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Apple Customer Service is really bad, what can I do?
- Thread starter cvahl
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You may not be able to return it, but standard 1 year warranty still applies. If they swap it out, you lose your engraving.
That's how its been and still is since I've worked for Apple
That's how its been and still is since I've worked for Apple
You are right to keep trying. I've been an Apple customer for a long time. Generally, I've gotten superb customer service - both in the US and India.
1. Don't settle for a malfunctioning home button. I have had menu botton problems with my iphone twice. They only got worse. Apple very happily replaced both iphones (many years apart)
2. Keep trying. Ask for a supervisor. That tends to get things solved. One time, I had a supervisor who I thought was doing a really bad job and did not seem to understand my issue at all (itunes). After writing back and forth for weeks, I simply called and got a fresh start. (Itunes is only email support - but I called for tech support with downloading and then moved over to itunes) My problem was solved immediately and I was completely satisfied.
3. To all those who assume CR in India is bad, I think we should all check our assumptions. I've been disturbed for years by people inferring that people in India can't do the job. Why not? There are good and bad tech support reps in India and the US.
1. Don't settle for a malfunctioning home button. I have had menu botton problems with my iphone twice. They only got worse. Apple very happily replaced both iphones (many years apart)
2. Keep trying. Ask for a supervisor. That tends to get things solved. One time, I had a supervisor who I thought was doing a really bad job and did not seem to understand my issue at all (itunes). After writing back and forth for weeks, I simply called and got a fresh start. (Itunes is only email support - but I called for tech support with downloading and then moved over to itunes) My problem was solved immediately and I was completely satisfied.
3. To all those who assume CR in India is bad, I think we should all check our assumptions. I've been disturbed for years by people inferring that people in India can't do the job. Why not? There are good and bad tech support reps in India and the US.
And do NOT accept a refurbished one. Make sure it's a new item. That's another Apple trick.
I've never had any problems with apple, they have by far the best customer service. Also.. what are you guys saying about farmed out customer service?? When I call from Canada, I talk to someone in Canada (New Brunswick I believe) and when they transfer me to a senior person, it goes to California. At no point to I EVER talk to anyone over seas; most the Canadian reps can speak French as well as English perfectly.
my $0.02
whiteatom
my $0.02
whiteatom
TL;DR - a Specialist's PoV
1st of all, no, we don't have call centers in India. Our phone support is 100% North American based. Secondly, yes, that must've been a really bad day, because I have NEVER heard anyone complain about our service before. Find your nearest Apple store & go talk to one of us; explain what happened. More than likely, the Specialist or Expert will partner with a manager & find out how, one way or another, they can repair that relationship. We take customer service VERY seriously. We get evaluated not on metrics, but on the quality of our interactions with customers. But, lastly, there's really no good reason not to buy Applecare. If you read on these forums, CNet, really anywhere, the only naysayers to Applecare have never had it & are just generally against the stigma's of extended warrenties. Anyone who has ever purchased & used Applecare is extremely pleased with the service & it's value. People who use it once never again buy any Apple product without it. Applecare, believe it or not, is our BIGGEST loss leader. (Yes, we LOSE money on Applecare) However, we provide it for our customers because we believe in our products & because of the value it has to our customers. But back to the topic of the OP; I'm extremely sorry to hear about the bad experience you had on the phones. I would A) Call again & explain what happened B) Write an email & C) Go to the nearest Apple store, tell them about your experience & watch them turn it around ^_^
1st of all, no, we don't have call centers in India. Our phone support is 100% North American based. Secondly, yes, that must've been a really bad day, because I have NEVER heard anyone complain about our service before. Find your nearest Apple store & go talk to one of us; explain what happened. More than likely, the Specialist or Expert will partner with a manager & find out how, one way or another, they can repair that relationship. We take customer service VERY seriously. We get evaluated not on metrics, but on the quality of our interactions with customers. But, lastly, there's really no good reason not to buy Applecare. If you read on these forums, CNet, really anywhere, the only naysayers to Applecare have never had it & are just generally against the stigma's of extended warrenties. Anyone who has ever purchased & used Applecare is extremely pleased with the service & it's value. People who use it once never again buy any Apple product without it. Applecare, believe it or not, is our BIGGEST loss leader. (Yes, we LOSE money on Applecare) However, we provide it for our customers because we believe in our products & because of the value it has to our customers. But back to the topic of the OP; I'm extremely sorry to hear about the bad experience you had on the phones. I would A) Call again & explain what happened B) Write an email & C) Go to the nearest Apple store, tell them about your experience & watch them turn it around ^_^
How can it be possible bro apple is a brand and it's services are world class. May be that place which you have chosen got wrong employees you should not blame apple for that.
A brand doesn't provide service: employees do. Apple is only as good as its hardware, software and employees, and at the moment all three are seriously lacking.
I had one incident where I felt let down by Apple. I took my iPod Touch to the Apple store (Somerset) where an employee immediately took out a magnifying glass to look for proof I had gotten the thing wet. He found some orange pocket lint in the 30 way connector and refused a repair. So did his boss. I called AppleCare and got it replaced free but I really should have been able to walk out of that Apple store with a working unit rather than having them assume I was "guilty until proven innocent" of dunking my iPod Touch in liquid. The only way it ever got wet is if I went scuba diving with my shirt on because the thing hsd lived in my shirt pocket ever since I bought it.
That's one incident. Meanwhile I've had numerous incidents of good support from AppleCare over the phone as well as in the Apple store. One example is the $900 replacement of my son's MBP logic board under AppleCare when he had spilled a drink on his laptop. Another was seeing Time Machine bugs I experienced listed in software updates that came within months of uploading crash reports to Apple engineering.
I'm impressed with Apple products, software, support and sales. Yes they are human so you might have a bad experience once or twice but I suggest you try again and assume the best. Apple is one of the few companies where assuming the best case scenario is a reasonable expectation.
That's one incident. Meanwhile I've had numerous incidents of good support from AppleCare over the phone as well as in the Apple store. One example is the $900 replacement of my son's MBP logic board under AppleCare when he had spilled a drink on his laptop. Another was seeing Time Machine bugs I experienced listed in software updates that came within months of uploading crash reports to Apple engineering.
I'm impressed with Apple products, software, support and sales. Yes they are human so you might have a bad experience once or twice but I suggest you try again and assume the best. Apple is one of the few companies where assuming the best case scenario is a reasonable expectation.
1st of all, no, we don't have call centers in India. Our phone support is 100% North American based. Secondly, yes, that must've been a really bad day, because I have NEVER heard anyone complain about our service before. Find your nearest Apple store & go talk to one of us; explain what happened. More than likely, the Specialist or Expert will partner with a manager & find out how, one way or another, they can repair that relationship. We take customer service VERY seriously. We get evaluated not on metrics, but on the quality of our interactions with customers. But, lastly, there's really no good reason not to buy Applecare. If you read on these forums, CNet, really anywhere, the only naysayers to Applecare have never had it & are just generally against the stigma's of extended warrenties. Anyone who has ever purchased & used Applecare is extremely pleased with the service & it's value. People who use it once never again buy any Apple product without it. Applecare, believe it or not, is our BIGGEST loss leader. (Yes, we LOSE money on Applecare) However, we provide it for our customers because we believe in our products & because of the value it has to our customers. But back to the topic of the OP; I'm extremely sorry to hear about the bad experience you had on the phones. I would A) Call again & explain what happened B) Write an email & C) Go to the nearest Apple store, tell them about your experience & watch them turn it around ^_^
Why did you just post in Comic Sans. Why.
And maybe it's just me but I don't really believe you work for Apple. Perhaps it's the Comic Sans that put me off. AppleCare isn't a loss. All of Apple's hardware is additionally insured/warranted. This means that if they replace a Logic Board, for instance, they make the money back through other means. Apple don't make a loss on any repairs, even if they're water damaged and charge you a fortune for the repair. They don't lose a penny. If you buy into the idea that Apple make a loss on anything, you either don't work for them or you're severely misinformed.