How do you get customer support from Apple?

First of. This is rediculous. The power button has dropped down into the case of my MBP. I called Apple and the 30 days is up so they won't even talk to me on the phone unless I buy the apple care. So now I'm trying to schedule an appointment with the closest genius bar...90 miles away...

If I call the number for the store, it's fully automated and either transfers you to Apple Care, who will no talk to me except to schedule a genius bar appointment, or references you to the website to schedule a genius bar appointment.

So I called Apple Care yesterday and the woman said you have to schedule 48 hours in advance and they don't have any appointments after the 48 hours. I eventually made it perfectly clear that I live over 90 miles away and work throughout the week, so a weekend (preferably friday) would be my only real option. So she told me to call back first thing this morning to schedule an appointment for Friday evening. I just got off the phone with an Apple Care rep and they said that it's exactly 48 hours and that I would have to wait until this evening to attempt to schedule an appointment for the right time...and that the woman I talked to yesterday didn't know what she was talking about...

So, I'm waiting...and wondering...is there an easier way to do this?

One of the problems that I orignally had when I received the laptop, which was new in box was crooked keys. I couldn't really just send it off as I purchased it as the cornerstone of our recording studio so we could run Logic on it and we've been usuing it pretty much non stop since we received it. Then shortly after I had the power button issue.

What am I looking at once I get to the genius bar? Is it going to be a "sorry, we can't do this in store and have to ship it off anyways, something that you probably could have done from your home if Apple was a little more cutomer friendly" type ordeal?

I don't mind driving up there since I have a friend that lives 20 minutes away, but having to drive up and receiving and answer like that would obviously irk me a little bit.

Is this typical of customer support if you don't buy Apple Care? I mean, even Dell will work with you for up to a year on hardware issues. Even if you can't understand the rep's accent over the phone, you can be sure that they'll fix whatever issues you have for up to a year without having to pay for any type of service contract.

And it's not like I would need Apple Care if it wasn't for the manufacturer's defects. I know how to use a computer and if the OS or software gets screwed up, I can just reinstall everything anyways...

edit: Wow...sorry about the book.

Thats why I always get Applecare. I found that out the hard way too, with my iMac G5 Rev. A.

Genius bar always works for me. If there wasn't one so close, I don't know if I would buy another Apple since mine has already been in for service twice.

It depends. If you go along to the store they might a) fix it there and then b) send it off and tell you to wait to get it back c) send it off and give you a new one to replace it. If depends what the problem is and how easy it'll be to fix.

Here in the UK our options are pretty limited; the easiest thing to do is just send it off, but looking at the US Support site I can't find that info... everything points to going to a see a Genius.

Levi said:

It depends. If you go along to the store they might a) fix it there and then b) send it off and tell you to wait to get it back c) send it off and give you a new one to replace it. If depends what the problem is and how easy it'll be to fix.

Here in the UK our options are pretty limited; the easiest thing to do is just send it off, but looking at the US Support site I can't find that info... everything points to going to a see a Genius.

Click to expand...

You'd figure that they would have some kind of option to send it to have it fixed...even though that would still be a major hassle. It's just a pain having to pay for Apple Care when you buy something and expect it to work for at least a year...having to take it into a store sucks...but if they can fix it there...that will work...problem is, I don't know if they can....

If they can replace individuals keys or the whole keyboard and fix the power switch without super glue...then that will work...I've never seen under a mbp keyboard though...

Everyone complains about dell's customer service, but they're replacing the MB in my laptop that's about 8 months old and I don't have an extended service contract....they'll even talk to me on the phone about it...

oh well...not much I can do besides drive up there....at least I have other things to do than just hit the apple store and drive back...

Wait a second.

Are you in the US?
Are you looking for support (help with something you don't understand) or repair service (help with damaged or nonfunctional hardware?)

Assuming you're in the US, if you need phone support, call 1-800-APL-CARE. Free within the first 90 days, at least in the US; after that you pay.http://www.apple.com/support/complimentary/

Again, assuming you're in the US, if you need repairs, call the same number, tell them you have a hardware issue, and request a shipping box. Explain that there's no Store near you. They'll probably mention that you'll be responsible for the cost of repairs and shipping if they find out that your issue is not under warranty (not hardware related, or due to damage) but this is reasonable enough.

technologist said:

if you need repairs, call the same number, tell them you have a hardware issue, and request a shipping box.

Click to expand...

Ah, so that's how you do it. I was looking for a web form (I was avoiding all phone numbers as the OP had said he'd had trouble over the phone).

technologist said:

Wait a second.

Are you in the US?
Are you looking for support (help with something you don't understand) or repair service (help with damaged or nonfunctional hardware?)

Assuming you're in the US, if you need phone support, call 1-800-APL-CARE. Free within the first 90 days, at least in the US; after that you pay.http://www.apple.com/support/complimentary/

Again, assuming you're in the US, if you need repairs, call the same number, tell them you have a hardware issue, and request a shipping box. Explain that there's no Store near you. They'll probably mention that you'll be responsible for the cost of repairs and shipping if they find out that your issue is not under warranty (not hardware related, or due to damage) but this is reasonable enough.

Click to expand...

It's definitely hardware...there's not much software related I've come across so far that doesn't require more that a quick trip to the internet.

I purchased the Laptop April 28th...but the website said coverage started May 2nd. The person I talked to said the 90 days was up. I talked to three different issues and explained it was a hardware issue and they refused to talk to me about it...They just kept asking me if I wanted to purchase Apple Care or if I didn't I could take it to a genius bar. I even told them that the closest store was about 90 miles away and that I work m-f from 9-5:30 and going there any day during the week except friday was not an option...they all tried to get me days for wednesday and thursday because of the 48 hour genius bar reservation thing...

Talk about people that just don't listen. It was as bad as a couple times that I had to call Dell for a hardware issue. You can tell the rep exactly what the problem is but they still make you sit there and go through this whole diagnostic procedure to get it right...before eventually telling me the problem was what I told them when I first got on the phone. I was on the phone for over an hour once because of that...

Hopefully after I get the keyboard and power switched fixed (as long as I don't get hassled about it being my fault...becuase it definitely wasn't), I won't have any more problems with it...

Well I made it down to the Genius Bar just in time for my appointment and had to wait about an extra 20 minutes because they were running behind. Showed the guy my laptop and they said they would fix it.

I let him know that I was from out of town...way out of town...and that I would only be in Baltimore until Sunday afternoon. They said that they didn't have a keyboard in stock and there's no way they could do it. So I asked if they could just ship it to me when they were finished. What they ended up doing was sending it to their repair depot to get it fixed and then setting it out so it would ship to my house to have it finished.

My Dell notebook was dropped in the mail to have the sound card fixed the same day, so I'm currently down to one computer that doesn't have photo shop on it. Hopefully one of the two will get back soon and hopefully everything will still be in the MBP when I get it back. Dell tells you to remove the memory and HDD when you send it in. I asked the guy at the Apple store if I should do this since it's not Apple memory and I kind of would have liked to have my HDD in my hand rather than shipping it off. I do have the photos and most of the important stuff backed up, but if something were to happen to it, it would be a real pain getting everything setup the same again...It takes a while copying 20gb's of music as well as all the other apps and crap I have on there...