Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

orionquest

Suspended
Original poster
Mar 16, 2022
871
787
The Great White North
Hey all!

I know the title might see harsh be really are any of you convinced by the fake or ingenue customer service at Apple Stores?

Maybe it's my local market. Let me explain.

I've always found Apple store employees a bit weird, it's like they are conditioned robots to give the appearance of being nice, and friendly but to me it feels impersonal and fake. And I don't really shop there often, just for iphones.

Anyhow here's what I mean.
I purchased a iPhone 13 online, with pickup at local store.
Before I picked it up I decided a different model might be a better fit (mini13).
Shouldn't be a problem.
Go to store, tell the pickup guy I want to cancel the purchased phone, and buy the other one.
No problem, I'll get someone to help you with that....
3 persons later I finally get someone to help me. :rolleyes:

That's not whole of it or even the worst part.

I decide after a week I'd rather have a model with more storage.
Shouldn't be a problem with Apple's great return policy and they happen to have the model in stock.
Purchase the iphone online, go to store to pickup and exchange

Walk into the store and one of staff walks up to me and asks if he can help me. Sure I tell him I want to return a iPhone and pick up the new one I purchased online.
So he tells me let's do the return first, I proceed to hand him the box and receipt, without looking at the box and receipt I gave him, he says can I have the QR code of the device you purchased. I was a bit confused and asked him I thought we were doing the return? We are, I'm like ok then, he walks away and hands over the device to the pick up specialist.
So this is where things fall apart. Getting a bit annoyed now.

This new specialist says I will help you out. He starts going over the receipt, asked how i purchased it, tell him, paid in full online, credit card, etc etc.
He leaves has to go talk to someone else. Comes back and asks the same question, tell him the same story, same credit card etc, ask what's the problem, oh says it looks like it was purchased with a gift card, I tell him no, and ask again what is the problem? Says there isn't one I'll take care of this, I lose a little patience asked why isn't it done then? The repeats I'll help you out. But he can't has to go and talk to someone else...again.

Finally this get's sorted out, not impressed.
Return is done, new iPhone is in hand.

This next part is what really bothered me, and is the prime example of Apple Fakeness.
So I ask if I can have a printed receipt.
I prefer to have printed receipts for my business taxes etc, just easier to go through enter etc.

Anyhow this is where that robot training kicks in, oh the system is not setup.. yadda yadda. I'm like seriously, ya just printed me one for the return, maybe I can talk to somebody else. At this point I didn't believe this person really knew what they were talking about, after the previous nonsense. So this other speacialist hears what is going on. Comes up and asks how they can help. I ask for the printed reciept, same song and dance, I'm like really agian, finally I think I broke him down, gives me another song and dance about the "back room" system and they should have access to it etc. and would I like for him to do this for me. (/faceplam). Yeah go ahead (just get it F'n done already - inside). Then like we a buddies or something he asks for me to read out the serial number on the box. (/eyeroll I'm not your chum, yeah my patience is running thin here) hand the box to the other person. He gets the number goes away, comes back with reciept, yaaa! problem solved, and gives it to me like he did me some huge favour. Ya didn't. So I'm like couldn't you have just given me the reciept without the whole song and dance...???
I wasn't sure if it could be done or not... /facepalm.

I believe legally they are suppose to give you a reciept if you ask for one.

No wonder why Apple was made fun of on Big Bang Theory.
Just B.S

Thanks for listening to my rant. Judge away if you like. Apple is making Best Buy look good, at least with those guys you know what to expect even if they are just trying to hustle you. Apple seems clueless in my experience and I thought my needs were straightforward.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: GMShadow

DarkPremiumCho

macrumors 6502
Mar 2, 2023
264
176
In my local market I've heard worse. From argument to almost physical conflict. Some customers took legal actions but I think those were individual cases. Apple Store employees seem to be incentivized to upsell, to the point where people have expressed their dissatisfaction online.

Personally I get ok services but maybe it's because I don't visit too often. I remember on the iPhone 13 Pro launch day Apple hired temp workers. The one in charge of the reception for my pickup had to ask other employees for help. Heck, I was feeling more qualified being an specialist than him.
 
  • Like
Reactions: orionquest

orionquest

Suspended
Original poster
Mar 16, 2022
871
787
The Great White North
Personally I get ok services but maybe it's because I don't visit too often. I remember on the iPhone 13 Pro launch day Apple hired temp workers. The one in charge of the reception for my pickup had to ask other employees for help. Heck, I was feeling more qualified being an specialist than him.
This sound about right, I felt the same way. Glad to know I am not the only one.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.