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My Awesome Apple Customer Service Story...

J

josh995

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 2, 2012
81
1
Alright, I just have to share this. I was blown away. It's a long read but the story has an amazing ending! :)

Yesterday, I bought a MacBook Pro 15" MD322LL/A. It is a late 2011 model. The story with it is, a customer bought it at a military exchange, however it had a screen defect so she returned it. The store meant to send it back to Apple but forgot all about it and it got buried until yesterday. It's now way too late to send back to Apple and get the money for it, so they sold it as is. I bought it, practically stole it.

Anyway, I had planned on repairing it myself, but I took it to an Apple store just to see exactly what was wrong with it so I could figure out what I needed to buy. I told him everything I just told you. I bought it as is, I got a great deal, etc.

The guy looks at it, does a special diagnostic test, and takes it in back to make sure the connections are all tight. They were. He comes back out and say "Well, good news and bad news." I wanted the bad news first. He says "The LCD is defective and the Apple Care has obviously run out, it's a 2011 model." Then the good news. "However, I talked to my manager and he has allowed me to fix it with a whole new display assembly...at no charge."

My jaw dropped. WAY more than I expected could ever happen.

He has me do the electronic paperwork, and I see the cost of a display assembly replacement... $550.00.

This is why I am a loyal Apple customer, and will be for a long, long time. They're fixing a device that has been out of Apple Care warranty for several months. Not only that, but doing a $550 repair, for free, and I'll have it back in 3-5 days.

You can bet I'll be telling this story to anyone who isn't convinced Apple has amazing customer service.
 
Dulcimer

Dulcimer

macrumors 6502a
Nov 20, 2012
895
717
Your story is similar to mine.

In the summer of 2011, I was at the seaside with family in Europe. I had my iPod touch in my swimming shorts pocket… As a result, the sea water killed my iPod due to my stupidity and forgetfulness. I tried placing it in a bag of rice to suck out the moisture trapped inside, but to no avail. So when I returned to Canada, I went to the Apple store and told the guy there the truth. I expected to pay a repair fee of about $170 since water damage wasn't covered by the warranty.

He told me that, since I was honest with regard to admitting water damage (they assessed the damage in the back room), he would give me a (brand new!) replacement iPod—for free. He said this is because Apple values customer honesty. He also said this was a one-time thing. I was certainly very happy.

Like you, this is why I like Apple and will continue to buy their products.
 
L

lwood1

macrumors 6502
Aug 2, 2008
254
1
SoCal
Great to hear everyone's great customer service stories.

Last time I went to Apple to have my iPhone replaced (2nd phone I've had to take in because the sleep button stopped working) I waited... TWO HOURS to see a "genius". Yes I had an appointment, yes I checked in with them multiple times.

Glad you guys had better experiences!
 
quagmire

quagmire

macrumors 604
Apr 19, 2004
6,910
2,336
Was that $550 for in store replacement or for them to ship it out?

My Early 2008 17" MBP screen went bad last year. That $550 sounds like the in store repair cost they quoted me. The Genius stated if they shipped it to the repair facility it would be $300 flat rate. And if there was anything else wrong with it, it would be fixed too. So they ended up replacing the display, display cable, the keyboard( had a broken key due to my failed attempt to do a self-repair), the upper aluminum casing( started to corrode), and the lower aluminum enclosure( I dropped it and part of the metal above the expansion slot bent outward). I was extremely pleased with my experience and that for $300, I basically got a new laptop externally.

Your experience was awesome. Glad to hear Apple still does things like this despite AppleCare+, the ousted idiot tried to increase profits at the expense of customer service, etc.
 
J

josh995

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 2, 2012
81
1
lwood1 said:
Last time I went to Apple to have my iPhone replaced (2nd phone I've had to take in because the sleep button stopped working) I waited... TWO HOURS to see a "genius". Yes I had an appointment, yes I checked in with them multiple times.
Click to expand...

That's awful! I had my accelerometer go out on my iPhone 4S (Screen wouldn't turn when I tilted the device, orientation wasn't locked) and I made an appointment. I got there 15 minutes early and waited 5 minutes and was helped. I was out of the store with a new phone before my appointment was even supposed to begin!

And yesterday, my appointment was for 5. I got there at 4:50 and sat at the Genius Bar and the guy began helping me at 4:59.

Your experience sounds like polar opposite!


quagmire said:
Was that $550 for in store replacement or for them to ship it out?
Click to expand...
Yes, in store. I should have it back in 3-5 days. The guy was pretty sure it was the LCD. I'm hoping it isn't the cable because then that's even longer that I'll be waiting to get it back. But I'm assuming if he's putting a whole new top assembly on, they'll use a new cable...right? I could be wrong.
 
12vElectronics

12vElectronics

macrumors 68040
Jul 19, 2013
3,947
1,246
California
And that's why I have ZERO problem paying full price for any Apple product. The after sales support is phenomenal. Both times having problems with my iPhone 5, they took care of it on the spot with no cost to me. I don't even have AppleCare either!
 
L

lwood1

macrumors 6502
Aug 2, 2008
254
1
SoCal
It was. First time I'd ever had a bad experience. Apple made the mistake of sending me a satisfaction survey...

josh995 said:
That's awful! I had my accelerometer go out on my iPhone 4S (Screen wouldn't turn when I tilted the device, orientation wasn't locked) and I made an appointment. I got there 15 minutes early and waited 5 minutes and was helped. I was out of the store with a new phone before my appointment was even supposed to begin!

And yesterday, my appointment was for 5. I got there at 4:50 and sat at the Genius Bar and the guy began helping me at 4:59.

Your experience sounds like polar opposite!



Yes, in store. I should have it back in 3-5 days. The guy was pretty sure it was the LCD. I'm hoping it isn't the cable because then that's even longer that I'll be waiting to get it back. But I'm assuming if he's putting a whole new top assembly on, they'll use a new cable...right? I could be wrong.
Click to expand...


----------
12vElectronics said:
And that's why I have ZERO problem paying full price for any Apple product. The after sales support is phenomenal. Both times having problems with my iPhone 5, they took care of it on the spot with no cost to me. I don't even have AppleCare either!
Click to expand...

Agreed.
 
Zombie Acorn

Zombie Acorn

macrumors 65816
Feb 2, 2009
1,307
9,132
Toronto, Ontario
I had an iPhone a couple weeks out of warranty and the home button stopped working. They wouldn't do anything for me. I've used an android phone since that day.
 
Huntn

Huntn

macrumors Core
May 5, 2008
23,483
26,600
The Misty Mountains
Zombie Acorn said:
I had an iPhone a couple weeks out of warranty and the home button stopped working. They wouldn't do anything for me. I've used an android phone since that day.
Click to expand...

Is that because Google will replace your out of warranty Android phone? :p

I have also had several outstanding Apple service experiences. They are making tons of money, they can afford to be generous and cement brand loyalty.
 
iDuel

iDuel

macrumors 6502a
Jul 20, 2011
775
97
Greece/USA
12vElectronics said:
And that's why I have ZERO problem paying full price for any Apple product. The after sales support is phenomenal. Both times having problems with my iPhone 5, they took care of it on the spot with no cost to me. I don't even have AppleCare either!
Click to expand...

They should've as the iPhone is still covered under the one year warranty.
 
12vElectronics

12vElectronics

macrumors 68040
Jul 19, 2013
3,947
1,246
California
iDuel said:
They should've as the iPhone is still covered under the one year warranty.
Click to expand...

Still, the process was so simple and hassle-free.

----------
Zombie Acorn said:
I had an iPhone a couple weeks out of warranty and the home button stopped working. They wouldn't do anything for me. I've used an android phone since that day.
Click to expand...

Your product was out of warranty. I'm sorry, but what exactly did you want them to do?
 
J

josh995

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 2, 2012
81
1
Zombie Acorn said:
I had an iPhone a couple weeks out of warranty and the home button stopped working. They wouldn't do anything for me. I've used an android phone since that day.
Click to expand...

To follow up my original thread, I got my MacBook back and it has functioned perfectly ever since.

Also another great customer service story to add! Yesterday I took a launch day 64GB iPhone 5 that is about 8 months out of warranty to the Woodbridge Apple Store. It's not my phone, but someone on my plans phone. The power/sleep button stopped working, and when it did work, it acted as if I was turning it off even though I was just trying to put the screen to sleep. Anyway, they gave us a loaner iPhone and sent the defective one out for repair. No charge.

Apple pulls through yet again. You just don't get this kind of customer service from most other companies.
 
Last edited:
iBlazed

iBlazed

macrumors 68000
Feb 27, 2014
1,594
1,249
New Jersey, United States
josh995 said:
To follow up my original thread, I got my MacBook back and it has functioned perfectly ever since.

Also another great customer service story to add! Yesterday I took a launch day 64GB iPhone 5 that is about 8 months out of warranty to the Woodbridge Apple Store. It's not my phone, but someone on my plans phone. The power/sleep button stopped working, and when it did work, it acted as if I was turning it off even though I was just trying to put the screen to sleep. Anyway, they gave us a loaner iPhone and sent the defective one out for repair. No charge.

Apple pulls through yet again. You just don't get this kind of customer service from most other companies.
Click to expand...

Woodbridge NJ?? I go to the one in Freehold and have had nothing but positive experiences. Years ago when I had the original iPhone they replaced it because I was honest with them and told them that I dropped it and the power button got lodged inside and the phone kept restarting, it wasn't even under warranty anymore. Then last year, they replaced my iPhone 5 3 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY when the wifi antenna failed. They're amazing.
 
Trvlngnrs

Trvlngnrs

macrumors 6502
Jun 8, 2010
359
35
I don't have an Apple store in my town. When my power cord went out on my MBP, Apple authorized Simply Mac to warranty it!
 
J

jeremysteele

Cancelled
Jul 13, 2011
485
394
josh995 said:
He has me do the electronic paperwork, and I see the cost of a display assembly replacement... $550.00.
Click to expand...

Cool story and all... but don't put too much thought into that number. It's inflated - the cost to them is far far less.

For example:

Years back (nearly a decade.... eek!!!) I sent an applecare protected iBook in for an HD replacement. Their cost according to the paperwork: $675. I know from experience the drive they used cost about $50 (consumer price, they get it bulk) and takes about 5 minutes to replace on that model.

Still, it's nice when they take care of anything for free. Free is good ;)

Glad to hear you had another good experience recently as well.
 
iDuel

iDuel

macrumors 6502a
Jul 20, 2011
775
97
Greece/USA
josh995 said:
To follow up my original thread, I got my MacBook back and it has functioned perfectly ever since.

Also another great customer service story to add! Yesterday I took a launch day 64GB iPhone 5 that is about 8 months out of warranty to the Woodbridge Apple Store. It's not my phone, but someone on my plans phone. The power/sleep button stopped working, and when it did work, it acted as if I was turning it off even though I was just trying to put the screen to sleep. Anyway, they gave us a loaner iPhone and sent the defective one out for repair. No charge.

Apple pulls through yet again. You just don't get this kind of customer service from most other companies.
Click to expand...

I think that one might be related to the iPhone 5 sleep/wake button recall they have going on right now. Had you taken the phone in before this was initiated, you probably would have been charged.
 
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