Apple Store Complaint!

[Keane16]

Sorry if this is in the wrong section. I'm so very disappointed at the service I'm getting from Apple.

The story...

- I have a 24" iMac.
- The HDD failed.
- I took it to the closest Apple Store for repair (I have AppleCare) after doing all the usual checks - Target Disk Mode, holding various keys during startup etc
- The Genius (very polite and helpful) advised the HDD would need replacing. Average wait is 2 weeks. No problem I thought.
- About a week later I got a voicemail message advising it was ready for collection. Great.
- Upon collection 2 days after the call I noticed the screen was scratched - it was flawless when I handed it in.
--- The Genius Bar manager advised he would try and clean it off.
--- He tried a cloth. No good.
--- He tried a spray, still no good. The scratch was still there.
--- The manager advised they would take the computer back in and take a look. Possibly replacing the glass if they couldn't remove the scratch. HE WOULD CALL ME TOMORROW WITH DETAILS. No worries I said.

Until now all was fine, the service was impeccable - mistakes happen. I'd have my computer in a few days.

I waited a week with no callback. Things got busy at work and didn't call them back to chase. I then went on holiday.

I came back from holiday and STILL NO CALL from the Apple Store. I decided to call them. This was exactly 1 month after I spoke to the Genius Bar manager...

- I spoke to a young girl - who obviously apologised.
- I asked her why I hadn't received a call. She couldn't tell me.
- I asked if she knew if my computer was ready for collection. She said she'd find out and CALL ME BACK TOMORROW, as she was working the next day she would personally ensure I got a call.
- The next day came and went and no call.


This brings us to today. I called back and (un)luckily I got the same young girl. She apologised... agian. This time I wasn't as pleased as she had promised she would call me.

- She explained she didn't know why I hadn't received a call and would find out what was happening.
- She put me on hold for 5 mins so she could find out what was going on. When she came back she apologised again and advised she can't figure out what happened.
- I asked if the computer was now fixed and ready for collection. She said she'd find out and asked if I would like a callback or could I hold (of course I'll hold, you people can't work phones!!). 10 minutes of waiting passed so I hung up.
- 20 minutes later I called back and spoke to a man. He advised the girl had already explained the situation to him. So I asked if he knew if my computer was ready for collection. He said he'd check...
-
- He came back a few minutes later and asked what the issue was. I explained the HDD failed, it was fixed and then I noticed a scratch upon collection. I said all that needs fixing was the scratch. I asked why the details of the scratch were not on his system. He advised "the details are on a part of the system I do not have access to".
- I asked if he could check the physical computer? He went and checked... came back and said he couldn't see any scratches.
- I asked what was done to resolve the issue, "I don't know". Great.
- He then said I should call back tomorrow and speak to a manager who would have access to the specific details.

Which brings me to this moment!

What should I do, is this acceptable? I asked "what am I paying AppleCare for, when the computer shop down the road could have replace the drive within an hour for £30". Should I write an email of complaint? Should I write a letter? Just go nuts at them when I finally collect it?

I'm so angry! And over 1 month after handing the iMac in, I still don't have it.

 

[Theclamshell]

sorry about your situation, i think the right thing to do would be to call applecare and explain what happened, if you want copy paste your post (without smiles) and send it to sjobs@apple.com. dont flip out when you pick it up, just be polite

hope it gets resolved soon

 

[aristobrat]

Good lord, what did they do to scratch glass? I know they don't have diamonds laying around the Genius Room!

Why don't you call back and talk to a manager NOW? It's not like they don't have a manager in the store?

I've also seen customers call and complain about the store Genius Bar to the telephone AppleCare, who in turn was able to call the store back and make results happen.

I'd try those two immediate things before writing an email or something.

 

[AAPLaday]

To be honest id have called back on the day when the manager said that he would call you. I wouldn't have waited a week. I do think you were badly treated and id try and complain to the original manager who said he would contact you since its his store that is at fault. Was it the actual screen or the glass panel on the front of the screen which was scratched? If its the glass panel on the front its very easy to change. Can be done in 30 seconds assuming that have a spare one. Its just a thin like plastic sheet and is removed by suction cups.

 

[HBOC]

I would go down there, if you can. They probably would resolve this situation in person, rather than over the phone. I would ask for compensation or something. I don't think a $30 credit would be out of the question. OR call the apple number (obviously it isn't 1-800-my-apple, since you are in the UK).

Also, when they replaced the screen on my iPhone a few weeks ago, it took no longer than 8 minutes.

 

[Riya]

apple care

i don't know if this is the correct forum but i bought a may macbook 2007. since i bought the unit it has bogged down 4x, 2x they had to replace logic board and once they replaced the hard drive and this last one, one of the usb ports was defective so they may have to change logic board again as well as something about camera wires have to be replaced. somewhere along the way screen had to be replaced too.. fortunately i have extended applecare. the reason i bought a mac was because it was supposed to be reliable etc....is this reason enough for me to ask for a replacement for my unit from apple? this is turning to be so frustrating and inconvenient as my cheaper acer unit is proving to be more reliable. where should i complain?

 

[MacMini2009]

i don't know if this is the correct forum but i bought a may macbook 2007. since i bought the unit it has bogged down 4x, 2x they had to replace logic board and once they replaced the hard drive and this last one, one of the usb ports was defective so they may have to change logic board again as well as something about camera wires have to be replaced. somewhere along the way screen had to be replaced too.. fortunately i have extended applecare. the reason i bought a mac was because it was supposed to be reliable etc....is this reason enough for me to ask for a replacement for my unit from apple? this is turning to be so frustrating and inconvenient as my cheaper acer unit is proving to be more reliable. where should i complain?

Macs and PC's use the same computer components, its just that Mac's look nicer and have a better operating system. Any computer, Mac or PC, will fail. Ask Apple for a replacement.

 

[drossad]

i don't know if this is the correct forum but i bought a may macbook 2007. since i bought the unit it has bogged down 4x, 2x they had to replace logic board and once they replaced the hard drive and this last one, one of the usb ports was defective so they may have to change logic board again as well as something about camera wires have to be replaced. somewhere along the way screen had to be replaced too.. fortunately i have extended applecare. the reason i bought a mac was because it was supposed to be reliable etc....is this reason enough for me to ask for a replacement for my unit from apple? this is turning to be so frustrating and inconvenient as my cheaper acer unit is proving to be more reliable. where should i complain?

Yes, you should ask for a replacement. Check out this article:

here

 

[wixberry]

i don't know if this is the correct forum but i bought a may macbook 2007. since i bought the unit it has bogged down 4x, 2x they had to replace logic board and once they replaced the hard drive and this last one, one of the usb ports was defective so they may have to change logic board again as well as something about camera wires have to be replaced. somewhere along the way screen had to be replaced too.. fortunately i have extended applecare. the reason i bought a mac was because it was supposed to be reliable etc....is this reason enough for me to ask for a replacement for my unit from apple? this is turning to be so frustrating and inconvenient as my cheaper acer unit is proving to be more reliable. where should i complain?

Talk to the apple care..they SHOULD replace it with new One...this has happened to my friend once, and apple replace it with new one.

 

[Keane16]

Thnaks for the advice guys.

@ fun173 - Having slept on it I feel much calmer. I definitely will be sensible when I eventually pick it up. Perhaps a stern word.

@ aristobrat - I have no idea how they scratched it!! I asked to speak to a manager at the time but there wasn't one available... they were short staffed as it was so late in the day. There was also only 1 Genius technician - who would have had full system access. But he was on the bar dealing with appointments all evening. Plus it was only a Genius Bar manager not a store manager that I originally spoke to.

@ AAPLaday - It was the front of the pane, so the protective glass. I should've contacted earlier. But things get hectic at work. Plus I was promised a call twice without hearing anything back. I pay AppleCare - like I explained to them, I could have had the thing fixed by the local computer shop within the hour for £30.

@ HBOC - I live an hour away from the store. If it was 15 mins away I would have been straight over. But again with busy work schedules fitting a 2 hour round trip + the time spent at the store isn't easy. Just like your phone the fix should have been quick and easy. It's also the fact that they caused the damage but then were in no hurry to resolve the situation that's so infuriating. You'd think because they caused the damage they'd be bending over backwards to provide a fast turnaround.



Still no call, email or voicemail from them today. I'll go and make a sandwich and then call them myself to see what's going on...

 

[Luba]

It's very easy to scratch an iMac screen. To access the HDD they have to use a suction cup (big cup) to lift the screen. It's not easy to do, and if it was the Tech first few times doing it, then it would have been a struggle.

In my experience and I don't know why, but "they" (Apple or any store or service) never call back. They insist on getting my phone number to the point they're red in the face and still they never call back. I just ignore their promises and just plan on calling back myself now.

 

[AAPLaday]

Cool hope you get it sorted

 

[mgridgaway]

I learned from Comcast that you can never count on them to call you back. After 20+ promises, not once did they ever call me back.

 

[Keane16]

Some movement!

So I went to make my sandwich yesterday... when I went to get my phone I had a new Voicemail.

It was the girls I'd already spoken to a couple of times. She was calling letting me know it was ready to pickup.

- I called back as I wanted to know what the hold up was.
- She said they left me a voicemail on Thurs (after my initial call to her). I obviously didn't get it. So I can only assume my voicemail is on the blink or she's lying. I called o2 and they said I've not rceived any voicemail over the last few days!
- I asked her what was done to fix the scratch - she said she wasn't sure.

At this stage I wasn't bothered. I just wanted to end the call. So I asked her to confirm the names of all the staff I've dealt with and then asked her about the complaint procedure...

- At first she said I should just call AppleCare and speak to someone there to complain.
--- I asked for the number she gave me the first few numbers then stopped, advising me she'll find out for sure.
--- She came back 5 mins later, and gave me another number. It was 08xx, I'm at work now but I've got it at home, I'll post it here later in case anyone finds this thread looking for UK contact details.
--- I also asked if I could write to them physically. She said no. And gave me an email address to which I could direct complaints. Again I'll post it here later.

I'm busy at work, so the earliest I can pick it up is this weekend. Hopeully it is ready to collect without any further issues!!