Best Buy is lending out its geeks to harried travelers coming through Chicago's O'Hare Airport this week as the holiday traveling -- and shopping -- season kick into higher gear.
The Geek Squad has set up a first-of-its-kind "airport precinct" in the airport's "H" concourse from which a handful of agents are doling out free advice and tech help to travelers who may be having problems with their smartphones or tablets. The booth also has charging stations and workstations where travelers can surf the web, play games, or, of course, shop for last-minute gifts.
Clad in their trademark white shifts and black ties, the Geek Squad agents will also roam the terminal with backpack charging stations and will bring their advice directly to passengers while they are waiting at their gates.
"There is nothing more frustrating than technology troubles while you are traveling," Chris Askew, president of Geek Squad Services, said in a statement. "That's why we decided to give the gift of Geek Squad to travelers this holiday, and offer free service and advice, along with a well-deserved break."
The booth opened today and will be up and running from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through December 23.
In addition to building goodwill with travelers, the initiative also is a way for the Richfield-based retailer to spread the word about the Geek Squad, a network of more than 20,000 agents that help with repairs and installation of electronics and appliances. The service is one of the ways Best Buy has been trying to differentiate itself from its online competitors.
One of the nation's busiest airports, more than six million travelers are expected to go through O'Hare in the month of December alone.
