Where in the World? (PC World)

Member Name: Pilotgavw

Product:	PC World
Date:	15/09/09 (80 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The only specialist of this size

Disadvantages: staff need improving

PC World is a dedicated computer system retailer which is part of the Dixons Stores Group (DSG) retail brand, also including Dixons and Currys. There are many of these stores located all over the UK and in a number of other European countries.

PC World has a large selection of desktop and laptops on sale at reasonable prices, but since the online retailers have started selling desktop and laptop computers over the internet, PC World has struggled to maintain healthy profit margins as prices have been driven down. This has forced PC World to branch out into other areas beyond purely the computer market, now selling Personal Sat Nav units as well as Televisions and Photography.

My own personal experience with PC World have not been the best. In the past I have had a number of run-ins with the staff in this store and on the whole I have found them rude, arrogant and generally unhelpful. They pounce on you as soon as you enter the store, trying to get the best sale they can even if it means having items you don't need and don't want. This is not the same with all the staff, some are quite knowledgeable about the products they have on sale and try and be as helpful as they can.

The store tidiness standards also let it down, when I've been there in the past I always find items on shelves out of place and, just like its sister store Currys, items on racks or hangers without any indication of its price. They also seem to have too much stock that they don't know what to do with it all, finding so many bulk stack displays your almost tripping over them, and their usually placed anywhere theres a gap, nevermind if the surrounding displays have nothing to do with them.

They also sell an insurance policy called 'Whatever happens' which can be bought as a one-off fee for a fixed period of time, or is paid for by Direct Debit for a limitless period which could be a month or 10 years. This seems to be the source of much of the companies profit as the staff are pretty relentless when it comes to selling this add-on. If at first you say you don't want it they will try, try and try again. Thats not to say the insurance doesn't have its advantages, my wife had 'Whatever happens' on her laptop she bought to help her studying and after a couple of months, the screen cracked in her suitcase, after they declared it a write-off she had vouchers in the post for a laptop of equivalent or better specification, even though it was her clumsiness which caused it to break.

They also have an in-house computer repair team called 'The Tech-guys' which are located in-store to help with any problems you have with your computer. They charge a handsome fee for computer repair but are generally pretty knowledgeable about their areas of expertise and have helped me in the past with problem questions I've needed answering.

Although there are many areas which I think PC World could definitely improve on, most of which are the customer service side of business, there are few retailers in the UK which have as large a selection of computers, software and peripherals available to test and take home with you. Its all well and good having great selections online to buy, but sometimes you just want to see and play with the product and feel the weight of it rather than just read its ...kg.

Overall, PC World is poorly managed in the sense that the staff need to be better trained with inter-personal skills and some need to improve their product knowledge in a specialist retailer. The tidiness of the store needs to be tackled as well as first impressions are vital. The selection of goods on offer are very good though and generally in stock to be taken away that day. It is the only store of its kind and for that reason I will continue to shop here in the future.

Summary: poorly run, but has potential