Best Buy's Geek Squad Gets Customized CMS

The Challenge

Best Buy’s Geek Squad dreamed of building a new website where their Geek Squad Agents could network and compete to find solutions to “some of the hi-techiest, sci-fiest and most geeked-out things imaginable”. This new website was part of a change in brand positioning strategy to change the perception that Geek Squad Agents just fix computers. Geek Squad wanted to let the world know that their Agents are high calibre professionals that can help customers realize their computer-related dreams with projects such as the planning and installation of unique home theatre solutions, custom car audio, video, and navigation systems. Oshyn was selected to help convey this image to the outside world.

The Solution

Oshyn developed the Geek Dreams website with a custom built Content Management System (CMS) to offer extensive control and management of content delivered by GeekSquad and by their Agents. The CMS is highly extensible, allowing the Geek Squad to update or further customize as required. The Oshyn team leveraged many web technologies: AJAX technology for faster page load, LDAP for single sign-on, and the Akamai platform for improved image and video delivery. Geek Squad Agents can create profiles, upload images and video, link to other social networking websites using the AddThis functionality, and upload their solutions to Geek Dreams competitions.

The Results

Geek Squad Geek Dreams Website Promo Video courtesy of Matt Denyer on Vimeo.

With a website that was faster to load, easier to use, and incorporated the latest web technologies, the Geek Squad was able to promote their technical prowess to its online visitors. Geek Squad now offers their Agents an exciting social networking website where they post challenges to spark competition amongst Agents who participate by uploading their proposed solutions. Both the custom built CMS and website were designed using the latest website development technology and were constructed to be highly extensible so that Geek Squad can easily update or further customize content. Several Geek Dreams have already been realized; ‘Pool Theater’, ‘Wireless House’ and ‘Inverse Microwave’, a sign that the Agents have quickly become involved in this new brand positioning strategy.

About Geek Squad

Geek Squad, a subsidiary of Best Buy Co., Inc., was founded in 1994 to provide various computer-related services. There are currently 18,000+ Geek Squad Agents who provide service at retail locations, on-site, via remote access, online chat, Have Us Call You service, and by a hotline available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Geek Dreams was created to let Geek Squad Agents create ‘some of the hi-techiest, sci-fiest and most geeked-out things imaginable’.

The Technology

• ASP.NET 2.0
• AJAX
• Akamai
• AddThis 

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Want to talk to an Oshyn CMS expert? Call (888) 483-1770 x100 or email newbusiness@oshyn.com.