How can I file a complaint against an Apple Store Employee?

[AubreyL]

I had a bad experience in an Apple store this evening. I won't go into the whole story but the employee was very rude to me and then at the end of it he says "I know I'm snippy today but it's been a busy day for us" but he was very arrogant. When I asked him a question about something I knew he was wrong about he flat out said "I don't need to check with anyone else. I'm the manager. I know everything" Of course the story is much longer than this but I have never had an employee be this rude to me anywhere. I'm not the type to complain but would like to know how I can file a complaint with Apple. I looked at the contact us section on the Apple web site but can't find anything. Any idea how I can do this?

[siurpeeman]

in all fairness, i could imagine it being a really busy day for apple store employees. could you maybe cut the guy some slack and let this one go? it could be your good deed for the day. :)

[solvs]

Go back later, preferably with someone else, and see if they're still like that. If they are, complain to a higher up. You can contact Apple via their customer service # to see what the proper channels are. If they aren't there, maybe ask those who are and see if that's what they're like all the time. I've had some bad days, and try really hard to be extra customer friendly no matter what, but stuff happens.

If it was really that bad, and you're still pissed tomorrow, lodge a formal complaint.

[iSaint]

in all fairness, i could imagine it being a really busy day for apple store employees. could you maybe cut the guy some slack and let this one go? it could be your good deed for the day. :)

I give people slack all the time. Especially in an environment where you don't even get assistance in most retail stores. Apple's trying hard in that area, so I would say this guy needs to have this called to his attention by his superior. If he can't handle retail (goodness knows I couldn't), he needs to get out!

[iBlue]

Like this:

84241

[newton213]

steve@apple.com

Email sent there DOES get results.

[CalBoy]

steve@apple.com

Email sent there DOES get results.

That would be going a bit far. It would be a lot easier to call Apple and tell them that you had a bad experience with an employee at Store in city X. Explain the situation, and say that all you want is to let them know. Be sure to say that it wasn't all the employee's fault; perhaps Apple needs more people so the few who do work there aren't stressed out too much? Either way, you should complain and tell someone at Apple; not only will it make you feel better, but you will be doing a service to future customers who might have a similar experience with that same guy again.

Here is Apple's general Customer Service Page (http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?nnmm=browse&node=help)

Here is their "Store Experience (http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?nnmm=browse&mco=2E8190BB&node=help/shopping_experience)" site.
There is a number at the bottom, but I have a feeling that it's just the "MY APPLE" number, which usually connects you to a sales rep. Good luck.

[adrianblaine]

I run into rude people in retail all the time, but it's just water off my back most of the time. I find a lot of ignorant Apple employees, but I usually don't need to ask any questions anyway...

My gripe is with Home Depot and Lowe's employees. I can never get them to help me and they never ask if I need assistance.

[CalBoy]

My gripe is with Home Depot and Lowe's employees. I can never get them to help me and they never ask if I need assistance.

OMG, how true is that? And then of course there are those automatic check-out deals. It's almost as if they want us to become an even more xenophobic society:rolleyes:

[solvs]

My gripe is with Home Depot and Lowe's employees.

Really? I was at a Home Depot a few weeks ago, and one of the guys there was really nice and helpful. Then again, one of my exes works there, and she's evil, so I guess I get what you mean. She's lazy too.

Least most of the ones in my area pay decently, so you usually get good people.

[robbieduncan]

It's almost as if they want us to become an even more xenophobic society:rolleyes:

:confused:

As the built in dictionary on a Mac will tell you xenophobic means "intense or irrational dislike or fear of people from other countries". Is every single employee of Home Depot and Lowe's from another country?

[shikimo]

I used to think consistency in customer service was a problem too.

Then I moved to France.

Recently, in the course of the same day, I was given some of the best service of my life in a guitar store, thrown out of another store 30 minutes before it closed because the owner decided (out loud) that "no#$#body was $#%^ing going to buy anything today," and then afterwards got rained on outside of a camera store--where I had bought something--because the owner retracted the automatic awning right over hour heads to prevent us from standing in front of his store and waiting for the cloudburst to pass.

You just never know; there are people here who love to do their jobs, and just as many who refuse to do them under any circumstances. It's all relative...but I tell you for sure that, on average, y'all are getting better service over there.

[Doylem]

Take a couple of deep breaths, sleep on it... and see if you still feel aggrieved tomorrow. Don't email in anger. I did it last night, then had to send a grovelling apology this morning. ;)

[wongulous]

Well it was kind of a crazy day yesterday, and something tells me that this is only 50% of the story. But complain if you must--you won't get much out of it but a forced apology.

[CalBoy]

:confused:

As the built in dictionary on a Mac will tell you xenophobic means "intense or irrational dislike or fear of people from other countries". Is every single employee of Home Depot and Lowe's from another country?

It's actually used as a fear of a foreigner, not just someone from another country. I was trying to use it a sense that Lowes and Home Depot are trying to isolate us so much, that we begin to view eachother as "foreign." I can see how it didn't make sense, sorry:o

[queshy]

Kind of reminds me about my experience at the apple store (search for "Completely outraged").

I would complain...apple wouldn't be happy knowing that kinda stuff went on in their stores.

[gnasher729]

I had a bad experience in an Apple store this evening. I won't go into the whole story but the employee was very rude to me and then at the end of it he says "I know I'm snippy today but it's been a busy day for us" but he was very arrogant. When I asked him a question about something I knew he was wrong about he flat out said "I don't need to check with anyone else. I'm the manager. I know everything" Of course the story is much longer than this but I have never had an employee be this rude to me anywhere. I'm not the type to complain but would like to know how I can file a complaint with Apple. I looked at the contact us section on the Apple web site but can't find anything. Any idea how I can do this?

Why don't you post where you work, so we can check out what a nice person you are? Maybe you give us your bosses phone number, so we can make some inquiries. Usually if people are rude to you, you might think about what you have done to deserve it. That's called responsibility.

[Unspeaked]

Why don't you post where you work, so we can check out what a nice person you are? Maybe you give us your bosses phone number, so we can make some inquiries. Usually if people are rude to you, you might think about what you have done to deserve it. That's called responsibility.


Remember, this is Apple - the company that gives customers who purchased items two months ago $100 credits if they moan and complain loud enough.

Having set that precedent, I feel customers have the right to go into stores and act as obnoxious as they like, expecting perfect customer service in return.

I mean, that's the logic Apple retail seems to be based on, right?

[mkrishnan]

I mean, that's the logic Apple retail seems to be based on, right?

I follow what you're saying, and this is why I am glad there is online shopping....

[jonnylink]

I find it interesting that so many people are willing to blame the original poster without any details. Filing a complaint is fine, if the person has a record it of complaints then it might mean something, otherwise it probably wont. And if the person files a complaint and is silly for doing so it will probably be apparent by reading the complaint.

And I will say this. The OP said that the guy was a manager. It is the manager's job to be the customer service expert. That is one of the reasons he/she is paid more. No manager should ever be rude to a customer unless that customer has become aggressive and hostile, and even then they should just ask them to leave the store. Calmly. Otherwise they are not doing their jobs and should have a complaint filed against them. No one ever said customer service didn't suck, but that is what it is all about.

[majordude]

Is every single employee of Home Depot and Lowe's from another country?

Well, I don't know about life where the OP is but out here in the land of milk and honey (People's Republik of Southern Kalifornia), the answer is YES!

[jackc]

C'mon, tell us the whole story!

[GavinTing]

A rude manager is not a good manager. But perhaps you should tell us the entire story first?

[DesignerOnMac]

For all you folks who have never worked retail. Let me give you some insight!
I worked retail for 7 years selling computers! I can not begin to tell you what a horrible experience it was on a daily bases.
1. I had bench marks to meet per month, such as $10,000 of computer equipment to sell.
2. A percentage of those sales involved extended service plans.
3. We had sales flyers in the Sunday paper every week, with our lose leaders. Brought the customer in and then 'upgraded' them to a more expensive product, with more profit margins.
4. If you did not meet your sales goals as well as your extended service plan goals you were terminated!!

To add to all this above you had to deal with unreasonable customers making demands, etc.


I am not saying the OP did this, but all the above for $7.00 an hour before taxes is very stressful! (Also have an ******* manager and your done real quick before the day starts!)

[CalBoy]

For all you folks who have never worked retail. Let me give you some insight!
I worked retail for 7 years selling computers! I can not begin to tell you what a horrible experience it was on a daily bases.
1. I had bench marks to meet per month, such as $10,000 of computer equipment to sell.
2. A percentage of those sales involved extended service plans.
3. We had sales flyers in the Sunday paper every week, with our lose leaders. Brought the customer in and then 'upgraded' them to a more expensive product, with more profit margins.
4. If you did not meet your sales goals as well as your extended service plan goals you were terminated!!

To add to all this above you had to deal with unreasonable customers making demands, etc.


I am not saying the OP did this, but all the above for $7.00 an hour before taxes is very stressful! (Also have an ******* manager and your done real quick before the day starts!)

To be sure, retail is a tough job. However, that never creates the right to be rude to a customer. Unless that customer is being rude, threatening, or preventing you from making another sale, you have no right to be anything but polite and courteous to them. I think the person the OP was refering to needs some lessons on stress management.

[majordude]

To be sure, retail is a tough job.

Yeah, the public (you and I) sure do suck! :rolleyes:

Still, there are millions of jobs in this country. You (not you, the collective "you") don't HAVE to take a job you suck at. Either learn to deal with it or move on. You can always shovel pig manure if you don't like dealing with demanding people.

I guess having free will sucks for some people.

[CalBoy]

Yeah, the public (you and I) sure do suck! :rolleyes:

Still, there are millions of jobs in this country. You (not you, the collective "you") don't HAVE to take a job you suck at. Either learn to deal with it or move on. You can always shovel pig manure if you don't like dealing with demanding people.

I guess having free will sucks for some people.

I don't think you've ever worked in retail. I have. It's not the customers that are the tough part of the job, in fact, I found the customers to be the best part (I am a people person in real life:p). What gets to you when you work retail is the managers. They can make some pretty crazy demands for such a low paying job.

And by the way, it isn't a straight forward economic equation. Retail jobs don't pay less because they require less intelligence or fewer skills; they pay less because employers simply take what they can get. This drives good employees crazy because they make the same amount for a lot more toil. In the end, if you have a good work ethic and some reasonable intelligence, retail is not for you.

[shikimo]

I find it interesting that so many people are willing to blame the original poster without any details. Filing a complaint is fine, if the person has a record it of complaints then it might mean something, otherwise it probably wont. And if the person files a complaint and is silly for doing so it will probably be apparent by reading the complaint.

Agreed. Stop dogpiling on the OP already.

For all you folks who have never worked retail. Let me give you some insight!
I worked retail for 7 years selling computers! I can not begin to tell you what a horrible experience it was on a daily bases.
1. I had bench marks to meet per month, such as $10,000 of computer equipment to sell.
2. A percentage of those sales involved extended service plans.
3. We had sales flyers in the Sunday paper every week, with our lose leaders. Brought the customer in and then 'upgraded' them to a more expensive product, with more profit margins.
4. If you did not meet your sales goals as well as your extended service plan goals you were terminated!!

To add to all this above you had to deal with unreasonable customers making demands, etc.

I am not saying the OP did this, but all the above for $7.00 an hour before taxes is very stressful! (Also have an ******* manager and your done real quick before the day starts!)

Yes, retail is a tough gig: many of us have done it. However, like all jobs it is what it is, and successfully dealing with the "unreasonable customers" and "******* managers" is what separates good retail workers from bad ones.

Besides, there's only one person to blame for staying in a job you don't like for seven years...that's more than enough time to move on, move up, or even get a night/weekend education to do something in which you are more interested.

[gnasher729]

Having set that precedent, I feel customers have the right to go into stores and act as obnoxious as they like, expecting perfect customer service in return.

There is nothing that pleases a sales person more than getting an obnoxious customer who gets told off for his and her behaviour from other customers. :D

[MacPanda]

Retail is a headache i do it to pay my way through uni but seriously i get some really nasty, rude customers who throw things at you or think that just because you are working behind a counter they can treat you like you are their urine. Trust me they I do checkout work at the store and it gets rough when trying to close the till at the end of the day- had goods thrown at me and spat on etc ...

On the other side, the Apple Store in regent street is an utter disgrace, i recently tried to return an iPod that i had bought a few days back and had the click of death on the hd and the guy told me to check everything i buy before i take it out of the store and he would sign the reciept for me. :eek: Plus they sold my friend a refurb printer which was used and dirty must have been on display saying it was a new item. They broke my mac mini at the genius bar :(
Not impressed apple.

[jonnylink]

Does it need to be said? There are nice people and crappy people, all of those people are shoppers at some point and some of those people (from both groups) are retailers at some point.

Retail isn't easy but find me a job that is fun and easy all the time. I worked retail. Wasn't for me, I understand how people can be and I never lost my cool but I didn't care for it. I've also worked in a brewery and that had it's own set of difficulties which were just as bad but totally different (so it also wasn't for me). What I am saying is that unless you are doing something you genuinely like it probably is gonna make you angry a lot, but don't think that it is only your job or your type of job or that no one can possibly understand having a crappy job. The majority of adults have had at least one crappy job and many would probably say their current job is crappy.

The OP should do whatever seems fair. It is possible they were both having a bad day or are both crappy people are both nice or whatever, but we certainly can't make that call from our computers.

[majordude]

I don't think you've ever worked in retail.

Well, I worked at 7-Eleven a long, long time ago. The customers were great for the most part. I liked carding the 18-27 year old women just so I could learn their names and flatter them at the same time.

Smooooooth operator. :cool:

My manager was okay as long as I didn't interrupt his smoking and drinking in the back room. :eek:

[CalBoy]

Well, I worked at 7-Eleven a long, long time ago. The customers were great for the most part. I liked carding the 18-27 year old women just so I could learn their names and flatter them at the same time.

Smooooooth operator. :cool:

My manager was okay as long as I didn't interrupt his smoking and drinking in the back room. :eek:

Well, seeing as how you didn't have to make sales, I think you may not be appreciating the point DesignerOnMac was trying to advance. In my case, it was credit card applications. Not fun telling people they aren't approved:eek:

[sgarringer]

Retail can be bad, but that doesn't excuse someone who is working in the store from being rude. If you can't handle the bad, you have no right working there. I've worked in computer sales (cow-spotted store) and believe me, we had all sorts of people come through those doors. People would yell things like "bait and switch" when you rang up the machine and the computer added in sales tax.

Managers have a tough spot of being nice to the customer, but also not giving in on what their sales people have said. We had one customer who insisted that we give them a bunch of free stuff. They threw a temper tantrum in the store, with stomping and arms flailing. They wanted a USB cable for their printer! It wasn't fair we didn't give them one! I almost couldn't contain myself when their daughter went over and yelled at the guy and his wife and they left. A bunch of the other customers started clapping.

Then there is the customers who can't hang up the phone for 30 seconds to interact with you. God forbid they have to actually talk to 'the help'.

[majordude]

Not fun telling people they aren't approved :eek:

Man, I would have lived for that.

You can't even get credit HERE? Geez, that's pretty bad. Need bus fare home?

:cool:

[majordude]

I've worked in computer sales (cow-spotted store) and believe me, we had all sorts of people come through those doors. People would yell things like "bait and switch" when you rang up the machine and the computer added in sales tax.

Have you ever had a drunk senior throw full beer bottles at you because you couldn't sell beer to a drunk? Your laughing at the old man because he's staggering around cussing like a drunken sailor throwing beer bottles at you and your manager but keeps missing by about twelve feet because he's old and drunk and cussing.

And it would be 11 in the morning. :eek:

Ah, the good ol's days of 7-Eleven

[CalBoy]

Man, I would have lived for that.

You can't even get credit HERE? Geez, that's pretty bad. Need bus fare home?

:cool:

Well, not everyone has good credit. I'm guessing you live in Southern California right? Surely you've seen people with less than "adequate" credit. Anyways, we've gotten off topic; we should refocus on the OP's question.

[shikimo]

Well, not everyone has good credit. I'm guessing you live in Southern California right? Surely you've seen people with less than "adequate" credit. Anyways, we've gotten off topic; we should refocus on the OP's question.

Yes, yes, where did the OP go? This is an interesting topic, and I'd love to hear both more details of the incident that provoked the thread and what (if anything) came of it. Don't be put off by the mean posts at you, OP, and tell the rest of us what's up?

[ethernet76]

Remember, this is Apple - the company that gives customers who purchased items two months ago $100 credits if they moan and complain loud enough.

Having set that precedent, I feel customers have the right to go into stores and act as obnoxious as they like, expecting perfect customer service in return.

I mean, that's the logic Apple retail seems to be based on, right?

Umm no. If someone a customer is being obnoxious chances are the person store person in charge at the time would know. Employees generally talk about the bad ones and when you call your the ******* customer from yesterday, last week, etc.

Besides what company would allow its customers to treat employees like dirt? They have a vested interest in keeping them around.

[jeremy.king]

Any idea how I can do this?

http://www.apple.com/retail/feedback/

See if this 3rd party has any response.

Wow...people sure pile it on here...

[majordude]

Wow...people sure pile it on here...

Okay boys, let him have it! :rolleyes:

[busterdog]

I got so angry at a store employee that I found this site, and I filled out the survey.

http://www.apple.com/retail/feedback/

[HLdan]

Remember, this is Apple - the company that gives customers who purchased items two months ago $100 credits if they moan and complain loud enough.

Having set that precedent, I feel customers have the right to go into stores and act as obnoxious as they like, expecting perfect customer service in return.

I mean, that's the logic Apple retail seems to be based on, right?

OMG, dude you are soooo wrong. Where do you get the nerve to feel that as a customer you should get your backside kissed by a retail store while still being a rude and obnoxious customer. Maybe you've forgotten that ANY and ALL public places have a right to refuse service, at least in the U.S.

A customer HAS to show respect for the store just as much as getting respect from the store.

[shikimo]

OMG, dude you are soooo wrong. Where do you get the nerve to feel that as a customer you should get your backside kissed by a retail store while still being a rude and obnoxious customer. Maybe you've forgotten that ANY and ALL public places have a right to refuse service, at least in the U.S.

A customer HAS to show respect for the store just as much as getting respect from the store.

I could be wrong, but I got a strong dose of sarcasm from Unspeaked's post...

[HLdan]

I could be wrong, but I got a strong dose of sarcasm from Unspeaked's post...

It's possible you read it differently than I did but I have worked in retail for many years and there are customers with that pompous attitude that have treated me with so much disrespect and I have even been trashed due to my race and culture although when that happened the customer was thrown out. That was my point, a customer deserves respect but he must respect the store he visits.

[winter***white]

I totally understand this. You have no idea how rude they are. This apple store in woodfield mall in Schaumburg, IL have the worst store employees I have ever seen.

Not to mention how geek they look. They don't smile, don't greet you, don't even say thank you when you are buying things from the store. None of the stores employees in the entire mall behave the way they do.

I believe all employees in all other stores are busy, but I have not met any employees from other stores who can be so rude. They should go and take a look at stores like coach, abercrombie, and sony. These stores maintain excellent customer services even when they are very busy. But, apple store employees. NOOO. They are so arrogant, rude, with horrible attitudes and extremely disgusting faces.

I am just sick to see an apple product now. I really hope that the store closes down. It just spoils the entire image of the mall.

[wako]

really? you had to dig into a 9 month, almost 10 month old thread to give your two cents?:confused:


damn noobs :p

[iGary]

I totally understand this. You have no idea how rude they are. This apple store in woodfield mall in Schaumburg, IL have the worst store employees I have ever seen.

Not to mention how geek they look. They don't smile, don't greet you, don't even say thank you when you are buying things from the store. None of the stores employees in the entire mall behave the way they do.

I believe all employees in all other stores are busy, but I have not met any employees from other stores who can be so rude. They should go and take a look at stores like coach, abercrombie, and sony. These stores maintain excellent customer services even when they are very busy. But, apple store employees. NOOO. They are so arrogant, rude, with horrible attitudes and extremely disgusting faces.

I am just sick to see an apple product now. I really hope that the store closes down. It just spoils the entire image of the mall.

The Apple Store I worked at was awesome - we had a great group of people and our customer's loved us. Piercings, tattoos, mohawks, geeky-ness and all. Who wants to go and get served by the robots at Best Buy? Not me.

[liptonlover]

lol everyone's still talking even though the OP hasn't made another post the whole time...

Anyways, if Apple wants to have good customer experience they need to take care of that guy. Whether he can't handle the stress or is just plain rude, he shouldn't be there.

Nate

[TommyLee]

"I don't need to check with anyone else. I'm the manager. I know everything"

omfg, HE IS TEH GENIUS!!!1
http://www.swapmeetdave.com/Humor/Cats/CatInPool.jpg

[TommyLee]

I used to think consistency in customer service was a problem too.

Then I moved to France.
then the "Geniuses" followed...
http://www.whytraveltofrance.com/images/applestore_louvreparis.jpg