Dressing the Part?

I suppose if you're going to apply to work for something called the "Geek Squad," then you're sort of asking for it. Still, while waiting for assistance at Best Buy today, I was struck by just how much the Geek Squad guys feed into the stereotype. All of them are forced to wear a dorky outfit of black pants, white shirt and black tie, and apparently it's also a requirement for them to slick back their hair like they're trying too hard (if possible). According to the photos, they also wear black shoes and white socks, but I had no actual confirmation of that.

As a customer looking for a repair job, I was trying to think if this look made me any more comfortable, or if I'd rather the guys wore more "normal" outfits that were less, well, geeky. When you need to have your computer or camera or whatever looked at, you want someone who knows what they're doing, who can actually help and won't give you a runaround. Maybe if the Geek Squad was wearing something slicker, I might feel like I wasn't getting the legit service I needed. Then again, it's hard to take these guys too seriously when they look like they're wearing a costume (as opposed to a uniform, like the other Best Buy employees). And maybe that's why, when I was told they wouldn't/couldn't fix my camera, I felt sort of empowered to argue back about how my service plan should cover the cost of a new camera. A losing battle, and I knew that going in, but it was partly that damned outfit that convinced me I was somehow superior and in the right, and could win. My mistake.

Point is, Best Buy does no service to its employees by making them dress up like geeks. It makes them look silly, and it only serves to frustrate customers.