So, it’s a classic market strategy. Emphasize your sales force over your support force. Anyone foolish enough to buy your product is stuck with whatever support they can get.
Part of the reason I chose mac in the first place was that I wanted a computer where I wouldn’t have so many maintenance headaches. Well, let’s see, 4 trips in less than 2 years. This isn’t a whole lot better than the refurbished PC laptops I got. Well, I suppose it’s the customer service that really makes the difference. I can walk into any mac store and get my difficulties taken care of, right? Wrong!
2 hours before the store closes, I walk in, and they tell me sorry, they can’t see me before the store closes because they have too many other people they’re helping. Keep in mind, my problem is simple. My ac adapter is falling apart. The ‘fix’ will be to replace it. But, no, no, they can’t handle that at least not today. Despite the fact that I paid about $300 to have my warantee extended another couple years. You see, you also have to pay extra to get decent customer support from apple. Like the ability to make an appointment to get your ac adapter replaced? You need to purchase “ProCare” for that. I foolishly let my membership in ProCare slide. I can certainly replace it. It’ll cost me $100 (well, $99, but who’s quibbling?). Meanwhile, replacing the adapter, suggested to me when I called to check and see if they carried the premagnetic ac adapters, costs $80 (or $78 or whatever).
Meanwhile, they have 10 guys downstairs, strolling around, ready to sell you anything at a moment’s notice, but mostly just scratching their butts. The ‘genius bar’ upstairs is packed with customers, meanwhile, and the geniuses have not a moment’s rest. After getting a gfy from the assistance reservation system, I went downstairs and talked to one of the strollers. He called me ‘buddy’. I asked if there was any way I could get this replaced under my warranty. He brightened up and gave a big ol’ smile, and said “Well, you can buy one!”
Yeah, fuck you too.
Honestly, at that point, just default to the manager.
They can take care of most ills, and are usually free if any of the sales people are also free.
I’m on 3G ipod number four or five. I’ve lost track. I thank God I decided on the extra $60 or $70 for the warranty on this ‘great device’.
You must not be thinking different enough.
And which alternative brand has *any* form of in-store help/repair?
https://macwizards.com. 3rd party adapter for $37.95+$7 shipping. Doesn’t have the cute little light, but otherwise works fine.
Like the ability to make an appointment to get your ac adapter replaced? You need to purchase “ProCare” for that.
This isn’t true.
ProCare lets you schedule appointments several days in advance, but anybody can set up a same-day appointment online.
Also:
You see, you also have to pay extra to get decent customer support from apple
You make it sound like paying for extended warranties is somehow unusual. I don’t believe this to be the case at all.
Look, I understand that you’re annoyed, and I’m certainly not claiming that Apple is perfect, but I do think you’re being rather unfair here.
I have no trouble paying for an extended warranty. It’s the paying for the ability to make an appointment that irks me.
You can “get in line” online. But you can’t “make an appointment” without procare.
I took my machine in to have a fan replaced a couple months ago. I was able to sign up for a specific timeslot online.
Yes, you need ProCare to sign up several days in advance, but I definitely signed up for a specific timeslot on the same day online.
Googling suggests that the Genius Bar reservation program started in 2004, so I’m not sure why your experience in the past year was different.
I’m not claiming that any of this is shockingly unheard of, but I am claiming that apple doesn’t deserve a great, or even especially good reputation for customer service.
Not to be snide, but: “the plural of ‘anecdote’ is not ‘data’.”
Yes, your experience was not ideal, but don’t be too hasty to draw broad conclusions here.
Yup, you are right, you can now actually reserve a time. Dramatic improvement that. Had I known that, I would have done so before I left work. Might have saved myself a step.
Careful, apple people are like linux people. If you speak too strongly against the perfection of their world, they show up with pitchforks and iTorches to tear down your castle…
More seriously though it sounds like this store has its head up its ass, not the whole apple system. Customer service experiences are most memorable when they’re terrible, and this one was pretty poor. I would have bought another adapter because having two is always a good idea (one for home, one for travel or whatever), and then left them to whatever tedious, awful process they use to replace the other one under warranty.
Sorry this was a bad one, though. I’ve been considering getting another mac… although I very much want to avoid becoming a mac person.
I suppose that makes sense. I have a tv but I don’t consider myself a tv person. 😐
Oh, I’m sure someone already mentioned it, but you don’t need a procare card to make an appointment on their website.
Go to teh Nabih’s in Evanston and visit Mark (). It’s WAY better than apple store.
Re: Ryan Who????
how is that apple-related at all?
Re: Ryan Who????
It’s not. He’s one of my subscriptions.
ooh, you should know about this–it seems that EVERYONE is having that problem. The guy who created them even said they were made for 15w, and somehow apple fooled with them and got them approved for 60w, but people are having massive sparking problems and they cease to consistently connect properly after a short period of time. People are talking recall, but it hasn’t happened yet.
Also, if you remember the name of the guy who “helped” you at the store, you should CALL apple support and tell them you had a problem with someone in their store. Apple phone support is incredibly helpful. As in, I dropped my iPod and cracked the case and got them to replace it anyway, because they’re nice. You have to be persistent sometimes, but it is well worth the effort, and if someone was a jackass to you, they’re likely to try to make it up to you in free replacements.
Is it the cable, or the adapter itself? I had trouble with the cable but fixed it myself (and it was pretty clearly a mechanical problem–it can’t take lots of bending back and forth).
also the supports staff gets overworked and has every reason in the world to be bitchy.
Sounds just like Sprint. They have tons of sales people and only a few people at customer service. Ironically, I’m thinking my next laptop will be an Apple. What do you think?