Apple has bad customer service?

[aaandrewww]

Referencing this thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/116513/

I previously mentioned how my week old Powerbook (Rev D 12") had some warping of the case. It wouldn't sit flat and more importantly there was a slight bowing out of the case right above the optical drive. Seeing as how I spent a lot of money on this I decided to take it to the Apple Store last Sunday with the hope of getting it fixed. The Apple Store Tech (Genius) was very helpful. He said that the bowing was caused by heat and was uncommon but not unheard of and then he apologized for my having to send in my new computer for repairs. He gave me no indication that it might not be fixed and he said that it would be back in my hands in a week. Then after not hearing anything for a couple days I get this e-mail from Apple at 12:30am EST tonight:

We need to speak with you before we can repair your product. Our
diagnosis indicates there may be issues that are not covered by the warranty
or a service contract. Please call 800-APL-CARE, select the option for
repair status: all other repairs, and reference the dispatch id in the
subject line.

So much for my easy experience at the store. This sounds to me like an accusation. I will call them first thing tomorrow and hopefully this is just a formality. Why would they question not only myself but also their own Store Tech? He is the one who typed up my form and authorized the repairs. This really leaves a bad taste in my mouth about Apple. I've been singing their praises to all my PC loving friends ever since I got it, but if they give me a hard time tomorrow they have lost at least all my future business and I will have a hard recommending Apple to anyone. Just by sending the above e-mail I'm not feeling that I want to deal with them on another piece of hardware. They may have lost a new Apple-for-lifer in me with just that. Very dissapointing.

-Andrew

PS Sorry about the rant.
PPS Has anyone else gotten a similar e-mail?

 

[yoda13]

Nope. I have always had fairly good dealings with Apple on repairs, but I am sorry that you are having issues. The warping I believe is caused by the heat, as you said, and that it is a problem a lot of folks used to have. I know my old Rev. A. 12" PB had it, but it ran much hotter than the later revisions did. Hope it turns out well for you.

 

[mkrishnan]

This sounds to me like an accusation. I will call them first thing tomorrow and hopefully this is just a formality. Why would they question not only myself but also their own Store Tech?

Sounds to me like a random audit. I have not used AppleCare, but they are consistently ranked at or near the top of the list in terms of customer service and satisfaction among notebook manufacturers. That's an *average* of course. Every company leaves some perfectly good customers who act in good faith dissatisfied, unfortunately.

If it's possible for you to do so (and it might not be, and I'd totally understand), think of it this way and it might not feel so bad. Apple, like any warranty provider, wants to make Applecare as cheap as possible while maintaining high standards. Even if you didn't purchase extended applecare, the cost of this warranty is still part of the cost model of your computer. So it is in your benefit for Apple to be at least moderately cost-effective in providing this warranty. In your case, you know that you did not sustain this damage to your computer in a manner that would not be covered by the warranty. Just communicate that to them, and help them build their ability to differentiate legitimate and illegitimate warranty claims. I'm fairly sure that this is just a random audit and that's all they're trying to do....

 

[Balin64]

I second Yoda

Apple has a surprisingly good track record with me; there have been many times when I have needed their tech support and warranty repairs and they always come through: no questions asked. I find it reassuring and it makes it easier to pay a premium for their products; my main work is Graphics and Photography: there's no reason why I could not do that on a Wintel: but I have stuck with Apple products 100%.

Trust me: they will take care of you, and they will almost always adhere to their quotes/diagnostics.

Now: going out on a limb... did you drop the PB? The Aluminum is fairly soft. I have owned two, put them through their paces and I never seen a heat-related physical defect.

Anyway, sorry: the point is: I hope that you have your PB back very soon and that Apple takes care of it. If they don't, let me know and I will deploy the Kinghts.

Cheerios!

 

[aaandrewww]

Now: going out on a limb... did you drop the PB? The Aluminum is fairly soft. I have owned two, put them through their paces and I never seen a heat-related physical defect.

I definitely didn't drop it. Also the metal clearly bows outward above the drive not inward like a dent. And the bow is smooth also not like a dropped laptop. So I don't see why they would think that I dropped it.

Hopefully it is just a formality and I can get my PB back safely as soon as possible.

 

[Balin64]

Hopefully, yes. Don't Worry.

The Aluminum construction around PB's can bow out if it is impacted on other parts of the structure: stress and force must go somewhere afterall. Think of a bow and the stress it can receive when you bend on a specific part: the result will be visible on another part entirely. The Al band on the PB is very similar.


While I have never seen heat damage myself, however, it does not mean it is not possible. I hope you get yours fixed and that you are very satisfied.

Cheers

Balin64

 

[sourcemonkey]

i had a good experience with them today infact. the letters 'A' and 'S' on my ibook G4 were somehow wearing off the keys within 3 months of purchase. apparently it's an issue where the ibook gets hot in that area of the keypad. they've agreed to fit a new keypad once the part comes in in 2 days. no problems there then.
i hope you get this issue resolved. don't let them fob you off so quickly...the more people you speak to the more likely you'll find someone sympathetic. good luck.

 

[watchmainspring]

i had a similar issue but with a fan. They sent it back and forth twice, both times telling me it cannot be fixed until finnally it was.

I had another issue with a monitor-it came with pressure damage and they refused to fix....but then did

another issue with a hinge-it came loose and they refused to fix..after pushing they did.

another issue with a DVD burner-they told me they fixed it buy kept the same broken drive in it.

another issue with a motherboard-the pb was 2 months old and the logicboard dies. had applecare, procare. There was a dent in the front, and they called it accidental damage.

however Dell covers accidental damge and they'll come to your house and fix it for you.

Sorry guys but:
in all cases applecare was the WORST service I've ever had. The store would tell me one thing, then the repair place would tell me another. They would say it was fixed, but it wasn't.

 

[calyxman]

What you're dealing with is one from a laundry list of many design flaws in Apple's notebook computers. The bowing problem of the 12" has been a very common complaint.

Good luck getting your machine fixed.

 

[MrSugar]

I have had this exact same problem, minus the apple store rep. My powerbook distorted and warped and I had to send it in. I got a call telling me they needed to talk to me before they could do anything. When we did talk I was told the damage looked like something that I could have inflicted. This was not the case however. Finally after a few words with the "advanced" customer rep. I got it fixed for free and sent back.

Haven't had a problem since, but my dual 23" monitors, that's another story. Had it repaired 4 times, and replaced with a new one, the damn things are still different colors, un-calibratable.

 

[aaandrewww]

After an hour on the phone and three Apple Reps they are going to deign me with a "one time exception" and fix what the last rep described as "damaged in the factory". Apparently the rocking that was happening since I opened the box was caused by a bed in the bottom of the case. The rep admitted it was probably caused in the factory but still I've used up my "one time exception" whatever that means. I really hope I don't have any more problems with this computer because I don't ever want to have to deal with AppleCare again. This is another excellent reason not to buy the extended warranty. If after three years there WILL BE some cosmetic damage to a laptop; it is unavoidable. So if my motherboard were to break 2.5 years from now and I have a slight dent in the top of the case is this a reason not to fix it and maybe even void my warranty?

Well at least it will get fixed and I will have my computer back sometime next week. What a frustrating turn of events though.

-Andrew

PS They also seemed to want me to have reported the rocking earlier. If I had then this would have gone smoother. I actually thought it was normal and that maybe the rubber feet or the battery were off a little and it would work itself out. So if anyone has some cosmetic damage that doesn't seem like a big enough deal to fix MAKE SURE you call anyway and get it in the AppleCare logs so that you don't get screwed if anything happens later.

 

[sourcemonkey]

What you're dealing with is one from a laundry list of many design flaws in Apple's notebook computers.

 

[Gokhan]

ok

i feel your pain my 1.25ghz alu powerbook has the same issue and the tech here in london apple store said its not warped enough to warrant a repair!!!! ):

apart from the known white spot issue which was fixed quickly and with no hassle , apple have been crap to me on many occasions ibook purchase,ipod purchase etc

sometimes it depends who within apple deals with you some just dont give a **** to be honest

all i can say is keep faith and speak to the managers