02-19-2006, 05:34 PM
Apple is batting 1000 this week with me:
1. I ran into a very service-oriented AppleCare tech on the phone. I know it's a tough job dealing with grumpy callers; I always take this into account when calling any cs line, and I always try to be very polite and friendly. This guy was totally cool; he sent me a NEW Airport Extreme to replace my 2nd failing Original Graphite model...the first one failed 2 years ago. With regret in his voice, he told me he couldn't send the Extreme unless they charged me for it because they had no Graphites to replace it with.
Keeping it friendly but firm, I said, hey, man, it's under AppleCare warranty and the deal is that Apple sends whatever the currently shipping equivalent is if they don't have the old product. He said, yeah, you're right and that was that. He sent the Extreme.
The problem was they sent no power cord with the new Extreme BS and my old Graphite cord was incompatible. So I called them to ask for the cord and some manager got on the phone telling me that my tech misdiagnosed my problem...and that basically my Graphite AP was fine. (This guy cleeeerly knew next to nothing about my case.) And that I'd be charged for the new Extreme because Apple would get my old Graphite back and they're expecting an Extreme. I said no way, brother...you can't charge me for that.
After that, he said okay you won't be charged, just call and we'll take off the charge, but then he tried to tell me that the other tech made a mistake, that they had original Graphite refurbs on hand and that I should have been sent one of those instead...I firmly but politely said, sorry, man, the bottom line is you guys told me x, y, and z and I expect you to stick to your commitment and send me the power cord.
THEN he tried to get me to send this NEW BS back to Apple, and he said they would THEN send a WHOLE BS (complete with power cord). And I thought, this guy thinks I'm an IDIOT: all he's gonna do is send me an old crappy graphite BS that's gonna die again in a year or two if not sooner. (Graphites are infamous for their bad capacitors.) So I told him very friendly, no thanks, just send me a new Extreme cord and we'll be golden.
His frustration was very audible -- I heard a giant [expletive deleted] sigh and then he said they'd send the cord. Thank goodness I got a decent tech -- someone who actually wanted to HELP me -- on the phone the first time. I feel for the manager and all that, but really...that whole conversation was a little, shall we say, Extreme?
You don't give your customers something and then try to take it back. Not to mention that Apple keeps sending out FAILING product like the Graphite and calling it good. Jeez Louise, man!
2. My new 1.67 HR 15" PowerBook had a problem with the DC in-board or something like that (made a loud buzz noise with AC power, even with my iBook's AC), and the place where I bought it let me swap out for a new one, no problem.
I feel very fortunate. I hope you all get similar end results (positive with a little civility and elbow grease) at least once in your iLife.
1. I ran into a very service-oriented AppleCare tech on the phone. I know it's a tough job dealing with grumpy callers; I always take this into account when calling any cs line, and I always try to be very polite and friendly. This guy was totally cool; he sent me a NEW Airport Extreme to replace my 2nd failing Original Graphite model...the first one failed 2 years ago. With regret in his voice, he told me he couldn't send the Extreme unless they charged me for it because they had no Graphites to replace it with.
Keeping it friendly but firm, I said, hey, man, it's under AppleCare warranty and the deal is that Apple sends whatever the currently shipping equivalent is if they don't have the old product. He said, yeah, you're right and that was that. He sent the Extreme.
The problem was they sent no power cord with the new Extreme BS and my old Graphite cord was incompatible. So I called them to ask for the cord and some manager got on the phone telling me that my tech misdiagnosed my problem...and that basically my Graphite AP was fine. (This guy cleeeerly knew next to nothing about my case.) And that I'd be charged for the new Extreme because Apple would get my old Graphite back and they're expecting an Extreme. I said no way, brother...you can't charge me for that.
After that, he said okay you won't be charged, just call and we'll take off the charge, but then he tried to tell me that the other tech made a mistake, that they had original Graphite refurbs on hand and that I should have been sent one of those instead...I firmly but politely said, sorry, man, the bottom line is you guys told me x, y, and z and I expect you to stick to your commitment and send me the power cord.
THEN he tried to get me to send this NEW BS back to Apple, and he said they would THEN send a WHOLE BS (complete with power cord). And I thought, this guy thinks I'm an IDIOT: all he's gonna do is send me an old crappy graphite BS that's gonna die again in a year or two if not sooner. (Graphites are infamous for their bad capacitors.) So I told him very friendly, no thanks, just send me a new Extreme cord and we'll be golden.
His frustration was very audible -- I heard a giant [expletive deleted] sigh and then he said they'd send the cord. Thank goodness I got a decent tech -- someone who actually wanted to HELP me -- on the phone the first time. I feel for the manager and all that, but really...that whole conversation was a little, shall we say, Extreme?
You don't give your customers something and then try to take it back. Not to mention that Apple keeps sending out FAILING product like the Graphite and calling it good. Jeez Louise, man!2. My new 1.67 HR 15" PowerBook had a problem with the DC in-board or something like that (made a loud buzz noise with AC power, even with my iBook's AC), and the place where I bought it let me swap out for a new one, no problem.
I feel very fortunate. I hope you all get similar end results (positive with a little civility and elbow grease) at least once in your iLife.