Apple stores REALLY need more Geniuses!

[Scottsdale]

I believe maybe 35% of what the average "Genius" has to say. Most are very incompetent. Some of the stuff they say is complete nonsense. Sometimes I wonder if there are people that actually believe the terrible explinations they give. Usually I point out the facts when I know they are full of crap. I would be happy if there was one true "Genious" scheduled during store hours. Someone you could ask when the first "Genius" is full of crap... nearly always.

 

[waffle911]

I've had a genius problem, my first time. But it wasn't really all their fault. My MB was crashing whenever attempting to connect to a weak WiFi signal. The endlessly spinning beach ball of death. He just fixed the disk permissions, etc. etc. It didn't really solve the problem, though it did occur less often for some reason. But of course the problem wouldn't have been able to be replicated in the store in the shopping mall. It only happened when connecting to a weak network signal.

I do have to wonder, though, how many geniuses actually are enthusiastic enough to read up on MacRumors or Appleinsider, or dare to look at the teardowns on iFixit. Or even frequent the forums. Better than trying to get support on Apple's forums, that's for sure. So how many? Probably not enough. That's why I want to get a job there and change the status quo. As if I could (change the status quo, that is).

 

[8767092]

I believe maybe 35% of what the average "Genius" has to say. Most are very incompetent. Some of the stuff they say is complete nonsense. Sometimes I wonder if there are people that actually believe the terrible explinations they give. Usually I point out the facts when I know they are full of crap. I would be happy if there was one true "Genious" scheduled during store hours. Someone you could ask when the first "Genius" is full of crap... nearly always.

I'm not going to defend incompetence, but the level of competence that "Genius" markets is a bit unrealistic if we're all really honest. The Genius bar is really a glorified in person helpdesk with people that are better trained than your average helpdesk worker.

The Genius will be able to debug and fix most hardware issues because they can change parts while trying to fix it. There will be screwups, but anyone with enough training should be able to replace these parts with a fair degree of success in most attempts. Software issues on the other hand are another matter entirely as we all know that strange things can happen in software.

I'm just glad we can go in and talk to someone at all. They might not be the brightest bulbs, but they do have the power to fix hardware issues or replace hardware where necessary.

 

[Sayer]

The main reason the Geniuses are young and inexperienced is because Apple pays low wages and has crappy hours for its employees (less than a full-time job for various reasons like benefits and taxation).

I used to fix Gateway laptops and the pay was an utter joke for what we had to do. It was all about quantity over quality. We had to fix 10-12 laptops in an 8 hour day. Not just check out, but FIX. So that really means you got about 15 laptops a day.

Many would go on parts-hold; a part was not in stock and had to come from Korea sometime between now and my death apparently. Lots of silly things would be out like plastic covers for the body. Others were more serious like motherboards. The HP folks had a huge backlog due to the lack of parts at first, specifically this one little adhesive heat transfer pad that had to be replaced anytime you took the heatsink off the mobo.

I didn't get paid more to fix more laptops than someone else. And if I didn't have an "associate" or helper who was not a true tech I could not get as many laptops fixed in a day as someone who had an associate to help them.

Some of the problems were software based, and typically would up being missing drivers (some program or the user deleted them) or a complaint that the laptop ran "slow" now. Slow laptops usually had every single IM program set to startup on boot and had viruses or spyware in them. I would usually just do an Factory Fresh Reload (FFR). That is, wipe the HD and install Windows as it came from the factory, typ. XP SP1 or XP SP2 if you were lucky. Hardware problems would get fixed if the owner had a service plan and didn't obviously damage the unit (spills, drop/smash). Otherwise they'd get a rundown of what it would cost to fix it (e.g. replace the bad mobo usually) and either pay up or get a box of parts sent back.

Apple is far superior as you can at least get to talk to someone face-to-face and show them the problem(s) or have them transfer your PC files to a Mac (I saw many people do this at the north Austin Apple Store (in The Domain). Any other company and they send you a box and you won't see your computer for a week or two at best.

 

[PTG]

Any mac person that has owned macs since 1998 knows more then the Apple Store genius'.

Those guys are a joke. I can tell them whats wrong with my mac's, tell them the steps I have taken. All they do is recreate the problem and write me the repair ticket.

Makes me wish I was 18 faster and worked there.

For all those who feel that the Genius are 'stupid'

Are you serious? Have you ever wondered why they recreate the fault? A genius needs to make sure that you don't have a software issue that you've created with your many torrents and 'modifications' to the system.
Once they confirm that it's a hardware issue they can then order the parts for your machine and get it repaired.
Apple doesn't cover the software under warranty.

And put yourself in their shoes. Would you appreciate being told how to do your job? Sorry but those guys put up a lot with customers who either yell, abuse or simply put down those who are trying to help them. Another member asked if you would get the same service with HP or Dell. The answer is that you wouldn't.

Sorry heavymetal4god but i find it offensive that you would be so unappreciative of someone who is trying to help you.

 

[PTG]

I believe maybe 35% of what the average "Genius" has to say. Most are very incompetent. Some of the stuff they say is complete nonsense. Sometimes I wonder if there are people that actually believe the terrible explinations they give. Usually I point out the facts when I know they are full of crap. I would be happy if there was one true "Genious" scheduled during store hours. Someone you could ask when the first "Genius" is full of crap... nearly always.

So 35%, where did that come from?
You have to understand that your problem is probably something that you've researched on google for the better part of a day. They have only 10 minutes to figure out what needs to be done and move onto the next customer. You're not the only one in the store.
They can't be expected to see every fault that could ever come into existence.
If it's something that you've done. Why are you even there? Fix it yourself?

Perhaps there were your definition of 'true' genius before. But after being abused by people like you, they left.

 

[kastenbrust]

For all those who feel that the Genius are 'stupid'

Are you serious? Have you ever wondered why they recreate the fault? A genius needs to make sure that you don't have a software issue that you've created with your many torrents and 'modifications' to the system.
Once they confirm that it's a hardware issue they can then order the parts for your machine and get it repaired.
Apple doesn't cover the software under warranty.

And put yourself in their shoes. Would you appreciate being told how to do your job? Sorry but those guys put up a lot with customers who either yell, abuse or simply put down those who are trying to help them. Another member asked if you would get the same service with HP or Dell. The answer is that you wouldn't.

Sorry heavymetal4god but i find it offensive that you would be so unappreciative of someone who is trying to help you.

When I worked as a Genius i didnt get yelled at or have to put up with any stick from customers at all, most customers are really nice, and just terrified replacing their battery or upgrading the RAM is going to cause a nuclear explosion. I did however have to work with a bunch of incomprehensable apes that knew jack about fixing hardware issues, one 'Genius' even asked me if he should send for a whole new computer simply due to the headphone jack not working on the logic board, and another time he let a customer walk out with a brand new replacment 15" unibody computer, and the older one he was supposed to be replacing. In the end I got so frustrated I just left, it feels like your doing all the real work and constantly wiping their a***s.
It is funny though how many customers come in and say "oh one day I turned it on and it just wasnt working" and then they've magically got no idea about how the water is swilling around in the bottom. That happened about twice a day.

 

[zorahk]

I have a good experience with the genius bar but it was with a genius who knows that I am a regular customer at the store.

I brought my 15.4" unibody 2.53ghz in the other day because the screen had gotten misaligned with the body. I probably shouldn't have had it in my backpack, even though it was in a case. I think that might of been how it happened but I am not sure.

He told me "I don't know if you caused this or not, but I'm sending it in and covering it under warranty."

3 days later, I had my computer back. Then I asked if they could replace the easy to strip screws on the bottom, and 10 minutes later I had them all replaced and a bag with my old ones in it.

Good service.

 

[Turmoil]

"(I'm not complaining about being sick, but if Apple had at least one appointment on the day it broke, I would have a working computer today.) "

yup and if the OP hadn't missed his appointment, he'd have a working computer today and someone else would have been able to use the slot. Sorry, if I'm gonna drink whine, it's gotta be better than this.

 

[bizzle]

Wrong as well. Apple doesn't do major repairs to laptops in most Apple Stores and does send them out to the repair depot. They do most desktop repairs in store however.



Very true.

Oh how wrong you really are.

 

[kastenbrust]

Oh how wrong you really are.

Your right, Apple does a lot of major repairs in store, the only time they wont is when theres a back log they wont be able to deal with.

 

[redking31591]

here's a tip. take the imac to the store with you. keep it in the car. make you appointment from one of the computers in the store. they always have more openings if you make the appointment there. after you have one go get the computer and check in with the concierge. problem solved.

 

[Digital Skunk]

here's a tip. take the imac to the store with you. keep it in the car. make you appointment from one of the computers in the store. they always have more openings if you make the appointment there. after you have one go get the computer and check in with the concierge. problem solved.

No they don't. The computers that are there log into the same system that you get when at home.

Sorry, just been going there enough to know how the system works, and how to work the system a little.

 

[gr81mgbgt]

Its true, i was at my local apple store today, nobody asked if i even needed help, they were all talking and doing absolutely nothing.