surprised and disappointed by this service call and have taken immediate corrective action.”
Okay. So they’ve taken corrective action…. Great. In the report done by CBC Marketplace, the Nerd was supposed to be fired. But at the time they aired the report, he was still working for them, but not making house calls.
That doesn’t sound like corrective action to me. Perhaps I am missing something. Well, the press release offers more insight:
“We apologized to the Customer and provided a full refund. We’ve tightened our Customer Service and Interaction system even further. Company invoices now communicate two of the company’s Rules Of Engagement concerning the treatment of hardware and the treatment of data. Client authorization is required for any exception to the Rules, which state, “NO equipment or data can be removed from the client’s site. All Client data is private property and is NOT to be transferred to any device not owned by the Client.” The company has also made three of its University of NERDology courses – pertaining to hardware treatment, data treatment and the residential Client Needs Assessment process – mandatory refreshers for all Nerds.”
So let me get this straight….
- The tech that gave them bad press is still working for Nerds On Site
- They’ve changed their invoices to make sure that it’s clear what happens to customer data.
- They’ve enhanced their training.
I’ll give them points on items two and three. Assuming that they actually follow through and the Nerds on the street actually do the stuff that they say they’re going to do, that’s a good thing. However the fact that the tech (as of the date of the CBC broadcast) was still working for them bothers me. I wouldn’t want him or ANYONE LIKE HIM working on any computer I own. Nor would I want him employed in any company I own or run. They should be ashamed to have someone like him working for Nerds On Site.
Perhaps in that regard they’ve joined the denial camp? Only time will tell I guess.
UPDATE: The original CBC Marketplace story is no longer available. So I’ve linked to a video of the story below:
Also, the press release is now offline.
January 22, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Keeping Chris Kardasis was one of the many reasons I left Nerds On Site.
They also kept someone in my area (for over 6 years) who should not be dealing directly with customers. In fact, they made an internal video with a group of dozens of nerds having them each say what their previous jobs were: “I used to be a used car salesman … I used to teach kindergarten … I used to empty dustbins … ” which makes me wonder what standards they maintain. It is hard to maintain standards when your goal is to have “50 million nerds worldwide”. BTW, their “mandatory” training was not enforced.
April 22, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Hi,
I have recently been exploring the possibility of becoming a Nerd so I found your post interesting. I’ve been doing this work for a while so I just wanted to offer an observation or two.
I do agree with you that the tech should have been fired because he out and out lied not because he blew a diagnosis. If he’s still a nerd and not seeing any customers that may be a legal or contractual issue. Police who mess up are often confined to a desk until their situation can be resolved.
You left out a fourth point in your list which is that NOS refunded the customer’s money and apologized.
I’m not really into conspiracy theories but it seems a little weird that a random sampling of geeks turned up such a bad apple from NOS. I would think that this bozo was the exception to the rule.
We’ve all blown a diagnosis or two, so let’s not get on too high of a horse. The difference is that if we discovered our error or it was pointed out to us we probably didn’t lie about it.
Though you make light of it, NOS did respond in an appropriate manner by correcting their policies to prevent a repeat of the problem. What else would you have them do.
Do you challenge NOS’s claim of a 95.6% customer satisfaction rate? Although I personally would prefer a 100% customer satisfaction rate in my own world, I wonder how realistic that is. No harm in trying for it, but it’s rarely achieved.
I don’t know if I’m going to become a Nerd or not, but as they build their business it is certainly in their best interest to try to avoid customer dissatisfaction. If I am offered the opportunity it will be on the basis of having filled out two very short survey/assessments and a 30 min. Skype call in which we got to talk face to face (sort of). Is this enough of a vetting process. I don’t know. NOS will have to deal with that issue. I know if I choose to be Nerd I will provide the same competent, professional and courteous service as I always have. I see more pros than cons in the arrangement at this point.
Thanks for your mostly thoughtful commentary.
Mark
PS The Black Letterhead WordPress theme is quite stunning.
April 23, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Until January I was a nerd. The video at this link http://www.iwanttobeanerd.com/player.asp?FILE=I_Use_to_Be.flv is exactly why you don’t want to be part of Nerds On Site. Training is a joke. There are a few really good people but most of them don’t stay long. Don’t count on any support from a marketing standpoint.
The founders are really good people but the CEO Charlie Regan is the reason this company will fail.
They are most interested in getting more people to join and less about building your business. If you are even considering joining Nerds Onsite think again. Don’t let them trick you into joining. The CBC video should show the world what a scam this whole thing is.
August 23, 2011 at 8:55 pm
pfft, redagrding mr former nerd: the company’s alive and well dude. and a lot has to do with the hard work that people put into it, including the founders and ceo charlie regan. it’s been 2 years now since you wrote that; they double in size every year, pretty much. check your facts
April 15, 2013 at 10:49 pm
2013, how do you make them pay for their sins. NOS is a ripoff. Good thing I did my research. I am now working for a better scam company Geek Squat.
April 15, 2013 at 10:53 pm
i just wanted to add my little grain of salt. Nerds on site scammed of 3,500 now I have to pay for a lawyer. F…. … ….
scammed
Be an an EntrepreNERD! Ride a NerdMobile! and make good money!
Sounds nice until you hear what you have to pay in to the company to become a member!
I went to an info session (applied for the job). It sounds nice. I could be a member of these nerds that drive around in nifty vw beetle bug cars and go fix peoples computers. They make it sound so good and I felt I would be proud to be a part of it (if I was to get the job). The info session went on for about 2 hours and was dragging on. At the end everyone had questions.
My biggest question was “how much does it cost? Do you supply the vw beetles to us? What about the laptops?” my response was that we had to buy our own new vw beetle car and a top of the line laptop and pay in to the company over $2,000. I shook my head and thought that was a great expense for a job. To top it off they said that people who are employed with them don’t get fed work (right away), they have to drive around and find work with their nifty new vw car they had to buy. They even said you have 3 chances and if something goes bad, like a customer not happy, then they fire you and you don’t get the $2,000 back and you are stuck with a vw, laptop and no job.
I just think that’s low down and not a very good way to get people to do business / employment. I understand freelance work; I have done it for many years. But I think a company shouldn’t make you buy all this stuff to become “member”. Don’t get me wrong. It looks nice and if some people out there can afford to pay the money, maybe it could be a good company to work for. I just can’t afford thousands of dollars and no guarantee that I will even make money from it. I just can’t risk $30,000 + dollars on a maybe job.
Keifer
surrey, British Columbia
Canada
Why dont you then start your own business,
Step 1. Buy an old VW bug or Van, Repaint it.
step 2. Buy a cheaper laptop or lease one.
Step 3. Come up with a catchy name. Compunerd, or Nerdbug, etc. design a logo
Step 4. Do the necessary Government paperwork.
Step 5. Go to work. Bring in a partner, if needed.
That company is only copying the Geek Squad.
So you copy it too.
This message is for anyone really looking into Nerds On Site and not a response to “Once Upon a Time”.
Here is a reason why I am a Nerd.. last week I had a quoted and approved job to re-architecture a network for a medium sized company in the Toronto area. Later that same week another member of the Nerds On Site team dialed me into an alternative technology that would compete with what was on the table, including a new Windows Server.
Sure enough he had a strong case, and a history of installations to prove it would be successful in my clients situation.
I went back to the table and had the same job re-quoted so I could save my client thousands of dollars by using “non-traditional” ie: Non-Windows Server technology to complete their business tasks.
The leveraged knowledge pool by this particular team makes sure we collectively are doing the best for our clients and have the interest of their business at heart on every job.
This attitude and resourcefulness available to us makes us the powerbrand of choice. On my own there is no way I could have taken the time to “vet” this particular technology package, when my clients have me as a Nerd and not an individual at their door they truly leverage our entire talent pool, not just my own.
I don’t know how or why the initial post landed here, but I can tell you the entire operations of Nerds On Site is completely transparent from every penny invoiced to a client up to every penny you collect in your pocket the numbers are clear and obvious. The initial claim has no foundation, and I speak from 7 years experience as a Nerd and many many more years to come.
I am a Nerd in Southern Ontario. I have been a member of the Nerds On Site family since May 2002. I have seen Nerds come and go. What many of them had in common were unrealistic expectations and treating their businesses like jobs. This business model is not for everyone. Being an eNerd with Nerds On Site is NOT A JOB! It is a business. We are responsible for our own successes (and failures). As an independent contractor I can go out and find clients…or not, as I choose. I can advertise…or not, as I choose. If I am not finding new clients I have only myself to hold responsible. Nerds On Site provides a reputable brand and a recognizable symbol – yes, the silly looking Beetle. (It got your attention, didn’t it?) We do build our individual businesses by word of mouth, not just from our own clients, but from each other’s clients as well. I have acquired new clients because a Nerd somewhere else provided outstanding service to that client or to someone that client trusts.
To me there are two principal values in being part of Nerds On Site: the back end administrative services (which I willingly pay for because I don’t have to buy them and then figure out how to use them and then run them on my own – or hire an employee to do it) and the TEAM. Others have said this and I will repeat it. The main value to me of being a Nerd with Nerds On Site is in all of the other people around the world who are Nerds with Nerds On Site. I could not do everything I do nor provide the services I provide to my clients without all of the other Nerds worldwide to back me up, teach me new things and provide expertise that I don’t have.
As for the sameness of these posts, it is not too surprising that we share many of the same values and realize the same benefits from being eNerds.
Years from now we will read, about that guy from nerdbug that makes you buy your own car.
I would like to correct some of the misinformation given by the person who wrote this complaint.
First of all, Nerds On Site is not an employer. They do not give jobs to people. Every nerd who works for Nerds On Site is an independent contractor running their own business, not an employee. So if you are looking for a “job”, you have looked in the wrong place.
For those of us who are already in business for ourselves, but are looking for ways to expand our businesses, Nerds On Site offers an excellent opportunity to do this. They provide you with services and opportunities not always available to the small independent business owner, including the strength of a worldwide brand name.
For your initial fee to become affiliated with Nerds On Site, you receive access to their custom developed back office software, that helps with customer management, invoicing, billing, and a score of other benefits. They handle all credit card processing merchant fees, giving you access to offer your customers credit card payment. They pay for insurance coverage so that if a customer’s computer or data is damaged or lost while a nerd is working on it that the insurance will pay for the damages, something that cannot always be afforded by an individual in business.
They do NOT require the purchase of a VW Beetle to be a Nerds On Site contractor, though it is strongly recommended for the marketing and branding values it provides. They do NOT require the purchase of a brand new Beetle, a used one is perfectly suitable provided it is red to match the company’s branding.
They do NOT require the purchase of a “high end” laptop to be a Nerds On Site contractor. You are required to have some sort of recent portable computer, but I asked them if an inexpensive netbook would do everything required and they said absolutely. The laptop is solely for access to their web-based back office software to do onsite invoicing and billing, and for acquisition of drivers and other software if the customer’s computer is unable to download these things. A good laptop is something EVERY good technician should carry with them at all times, and not an unreasonable request if you’re going to represent their company properly.
I heard nothing during the conversations I have had with the leadership of Nerds On Site about anything regarding a “3 strikes and you’re out” policy. They do have a policy concerning the first 90 days of affiliation with them, that if you don’t think they are a good fit for you and your business that you can cancel and you will get back half of your original cost. Which is also reasonable, given the support that they give you in starting up your new Nerds On Site business, including a mass mailing to local businesses to help get your name out into the community.
So basically, this report tries to paint the image that Nerds On Site is an employer, and that in order to get a job with them you have to pay all of this money and get nothing in return. That is completely false. You are not employed by Nerds On Site, you are an independent contractor with them, and for your money you get an amazing array of services to help you run your own business, plus access to every other independent contractor in their network to help with issues that you cannot handle.
Please don’t judge this company without looking into it yourself. They are an amazing group of people offering a very legitimate opportunity to go into business for yourself with the backing of a worldwide organization.
Well I didn’t know about the 3 strikes rule but I found out about it eventually. Charlie Regan (CEO) even said to me this is your third strike during one of my last conversations with them. Their head recruiter (and oldest Nerd) Blair De Abreu is a huge baseball fan so 3 strikes makes sense.
I did have a few minor incidents with them as an employee, franchisee, independent contractor or whatever you want to call me.
I had a client who wanted me to restore lost data for free because they were using the Nerds Backup by Data Deposit Box and were paying $2 per month for the serivce. I told them I would not do the work for free. She called and complained. STRIKE 1.
I had another home user call me on my cell phone on a Sunday and rudely demand help. I told them that I was with family and their home computer problems could wait until Monday. STRIKE 2.
I complained that the company was not doing enough to promote my business and that I was unhappy with how things were going. No quoting module, no contracts or agreements, no advertising, broken backend and more. I shared my views with other Nerds. I was later told that I work for myself and these problems are mine and not others. STRIKE 3.
My account to IAAN was turned off. My email was canceled. No notice was given to me and I was never really officially canceled. I was out of a job, had a new $21,000 new beetle with their advertising and could not even bill clients I had worked on that day. 3 months later I got email from their lawyer. It said that I had signed a non-compete contract and could not provide computer services within 100km or service my clients that they claim are theirs (but my clients think otherwise). They also told me I could not do computer work or have a computer business using a Red Beetle because it was trademarked. Frankly I feel that they wrongfully terminated my contract. They scammed me out of $3,400 and took half my money for almost two years. I am debating if I want to spend anymore money drafting a response by my lawyer.
It’s funny that the turds don’t do in-depth testing of applicants to verify their technical and customer service backgrounds. Getting their $2000 ‘fee’ is what drives this scam. That’s pure gravy. They’ll take as many ‘fees’ as they can get their hands on with no concern for market saturation or applicant quality. Ask them to define what constitutes a ‘strike’ and you get smoke-screened double-talk. Do the turds even do background checks on applicants? Hell no, since they’re independent contractors. Invite them into you home at your own peril. Basically, the only obligation the turds have is to collect the $2000 fee from IT wannabees.
I have been a nerd for 2 years now. It was the best decision I ever made. This is why:
1. I don’t have to deal with administrative headaches. I do my own bookkeeping so I can process my sales tax and do my taxes at the end of the year and thats it. Nerds takes all the payments, they process the credit cards, the do the collections on people who scam US.
2. I use Nerds On Site credit DAILY. I purchase enough inventory for my needs on a week by week basis on THEIR DIME. If I don’t sell it.. I get billed for it.. So.. I don’t go out and try to stock my bug like its a full service computer store. I keep a modest list of things I can sell on a weekly basis and replenish when needed. If I need something, its a quick phonecall away and I can have it drop shipped to the client if need be for a reasonable flat fee.
3. I don’t have to advertise. If I want to build my business up and work a lot I can become a member of the Chamber or go to another business building group and Nerds will pay half of the fee (THEIR HALF) 99% of the time.
4. Where else can you essentially buy a franchise to any business for $3500 plus the cost of a Beetle? Over and above that I spent maybe another $100 for more shirts and another $200 for some inventory. I need a car anyway.. why not make it a beetle? Its a great little car.
Yes, I have to buy my uniform, $35 for a shirt isn’t bad. When I worked at Pizza Hut when I was 14 years old I had to buy my uniform too.
Its my uniform! I don’t even understand why this is a complaint!
5. Where else can you build a business with an already established BRAND that is very focussed on becoming a world wide established brand?
Thus giving you a name to work under.
Some of the complaints I hear is that you only get 50% of the call.
Well yes.. thats true (to start). The more revenue you bring in, the higher your percentage. Personally.. I make about $32000 a year with Nerds. I don’t see me going anywhere but up in my income with this company.
Finally.. the biggest thing for me is simply the fact that for the most part.. I am not hindered by a boss. My destiny within this company is my own and if I decide to not work for a day. I can. If I decide to work a 12 hour day.. I can. If I choose to work 2 hours a day… I can.
This type of lifestyle is not for everyone.. if I wasn’t capable of getting up in the morning and being at a clients or watching for work coming my way I would not be making $32k a year.
And trust me.. I am on the bottom of the pay scale. We have guys making well over $100k a year because they like to work a lot harder then I do.
Nerds is no different then any other business. You have to work for your income.. you have to network… you have to TRY. If you don’t.. you will fail. Just like any other business. But at least its not a ‘JOB’.
The people who complain about the way this company works don’t understand how to run a business. Yes.. you should never pay to have a Job.. but this is NOT a job… it is a business.
And finally… Nerds On Site is what you make of it. Don’t expect to make a dime unless you are willing to work at it.
RE: “Nerds On Site isn’t for Everybody” Quote
AUTHOR: NoNameNerd – Lebanon (USA)
SUBMITTED: Monday, December 27, 2010
I would like to give my 2 cents about Nerds On Site. When I first started, I knew little about running a business and this work would be my first experience in the computer service industry. I didn’t go to school for marketing, and in the process of completing my MCSE certification. So I decided to give Nerds On Site a moment of my attention at one of these recruiting seminars. I clearly understood of the fees involved and what tool I needed to run my own business. They used catchy phrases to lure unsuspecting prospects like “You are in the business for yourself, but not by yourself” meaning that they utilize a back end website that you are able to bounce technical questions to nerds world wide. However in many cases when I used this process I rarely got an answer right away. When I did get an answer it would usually be hours or sometimes days later from the time I initially posted my question or left the premises. That is unacceptable! Another problem with that was very-very rarely had any of the replies come from the 3 co-founders ( Dave, Blair, or John) and they are the ones who boasted about how well this process works. Previous rebuttals to this thread was correct in saying that they wanted you to do (another catchy phrase) “Gold Calling” which was actually cold calling businesses and “free advertising” without any reimbursement from Nerds on Site. So you are driving around burning gasoline trying to land business on your own time and dime. They make it clear that they are not in the residential service market but they do not ignore any calls that may come into the call center but they claim it would halt me from getting a real source of income, meaning income from businesses. Time spend on short term cleanups and break/fixes would be better spent (catch phrase) “planting seeds”. They call prospective calls “seeds” I suppose what they meant by this is “starve today and you MIGHT feast tomorrow” What is not specified in these recruit meetings is exactly the amount Nerds on Site’s percentage of their cut they will commit to “seed planters” and forming relationships that will pay off bigger in the long term? The answer is 0% What portion of the corporate revenue stream will supplement those not bringing in income during this farming scheme? Again the answer is 0% How much will Nerds on Site invest in new Nerds (the farmers) today for a more bountiful tomorrow?? (Sticking with their whole seed planting theme) Answer 0%
They insist you join a local chamber of commerce, which is not a bad idea and they will pay half the membership fee for the first year. As mentioned earlier in this rebuttal was about the time spend on break/fix, cleanups, and blue screen where “eventually” you might land an opprotunity to bid on a big job. What you will need to figure out is what this is going to cost you in the short term. While you are out “opprotunity shopping” This will take gasoline and time away from the family. At the end of the day you will not have earned a single penny. Now you have to draw up a (catch phrase) Nerdcare (**maintanence) agreement, square things away, and hope you low balled …. all this and you have yet to earn one penny. Let’s face it, time sitting through chamber meetings is a job for a company representative who can dedicate his time because he has a salary and works on commission. Not a service representative who relies on the cash he or she earns from week to week. I was also told time spent replacing a $10 keyboard could be better spent marketing at your local train station standing outside your (catch phrase) Nerdmobile (**branded VW beetle) saying hello to passer-byers as they wait for the train to go to work, and it may not cost any gas money. But, take into account that an opprotunity for a bid may be with your local village which will require far more trips to and from with no guarantee that you will even land a bid or in the end see one dollar. Yes, you the nerd will be giving up short term income while you are trying to build a business for yourself. It is a gamble. But so is starting your own business with Nerds On Site. They ask you to sacrifice with very little help from Nerds On Site. They choose to invest less with their hand out expecting more from you. Quite Pompus!
Finally as mentioned in a previous post about the 3 strikes rule. All you need to do is complain or suggest something that they will not agree with you upon and your service account with them will be terminated. And their answer will be “Nerds On Site isn’t for everybody
I have been with Nerds On site for almost 4 years. I came in when the price of admission was higher than it is today and I was happy to buy in. I was the first Nerd to open in my area and now we have two more Nerds here. I have been successful, using the advice provided to me by Nerds On site. I have taken advantage of the training within the company as well as Attended and Graduated from Dale Carnegie paid for by NOS. Most of the people that are in Nerds On Site are great technicians and get what they put in to it. Operating your own business is difficult, takes time, and there is no grantee that you will succeed. Nerds On Site give you help and advice as well as infrastructure, if you squander that opportunity then you will not be successful. I can’t speak for the other folks that are disgruntled here but whenever I have contacted the three founders I have found them to be very responsive. The current pricing model as well is a result of the Nerds On the street and their input. I challenge any one to find a franchise that will let you sit on your can and rake in money with no effort. There is no free lunch when it comes to being self employed with either a franchise or on your own, and you get what you put in. If you want to be part of a team and have great advice give NOS a try. If you want to cry and complain about expending some effort in getting YOUR business going then Nerds On Site is NOT for you.
I’ll keep this simple. We do a lot of third party work. Half the time, it’s a rip off. With Pro Service Techs, it is definitely a rip off.
They come to you spouting rules, guidelines, and really low, flat rates with no mileage or any other expenses allowed. They require a packet of information be filled out, signed, and sent back. They say if they don’t receive the packet, they can’t pay you (which is a load of bull to begin with).
So months later, if you finally get someone on the phone… they somehow “never received” your packet (that’s how they get you). In the future, I will (and I recommend you all) send any packets in the mail with signature required to confirm it has been received.
Still fighting to get paid from these goons.
Pgt
Tacoma, Washington
U.S.A.
________________________________________
What I have to say is that Nerds On Site has a business model that doesn’t work for everyone accept for the 4 guys running Nerds On Site. Here is what to expect if you decide to hop on the Nerds wagon. You need to come up with a few thousand dollars to be able to use the Nerds On Site brand. That is not all, every year they require about $200 for branding fees. You need to purchase a volkswagon beetle (currently any beetle from 1998 and up). If you have a branded beetle their take is 50 percent of your total income. If you do not have a beetle, their take is 63 percent of your total income. You need to purchase your own laptop to run your business. You will need to purchase a smart phone with a voice and internet plan which they will only reimburse a small portion of the monthly bill, not the whole thing. You need to purchase their uniforms through their own funded supplier (mainly overpriced golf shirts or button down shirts). You need to purchase branded business cards through the same supplier. When you first become a nerd, a starter kit is provided with a couple golf shirts, 1000 cards, get rich quick scheme books and some other useless nick-naks. Now comes the out of pocket expense. Nerds on Site does not provide you with more business cards, you have to keep your inventory stocked, Shirts get dirty, old and worn so you need to get new shirts from time to time (they also offer pants if you want to by through them). You need to purchase your own inventory and register it through their website. When you sell it for a profit, they will take half your profit. You are constantly demanded by the CEO and his cronies to cold call all local business on your time and dime. They don’t believe in advertising. They believe “word of mouth” is the only way to get business (what a joke). Your best bet in advertising is your local chamber of commerce which they will pay only the first year, then you pay the following if you want to keep your business listed. They are always preaching to you to land contracts with everyone of your client because without them you will wind up with little or no business at all. Remember that the setting up of contracts require several trips back and fourth, and hours of your time to finalize, and still you have not made any money. Personally they are well mannered, nice guys but be very skeptical before joining. You may be better off doing this stuff on your own.
[quote] “You are constantly demanded by the CEO and his cronies to cold call all local business on your time and dime. They don’t believe in advertising. They believe “word of mouth” is the only way to get business (what a joke). ”
they do advertise in yellow and white pages….it sounds like you have not run your own business before…you read any book on marketing and they always talk about cold calling…I know in the massage industry word of mouth is the best way to get business.
and as for the shirts i paid $25 for a polo, i had a couple made for my clinic paid $35.
It’s your business under their banner..if you were on your own would you have to pay all those cost to.
I worked out i was not better or worse off with NOS with no car than being on my own.
and yes there business model is not for everyone, that’s why you really have to investigate any franchice…being self employed take the right mindset…
No, it cannot really be called a scam. They don’t seem to commit outright fraud. On the other hand… Why the hell would you pay someone to go to work for yourself? http://www.ripoffreport.com/Computer…want-d3p7f.htm http://www.shamscam.com/nerds-on-site-ripoff-a890.html As to their “quality of service”? http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2007/10/stay-the-hell-a/ It’s a very old rule when job-hunting, and I truly recommend it. NEVER PAY FOR A JOB!!!! If you want to go into business for yourself, then do so. The money that NoS wants could be well spent on equipment, marketing, tools, or whatever else you need to start up your own, on-site computer service business. If you have the skills, know your stuff, and want to work for a boss that you’ll always like (barring the psychologically disturbed), do it the right way. Yes, you can make money working for Nerds on Site. It’s just not very easy, and I’m fairly sure that truly talented IT professionals will either be a) quickly hired by a reputable company that does NOT invite you to a sales seminar…or b) able to work for themselves fairly easily and make a LOT more money doing exactly what NoS does, just without the ridiculous-looking VS bug and a questionable reputation for service.
I’ve been (and still am) with Nerds On Site for several years. I can say without doubt this is not a scam. When I approach clients with the services we can provide, they almost always ask for references. In many cases they HAVE dealt with the ‘guy down the road’ who has now screwed them over – and they want a company that is reputable and recognizable to help them (and we do).
There are many benefits that can be listed and discussed from centralized admin, to inventory purchasing power (you can get product at 1/3 the retail cost and make markup) to having a team to help solve problems and to back you up when you go on vacation.
Most of the people who complain are those who spend 2 hours a day taking calls from clients calling the 800 number and then doing NOTHING to build their client base. Yes, if you spend 10 hours a week on your business, you will not make much and this business is not for you.
There are nerds, and not the owners, who make $100K+/year. Do they work hard – you bet, but that is what building your business is about.
I’m also a Nerd and have to say that the statement about Nerds on site being a scam is 100% false.
I’ve been with Nerds for over 4 years now and have grown my business year over year an average of 30%.
The fee charged by Nerds On Site, which was $3500, is a bargain. What other business can you start for $3500? The admin fee lets you hit the ground running, earning money. It also includes your attire, decals for your cars, entrepreneurial books, your first 1000 business cards, license fee for the backend, and a mailout to homes and businesses in your postal code. No need to setup supplier relationships and accounts or negotiate for better pricing (NOS corporate does that for you), no need to setup a client management system, or credit card processing, or invoicing system. No need to setup an easy way to pay and invoice sub-contractors. All my accounting is done for me via the backend.. all of these things and way more, you pay for once. It has to be the best deal going, in my opinion.
I know that I have a team of skilled Nerds that I can work with to put together the optimal team to deliver a project or maintain a clients IT infrastructure. I don’t need to know everything. I can excel at what I do best, and call in the best-in-industry talent that I need for areas that I know are my weaknesses. I also have over 500 nerds that I can access with a single email for support if I get stuck. We also have access to a 24/7 RemoteNerd team that provides remote services to clients so that I can.. if you believe this.. actually take a vacation sometimes! Nerds also creates partner relationships with best-in-industry providers of various software and web solutions like Data Deposit Box and ESET. Nerds also has it’s own software development and hosting team. I can literally never have to tell my clients “I can’t do that”. $3500? WHAT A BARGAIN!
Contact me anytime if you need more information. This poster obviously did not know what they were doing, is not an entrepreneur by nature, and really doesn’t get the value proposition.. Show me another business where you can hit the ground running for $3500 with so much access and infrastructure at your disposal, ready for you to leverage to make money for yourself and deliver proactive, high-end professional IT services to your clients and I will eat my shoes.
I joined Nerds on Site in March 2010. For the math challenged, that means I’ve been with the group for nine months. I have made back my initial investment and I plan to increase revenue next year.
Before anyone signs up with Nerds on Site that person should ask himself “Am I prepared to run my own business?” When you run your own business you have to buy your own equipment (car, laptop, etc), find customers, do advertising, etc. There are lots of challenges. Nerds on Site has helped me get started by telling me what I need to do at every step. Personally I have met and overcome most of the challenges and had a lot of fun doing it. I like running my own business and Nerds on Site is a great way to get started.
I have been a nerd for 2 years now. It was the best decision I ever made. This is why:
1. I don’t have to deal with administrative headaches. I do my own bookkeeping so I can process my sales tax and do my taxes at the end of the year and thats it. Nerds takes all the payments, they process the credit cards, the do the collections on people who scam US.
2. I use Nerds On Site credit DAILY. I purchase enough inventory for my needs on a week by week basis on THEIR DIME. If I don’t sell it.. I get billed for it.. So.. I don’t go out and try to stock my bug like its a full service computer store. I keep a modest list of things I can sell on a weekly basis and replenish when needed. If I need something, its a quick phonecall away and I can have it drop shipped to the client if need be for a reasonable flat fee.
3. I don’t have to advertise. If I want to build my business up and work a lot I can become a member of the Chamber or go to another business building group and Nerds will pay half of the fee (THEIR HALF) 99% of the time.
4. Where else can you essentially buy a franchise to any business for $3500 plus the cost of a Beetle? Over and above that I spent maybe another $100 for more shirts and another $200 for some inventory. I need a car anyway.. why not make it a beetle? Its a great little car. Yes, I have to buy my uniform, $35 for a shirt isn’t bad. When I worked at Pizza Hut when I was 14 years old I had to buy my uniform too. Its my uniform! I don’t even understand why this is a complaint!
5. Where else can you build a business with an already established BRAND that is very focussed on becoming a world wide established brand? Thus giving you a name to work under.
Some of the complaints I hear is that you only get 50% of the call. Well yes.. thats true (to start). The more revenue you bring in, the higher your percentage. Personally.. I make about $32000 a year with Nerds. I don’t see me going anywhere but up in my income with this company.
Finally.. the biggest thing for me is simply the fact that for the most part.. I am not hindered by a boss. My destiny within this company is my own and if I decide to not work for a day. I can. If I decide to work a 12 hour day.. I can. If I choose to work 2 hours a day… I can.
This type of lifestyle is not for everyone.. if I wasn’t capable of getting up in the morning and being at a clients or watching for work coming my way I would not be making $32k a year.
And trust me.. I am on the bottom of the pay scale. We have guys making well over $100k a year because they like to work a lot harder then I do.
Nerds is no different then any other business. You have to work for your income.. you have to network… you have to TRY. If you don’t.. you will fail. Just like any other business. But at least its not a ‘JOB’.
The people who complain about the way this company works don’t understand how to run a business. Yes.. you should never pay to have a Job.. but this is NOT a job… it is a business.
And finally… Nerds On Site is what you make of it. Don’t expect to make a dime unless you are willing to work at it.
I also am Nerd. I’ve been with Nerds on Site almost 6 years. I’ve also started 6 businesses in the past from scratch. Successfully I might add, in that, I sold 3 of them. the other 3 I paid the bills off and closed. Please understand that as 4 out of 5 “new” start businesses fail in the first 2 years. my track record is not bad. I also owned a franchise for 4 years.
The differences are as follows:
1. I am now a member of a team. If I don’t know how to provide my customer with a particular service I know how to find a “team member” who can.
2. I make TWICE as much net as I did with a nationally known franchise, and work half as many hours. (The 100 hours a week at the franchise was costing my health). NOTE: I did not get to my current income overnight with this or ANY OTHER business I’ve owned. It came with time and effort. But may IT professionals, in my area, with similar qualifications, who are salaried make less than I do.
3. Some one made the comment that an individual should not “buy” a job. I think that bringing 13 years in education and 30+ years in experience is indeed a VERY large investment. I know of NO job worth having that does not require investment in several forms.
4. I CAN take a vacation. Took THREE WEEKS at one time last year. No “one off” IT professional would dare. Not if they have a serious customer base. In the past many times when I had a new business on the go; I did not dare take a vacation nor get sick.
5.Other nerds and Nerds on site; constantly bring to me technologies, ideas, best practices, business partners, and opportunities, that I would miss on my own.
6.Nerds on Site handles MOST of my paperwork. I HATE paperwork. I always have. That doesn’t mean I did nor do it. Now it is minimal.
Do I wish I’d done something different about Nerds on site. YES I wish I’d met a NERD 5 years sooner.
DW