Apple Customer Service- Shame on you!
So to conclude this awful bday , which finally ended with me doing some serious damage to my neighbors mailbox and I think denting my truck heavily-insurance ugh. (ice ice baby)
So, in a heavy snowfall, I dress my two year daughter up and drive 25 miles back to the Apple store at the Keystone Fashion Mall. Just to let everyone know, The Fashion Mall in Indianapolis is where the ‘high class’ shop.
Now this being the second time after after ’setting an appointment’ , I’m prepared to pay no more than $200 to have my 16gb iPhone fixed. Well, it gets much worse.
I arrive at 4:15 to a PACKED store of Mac crazy advocates. It took me 40 minutes before my name was drawn. Keep in mind I have a two year old in tow.
So they guy looks at the blank screen a couple times , then points out that the ‘water damage’ tag has turned pink. I explained the phone worked 100% fine and that I dropped it. I NEVER DROPPED IT IN WATER!!
He didn’t care. He asked if I was up for ‘renewal’ I said I just bought it a few months ago. He told me I was out of luck and had to buy a new one at FULL price.
Completely humiliated, I stormed out of the store only to return to the AT&T store and resign a two year agreement to get an 8GB for for $429.00 including tax. Remember I had a 16GB for $299!!
So nonetheless, I am very displeased with Apple’s customer service. It seems they used to accept claims even if people dropped the phones in the toilet. Obviously that’s gotten too expensive.
So as the economy crumbles, Apple knows that I have two options. Pay full price for a phone or break my contract and go with a Blackberry etc.. (I almost did and still might do so!)
So, at least for me, Apple’s Customer Service is dead … SHAME ON YOU APPLE. Mr. Jobs- Your monster needs a spanking.
But you got some more $$ from me and I will be SURE to put this in a stupid large case!!
3 Comments
Matt Wallpe on January 11th, 2009
Apple, Apple, Apple is so cool! Everyone has it. I have to have it.
It’s pretty expensive to run with the Jones’ isn’t it.
Steve on January 11th, 2009
Justin,
I have run into this a lot myself with my customers. For a company that has prided itself on customer service, Apple has been doing a pretty piss poor job lately. The relationship between “The Phone Company and Apple” is really quite pathetic! It is Apple’s policy that customers are not to bring their phones to a Phone Company, instead brave the elements at the Apple Store. However, this is only for technical problems(non network related), so depending on the “Genius” and his mood, he could easily send you over to your local Phone Company store where they are supposed to run “network tests”, word on the street is, if a hard reset and sim card change do not resolve the customer issue, we are to do what????? You guessed it! Send the customer back the Apple store, where if they did not make an appointment, you guessed it again! They have wasted their whole day, and have not gained resolution!!!!!! My prediction in the coming years is the following: 1) The Apple store grows into a free standing multiplex with enough size and support for customers, as well as slides for the kids, I recommend the vacated Block Party behind the old movie theater. 2) I believe that by the end of this partnership Apple will end up black-eyeing the phone company right in time to announce that it is becoming its own telecom company. The new exclusive home of the IPhone! Think about it, everything is in place: Phone, Computer, TV, they are using their products to quietly corner the market. This is all speculation, and a hypothesis at best, it will be interesting to see what happens in the days to come. That is my two cents on the whole thing! Take care
derekmcclain on January 10th, 2009
The Blackberry Storm is looking mighty nice right now! Just do it buddy…you know you want to.