Apple Customer Support, what are you doing??

[cgingrich]

Hey guys,

Sorry, I feel aggravated and feel the need to post my experience on here and get some feedback.

The story goes as follows:

I ordered a Powerbook (new 15"), HP Printer, and apple wireless mouse about two weeks ago (Black Friday). Being completely new to Mac I was very excited to get started.

Receive everything the following Tuesday, mouse didn't work off the bat (returned at local store no problem).
That night, my "V" key popped off and appeared to be broken, could not be reapplied. Called apple and they told me I would have to send in the whole book for repair, called my local store and they said I could bring it in and they could pop a key on, cool.

Thursday, screen turned pink and staticy and vertical lines appeared. I shut it down for the night and Friday it appeared fine. After a few hours of use, pink and lines returned in greater magnitude. So I called Apple, they went through the whole process of setting me up with a return and replacement, emailed me lables, sent out FedEx friday night. Up to this point, I was frustrated, but could understand that these things happen.

Took a whole week to send back my pb, after worrying it was lost, it finally arrived. I did not receive any confirmation that they got it (except fedex tracking) or an email telling me the replacement was shipped.

Called this past Sunday, and kept getting transfered from sales to repair, back to sales, for awhile. Then repairs said, your replacement was not shipped out for some reason, let me send you to sales where they will issue you a replacement, I will talk to them first. Talked with the guy from sales for about a half hour and he apparently issued me a replacement which would ship "On or before the 14th and I would receive a tracking number via email or I should call back to get it." Cool, all seems to be well.

Today, realized I had no Order number for the replacement to see status online, called Apple again...after holding forever and then getting transfered to tons of different departments, they told me I was never issued a replacement and they "refunded" my debit card today for the amount of the powerbook, and I would need to place another order. Hung up, called my bank, and they said nothing of a refund. Called Apple, they said it was in "limbo" and could take 7-10 days to be put into my account. Which I will need to wait an additional 3-5 days until my bank will extend my daily authorized atm transfer past $1000 to be able to purchase my powerbook!!

So despite all of this, I remained calm, probably because I was so confused as to what happened. I just find it utterly ridiculous that they can't get their acts together to issue a simple replacement. Now I will have to wait 2-3 weeks until I can order another powerbook. I wasn't asking for much, just a replacement book which I needed all this time and didn't have.

I intend on calling Apple tomorrow and demand at least free overnight shipping when I finally am able to purchase another computer. Do you think this is unreasonable?

I've managed to look past this horizontal line issue and the fact that I got a crappy lemon laptop and all I wanted was a quick resolve. They are not making my experience very "customer friendly."

haha, I apologize for the long-winded post, I am just trying to get some frustration out, if you can understand. Feel free to post some encouraging customer service experiences or just tell me if I'm being totally crazy.

PS. My HP printer also had a defective scanner

 

[iEdd]

Oh dude that sucks. Demand free overnight shipping when you can finally buy another one.

 

[tjwett]

hey maybe this will work out to your benefit, who know what's coming out at Macworld in a few weeks.

 

[Nermal]

Having dealt with Apple US, AU and NZ, I can say that in my experience, US is the worst. They spent a whole week messing around before sending my standard-config iBook out. NZ, on the other hand, sent out my Power Mac the same day. Sure, smaller country and less customers, but still, a week for a computer? (not counting delivery time).

 

[cgingrich]

It's just disheartening for switchers like me. I spent over 7 months looking at message boards such as these, seeing peoples' problems and joys with Apple products, and telling myself, what's the chance I will have problems? I'm not looking to get anything free, I just want the computer that I paid for over two weeks ago. And it just upsets me when someone tells me one thing (they've set up a replacement and it will ship on or before the 14th), and then it turns out they were lying and they've just refunded my card, that's not what I wanted.

Anyways, I guess I'll post an update later after I've called Apple.

 

[Marky_Mark]

hey maybe this will work out to your benefit, who know what's coming out at Macworld in a few weeks.

Yup, I reckon this is what they call destiny - whatever god you worship meant you get an intel 'book! Rock and roll!

 

[Mojo The Monkey]

Ask to talk to the Manager at your local Apple Store. He or she will work hard to make sure you are happy and treated fairly.

I've learned that it is usually fastest to get service from the Apple Stores in person rather than deal with the AppleCare telephone support.

 

[generik]

Getting a refund is a good thing, I know if I were in your shoes I'd regret the purchase this coming Jan.

 

[cgingrich]

Ahhhhh

Sooooooo,

Apparently, I called back apple today and asked to talk to a manager. Started flipping out the second he got on the phone, which he then asked me to calm down so he could read the notes haha. HE tells me that a replacement was shipped the 12th (yesterday) and he gave me the fedex tracking number.

WHAT IS GOING ON? Yesterday they clearly told me that ABSOLUTELY no free of charge replacement was issued and they clearly saw that my credit card was refunded yesterday morning, he even told me the exact amount of the credit.

I guess I can only hope that maybe I got a free computer, haha however unlikely maybe they refunded and shipped by mistake, oh well!

Anyways, fedex shows the book shipped from Sacramento and should arrive this week, at least now I have a number to refer to. We'll see how things turn out.

And to think, I was actually going to wait until January, oh well, hopefully this powerbook doesn't suck! haha

chad

 

[rose red]

I had a problem with my first iBook which resulted in getting a replacement. But it was only after over an hour being transferred round and speaking to lots of people that they agreed to a replacement rather than a repair. I felt that there are no hard and fast rules and if you make a presentation of your case in a calm and reasonable manner and are persistent then it seems to work. In your case you feel very let down, tell them so, relate to them what you have told us. Get them to see you as a person rather than just another customer. Good luck, I'm sure that it will work out in the end.

 

[Arcus]

You have patience friend. I would have asked for my money back and gone elsewhere. Sheesh thats a run of bad luck.

 

[cgingrich]

haha patience is something I have. I was a manager at blockbust for a year and constantly had to deal with people flipping out, at which point I felt a bit of respect for those on the other end of the phone line when I would call and complain. But I've had enough so I finally flipped out.

Bad luck indeed,
In one week:

Defective powerbook,
Defective HP Printer,
Defective Apple Wireless Mouse,
AND...
My Motorola V551 cell phone broke, the screen froze up and now no longer turns on, i can't see who calls me or see any number to dial out!

Exchanged Mouse at store,
Got the new cell phone yesterday,
Got the printer today,
Powerbook on the way
Luckily everything was still under warranty, it's just a pain.


It just sucks cause so far I REALLY like Mac OSX and even the product itself was awesome except for the defects. So I don't really have a choice, if I was the OS, I have to deal with the hardware, which is why I think Microsoft is so successful. On the flip side, most of Microsoft's problems are caused by this very thing, so much hardware to make compliant. Quite the paradox.

 

[Counterfit]

The printer was b0rked too? Perhaps electronics are allergic to you.

 

[Seasought]

You have angered the Apple god(s) perhaps?

I wish you the best with your next Powerbook...here's hoping that you get a working one this time.

 

[Gokhan]

k

had a very similar experience with apple i even canceled my order at some point but purchased a refurn pb after and am very happy but boy did that test my resolve all is good now

 

[xinxin]

If i got a refund, I would not purchase another one for sure

I already put apple in "low quality computer vendor" list. I got problem on my powerbook 12" as well. Just 5 months after purchase, part of screen start looking pinky, slightly though.

After been in this forum since not long ago, I really don't know whether I should contact apple to check or not. You never know what you get on the replacement, maybe white dot? maybe 7 dead pixels that you can't replace it? maybe horizontal or vertical lines? maybe dimmer area? maybe unaligned screen mount? or maybe they simply mess up somewhere else.

I would suggest people who got lines issue on powerbook: find a old LCD screen on a 3-year old powerbook, put it on, coz it might look better. Then keep your current one because after 3 years, you might find it is good compared with year 2008 model.

 

[pubwvj]

I just got my PowerBook 15" and the screen is stunning. Bright and sharp! No dead pixels, no lines, no waves, etc. Maybe Apple silently fixed the problem. Maybe I got lucky. I do a lot of graphics work, photos and such, so I was a bit worried on this. I need a PPC PowerBook and don't want a 17" as it is too big.

 

[motherduce]

I just got my PowerBook 15" and the screen is stunning. Bright and sharp! No dead pixels, no lines, no waves, etc. Maybe Apple silently fixed the problem. Maybe I got lucky. I do a lot of graphics work, photos and such, so I was a bit worried on this. I need a PPC PowerBook and don't want a 17" as it is too big.

I see you've posted about this in every related thread. Where's your proof? Do you have pictures? Apple friends who can vouch? A lot of people have gotten the machines and not noticed the problem. Doesn't mean it isn't there.

 

[maya]

Truly sad to hear that a first time Macintosh customer is having a bad experience. However look on the bright side, who knows what will be introduced at MWSF as many have mentioned.

I also suggest you speak to a supervisor or manager in regards to your poor experience with Apple CS.

They will care as it reflects on Apple Computers and they user base in the USA top 500 Customer Support report.

 

[ryannel2003]

This really bites becuase 1) Apple's are supposed to be the most reliable computers around; and 2) This is your first Mac. I mean everything you recieved from Apple had an issue! I would've hated for this to happen to my Mac becuase when I got it I was a first timer as well. Let's just hope your new PB will be a heck more of a reliable computer!

 

[maya]

This really bites becuase 1) Apple's are supposed to be the most reliable computers around; and 2) This is your first Mac. I mean everything you recieved from Apple had an issue! I would've hated for this to happen to my Mac becuase when I got it I was a first timer as well. Let's just hope your new PB will be a heck more of a reliable computer!

PowerBook with video and keyboard issues, not a surprise. Many people here had the same if not similar issues with they PowerBook(s).

HP printer, that is not Apples fault. It's HP's fault.

The Customer Service treating him like a ping pong ball, that is nothing new. However the issues is not resolved that is just poor CS due to the holiday season.

His timing for all this happening, just bad luck.

Hopefully it changes after MWSF.

 

[pubwvj]

Where's your proof? Do you have pictures? Apple friends who can vouch? A lot of people have gotten the machines and not noticed the problem. Doesn't mean it isn't there.

I didn't say the problem isn't there for some people with some machines. I said my machine doesn't have the problem. See the photo on this thread:

https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=2011040#post2011040

The real screen looks better than the photo. Smooth, no lines, bright, crisp. I'm not trying to sell you anything. I am simply reporting that _my_ machine is fine. I almost got scared off from buying a PB15 because of the reports on this forum about the lines. But some people said they got machines with no lines. They were also jumped on by people who didn't believe them. I do think it is important for people to know that not all of the PB15 screens have lines. Maybe I got lucky. Maybe Apple fixed the problem. Maybe, maybe, maybe who knows what.

The fact remains, my PB15 screen does not have the lines problem. It also has no dead pixels, no waveyness in the test images, the USB seems fine, etc. I have not tested the second RAM slot yet. The battery was DOA but Apple is shipping a replacement FedEx - not a big deal. I'm glad I got it.

 

[ryannel2003]

PowerBook with video and keyboard issues, not a surprise. Many people here had the same if not similar issues with they PowerBook(s).

HP printer, that is not Apples fault. It's HP's fault.

The Customer Service treating him like a ping pong ball, that is nothing new. However the issues is not resolved that is just poor CS due to the holiday season.

His timing for all this happening, just bad luck.

Hopefully it changes after MWSF.

Yeah all the issues with the PB's have made me think twice about getting a new Apple laptop (Need large 15" screen) because my eMac has been trouble free since October '04 and I don't have enough time to keep returning laptops.

As for HP, it seems like more and more of them keep breaking down. Maybe it's just luck but I usually don't have problems with any of my 3 (Photosmart 7450, Deskjet 5740, and PSC 1210v).

Customer service has been ok. Except for the fact that after 3 broken iPod Mini's and one girl telling me I'm getting a nano (and somehow I still have a Mini! ), it's been fine for me. Never needed to use it on my eMac though. *Thank God*

I would at least hope the new PB and PM's are a little more reliable than the new ones are. Even though I would think there are many people who use PB's and don't come to the discussions and have never had any issues.