Apple to Provide Maximum Payouts to Authorized Technicians for Qualifying Repairs Through April Amid COVID-19

[MacRumors]

In an internal memo to Apple Authorized Service Providers, obtained by MacRumors, Apple has indicated that its network of authorized repair shops will receive maximum payouts for qualifying product repairs for the months of March and April, regardless of their monthly performance metrics. Apple is making this move to ensure that its authorized technicians are financially supported amid the challenging COVID-19 pandemic.

Apple also told its technicians that it supports their decisions and encourages them to be thoughtful regarding the safety of its employees and the operations of their businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Apple has taken several measures in response to the novel coronavirus. Last week, the company announced that it would be temporarily closing all of its retail stores outside of China until at least March 27, has committed $15 million to date for COVID-19 relief efforts, and has encouraged corporate employees to work remotely if their job allows. Apple also announced that WWDC 2020 will be an online event and that Apple Card customers are able to enroll in a program that allows them to skip their March payment without interest.

Article Link: Apple to Provide Maximum Payouts to Authorized Technicians for Qualifying Repairs Through April Amid COVID-19

 

[scrapesleon]

Remember when Apple never wanted you to go to third party technicians life comes at you fast

 

[4jasontv]

Imagine if you could order parts so you could repair it yourself.

 

[nylonsteel]

re op
generous of aapl

 

[Blackstick]

Imagine if you could order parts so you could repair it yourself.

I worked as a Mac Genius 2007-2014... they purposely don't build these things (phones/iPads especially) to be home-serviced... if you're not used to working on them and don't have the appropriate secure/torqued torx drivers, calibration machines, etc... it gets ugly. They'd have to design from the ground up with user-repairable in mind - and that's not likely.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

So one could still go to, say, Best Buy to get their Apple device repaired while Apple Stores are closed?

 

[ksec]

So this is Apple's way of migrating its risk during CoronaVirus to its authorised repair ?

What does maximum payouts means in this context? Do they not get maximum payouts when there are no CoronaVirus?

 

[iRutherford]

So this is Apple's way of migrating its risk during CoronaVirus to its authorised repair ?

What does maximum payouts means in this context? Do they not get maximum payouts when there are no CoronaVirus?

In most companies, you get a monetary bonus on top of your regular salary for hitting certain performance metrics.

 

[DanBig]

There is a few different issues here:
- Is Apple doing this so people can still get their gear fixed during this virus mess? As they have closed their stores.
- Is Apple trying to lower their insurance costs if their employee's get sick working on customers gear?
- Have they been short changing their AASP's How about the new Independent Repair Provider Program? Are they also getting the benefit?

 

[madcran]

There is a few different issues here:
- Is Apple doing this so people can still get their gear fixed during this virus mess? As they have closed their stores.
- Is Apple trying to lower their insurance costs if their employee's get sick working on customers gear?
- Have they been short changing their AASP's How about the new Independent Repair Provider Program? Are they also getting the benefit?

As a tech at an AASP, I'll answer these the best I can guess while also not really knowing anything about why Apple is really doing this.
-Most likely Apple is paying out full compensations for multiple reasons. It's easier to do at this time where they closed their Apple Stores and also have fewer employees working in their corporate offices. It's easier for them to just give us a flat calculation rather than whatever system they currently use that most likely has to be overseen by a human. There are many factors that go into how much we get paid for warranty repairs, in a normal circumstance.
-I have no idea about insurance costs, but I do know that my city has five Apple Stores that are closed and only two AASPs. We now are in the position of handling way too many phone calls and walk-ins without any more notice than you (I originally found out about Apple's closure on MR just like you.) Yes, it sucks, but at least we know going forward that we are getting paid a fair amount without worrying about our metrics and how this influx of people are going to make out repairs take longer and thus we have worse metrics, which then pays us less. This scenario is very agreeable to us going forward.
-The short-changing conversation is a deeper topic that I will stay out of for now. While I believe Apple pays warranty rates higher than, let's say, Dell or HP, some would argue a company could not live off of warranty service alone. Again, it's a deeper topic. As for the Independent Repair Program, they never did nor will they get labor fees for repairs from Apple. They only offer OOW (Out of Warranty) repairs and those repairs are such that the service center can charge their own labor fees. Even in these times, I highly doubt Apple will change those practices for those companies that are not held to the same standards we are as an AASP.

 

[cmaier]

Remember when Apple never wanted you to go to third party technicians life comes at you fast

When was that?
[automerge]1584383826[/automerge]

So this is Apple's way of migrating its risk during CoronaVirus to its authorised repair ?

What does maximum payouts means in this context? Do they not get maximum payouts when there are no CoronaVirus?

Is someone forcing the authorized repair shops to stay open?

 

[madcran]

Is someone forcing the authorized repair shops to stay open?

No one is forcing us to stay open. If the President or the Governor says to close, we will close. If we are not told to close, we will stay open. Our owners are quite aware of the current situation and are making choices of THEIR business the best way they know how to. It's a fluid situation and please stop making this out to be more than it needs to be. This is not some giant conspiracy, Apple is just making the choices they have to while the situation changes. However long Apple decides to pay us full compensation, we are okay with it. Sure, we would love for it to be permanent.

 

[btrach144]

This is the type of power move we need from corporations. We can ride this out and still have a strong economy on the other side but we'll need to help each other out. I've heard about leasing agents ignoring rent payments and other items to help people.

We can get through this, together!

 

[4jasontv]

I worked as a Mac Genius 2007-2014... they purposely don't build these things (phones/iPads especially) to be home-serviced... if you're not used to working on them and don't have the appropriate secure/torqued torx drivers, calibration machines, etc... it gets ugly. They'd have to design from the ground up with user-repairable in mind - and that's not likely.

And, of course, then they wouldn’t be able to stop people from fixing devices without paying, I mean Apple’s approval, I mean paying.

 

[EdT]

I use to repair or build from scratch electronics. Here’s what I learned about a lot of people’s do it yourself skill: they didn’t have any. I was successful enough that people would bring me things and unless the components were sealed with epoxy to prevent you from easily discovering what was in the mass of epoxy I could usually make it work. And after I did, I discovered that I had a just signed onto a never ending obligation to fix it because it had to be something I did that made it fail 6 months or 3 years later and not the obvious tinkerings of someone with a huge soldering gun who left large islands of solder across multiple pins or circuit board paths.

Pretty much every manufacturer has figured something out: you can engineer something that on average will last longer without needing an initial repair than old equipment. But when it does fail, either within the warranty or outside of it then repairing it will take more time, skill, and training. As Information was collected warranties became pretty precise. A lot of things juuuuuuust last their warranty time. Considering how limited space is in phones and music players and tablets and computers and monitors 98% of people won’t have the skill to repair something. The trouble is only 70% of those people realize it.

I do think all companies-and not just electronic companies- should have to allow right to repair, but that comes with a risk for everybody. The original company doesn’t make as much money on repairs because someone else is cheaper and they can also lose on new items they didn’t sell, Independent repair shops have to deal with unhappy customers because a component is no longer made by anybody or they have to pay technicians more to keep from getting a bad rep and they don’t really make as much money as they initially thought they would, and customers will have to choose cheaper vs theoretically more knowledgeable but costlier. Good stores, and good independent shops will make money. Finding those good places can mean cost and frustration for customers.

 

[Tech198]

Remember when Apple never wanted you to go to third party technicians life comes at you fast

Ya... Now that's changed thanks to the virus... With all the bad stuff about it, it does just wonderful things. Its turns the "can't do" to a "can do"