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Apple's Customer Service

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So I bought a MacBook Pro about 2 months ago (my first Apple), lots of updates and 3 years of Apple Care - the whole deal. The other night the hard drive crashed. Tech support tried to help but said they couldn't do anything over the phone...they said I'd have to take it into a store...they didn't mention the mailing option. So I drive an hour and a half to the nearest Apple store so that they can mail it in for me. Anyway, long story short...I'm surprised to learn that Apple's tech support and customer service is not very good.

From what I understand after several phone conversations with Apple, is that their best solution for hardware problems is to send me labels, have me mail in the computer, fix the computer, then mail it back to me. Minimum 3-4 days, most likely longer. With Dell, I can get same-day on-site service and a loaner while they fix my computer. This is huge for me! I use my laptop all day every day and simply cannot afford to be without it for 3-4 days in the event that something goes wrong.

Apple said that is the best they can do. My response was that if I am going to keep my Apple, knowing that if anything goes wrong I'll be without my computer for a minimum of 3-4 days, and considering that I can get such great support from Dell, is there anything Apple can do to make my life easier in case something like this happens again.

They gave me a $150 credit. I gave them $3500 for one of their best products and their "world-class" care. Am I being unrealistic to say that this is not good customer service? My problem isn't money...if it was I wouldn't have spent that much...I don't want money back. I want to be reassured that Apple can make any technical difficulties easier to solve than if I buy a Dell.

If they can't give me the same level of service, then shouldn't they make life extrememly easy on me in the event that my computer crashes. Wouldn't it be "world class" customer service to say: "Wow, I can't believe the computer we sold you did that, I'm so sorry. It must be extremely hard for you to be without your computer for days while we work on it. You have made an investment in us and we want to invest in you by giving you a free refurbished iMac. We hope this exposure to another one of our products will reassure you that we have the best computers out there and just in case something happens to your laptop again at least you'll have a computer at home that you can work on." What would a refurbished iMac cost Apple? I think a generous estimate is $500. By giving a disgruntled customer free products (as opposed to cash) they expose me to more of what they offer, they also make my life easier, and every day I come home and look at that computer and think that Apple really does try to make things better. In 3 years when it's time to buy a new laptop...I buy Apple, in three years when it's time to replace that free iMac...I buy Apple, when my law firm needs new computers...I buy Apple. I'm going to be buying new computers every 3 years for at least the next 20 years - that's a lot of money. And a simple $500 investment keeps me an Apple customer. Unrealistic? Maybe it is. Apple sure seems to think so. The manager I talked to said $150 is the most they are allowed to do...I find that hard to believe.

I like the Apple much better than the Dell, I'd like to keep the Apple and never buy another Dell...but can someone please help me justify it?!
 
Joined
Sep 12, 2006
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Twin Cities, MN
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Macbook 2.0ghz coeduo 1GB RAM 80 GB HD SuperDrive
computers break, it happens

you are angry because apple wouldn't give you an iMac when your laptop did something that happens?

i am surprised they gave you $150 credit! most places would not have done that!

only you can justify buying a mac over a dell. if you feel that dell's customer support is better than apple's (most here would disagree with that statement i feel) then buy a dell...

you knew when you bought a laptop that they can break from time to time, and really a week or less is pretty good turn around.
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2007
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Your Mac's Specs
Silver MB 2Ghz Core2Duo 2GB RAM
i dont see what the big deal is?
u have a problem with ur macbook pro okay call applecare they will send you a box, put ur computer in that box and you will get it back in 2-3 business days fixed
i am very surprised they gave you $150 credit, this shows how good apples customer service really is
 
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
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iMac 20", 2.4ghz, 2GB/320GB
Er, sorry about your unfortunate circumstance, but did you not realize this may happen before you spent the $3500 in the first place? Unfortunately, there aren't as many Apple stores as there are PC stores (on every single corner).

If I end up having to send mine in for repairs, I'll be lucky if THEY get it in 3-4 days, much less me getting it back in that time.

I have heard many, many horror stories about Dell's customer service, so when I was looking to get a new computer, Dell was an immediate NO. And, my family has had alot of bad luck finding a good computer repair shop that we can trust and that actually does what we want.

For me, getting an Apple computer and doing without it for a short while to get "expert" service was a fair trade-off. I'm not kidding, just recently a local PC repair shop took over a month to fix our PC problem--and it never was really 'fixed'. A big pain in the A--, really. A huge headache and lots of bucks later.
 
Joined
Dec 17, 2006
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imac 20" 216 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 1GBSDRAM, 250 GB hd, Airport Extreme, Bluetooth 2.0
There seem to be all kinds of stories about every brand including Dell AND Apple.

I've heard very good reports about AppleCare service and I wouldn't be surprised to have to send one in for repair or take it to the store for a replacement. That would work for me (if I "ever" have a problem).

However, I did have a family member who recently had a problem with her Dell and they sent someone to her house with a part and had it fixed in less than 4 hours. That was service that really surprised her (me too)! I have been talking to her about a Mac, but now she says she'll have nothing but a Dell.

Seems there's always the good, the bad and the ugly! Lot's of reports with pros and cons on all sides.

For myself, I'll stick with my iMac and AppleCare! I've been too satisfied to do anything else. :D
 
Joined
Sep 4, 2007
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Brandon, MS, USA
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24" iMac 3.06GHz 8GB of RAM 2TB HDD, 13" Aluminum MacBook 2.0GHz 4GB of RAM 500GB HDD
Personally I never buy any extended warranty. If I have a problem I just fix it myself. If a piece of hardware fails I just crack open the case and replace it. Usually when I first get a mac I go to newegg.com and upgrade the RAM to max and replace the HDD with the largest/fastest available, there is no way I'm going to pay Apple's prices to upgrade.
 
Joined
Dec 17, 2006
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Location
The beautiful Northwest
Your Mac's Specs
imac 20" 216 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 1GBSDRAM, 250 GB hd, Airport Extreme, Bluetooth 2.0
Personally I never buy any extended warranty. If I have a problem I just fix it myself. If a piece of hardware fails I just crack open the case and replace it. Usually when I first get a mac I go to newegg.com and upgrade the RAM to max and replace the HDD with the largest/fastest available, there is no way I'm going to pay Apple's prices to upgrade.

Hey, barbarnette, you're the answer. We'll all just call you. How fast can you be here? ;D
 
Joined
Sep 4, 2007
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Brandon, MS, USA
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24" iMac 3.06GHz 8GB of RAM 2TB HDD, 13" Aluminum MacBook 2.0GHz 4GB of RAM 500GB HDD
Hey, barbarnette, you're the answer. We'll all just call you. How fast can you be here? ;D

Very quickly for the right price!;D
 
Joined
Jul 14, 2007
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SF Bay Area, CA
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See Sig...
I think your concept of what would constitute "world class" service is not just unrealistic, but downright laughable, to be perfectly frank. You're angry because you drank Apple's kool-aid and apparently didn't do any research into Apple's service, support and warranty policy before you bought the machine. And now you're in shock because you didn't get what you thought you were getting.

Apple sells computers... Just like Dell, just like Gateway, just like Alienware and HP and Sony and everyone else. And no matter what you buy, there will be some price to be paid. With Apple, there's a price premium on some models, but you're also paying a price in the quality of the warranty you get, and in the sense that you can't always get the latest and greatest hardware (video cards, in particular). You pay that price for the Apple name, for the aesthetics of the machine, for the OS, and, in the case of the MBP, for having one of the thinnest and lightest notebooks on the market with the hardware that it has.

It's not like it's some kind of giant secret that Apple doesn't offer on-site service or accidental damage protection. Do you really expect them to say "We don't offer next-day repairs like Dell, and we won't let you replace the hard drive or the motherboard in your notebook yourself like Dell will, but we really think you ought to buy one of our computers anyhow"? Do you believe BMW when they claim to make The Ultimate Driving Machine too? (you ought to drive a Porsche, or a Ferrari, or any number of other sports cars some time, if you do...) Consider yourself lucky that you got $150 back. You certainly weren't entitled to it, and most companies-including ones that, like Apple, don't offer on-site, next-day repairs-would tell you to get lost.

Despite what some of the more evangelical Apple users-and Apple themselves-would have you believe, Apple's service is not perfect (nor are their computers... and their warranty is asinine, but that's another matter). However, you should've known all that going in. All you have to do is google and you'll find that there are well-documented cases where Apple has totally dropped the ball on a customer, and there are well-documented cases where Apple has done things for their customers that I've never seen any other company do. Nothing that you've mentioned stands out as abnormal for Apple, and your disappointment and dissatisfaction with this situation is entirely your own doing.
 
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I WISH dell provided the customer service that you describe, I ran IT for the agency that I work for for almost a year while we were without an IT director. We had an exclusive contract and a full service contract with dell and it was tolerable at best, but certainly not great.

I remember when I had an IBM laptop and they had a 30-40 day turn around on repairs.

Don't even get me started on Compaq and HP when they merged and how wonderful they were to deal with.

I've delt with more companies and I care to think about and the only one I'd say Ive actually been happy with has been apple.
 

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