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AppleCare and the "Geniuses" ticking me off.

C

chgojcs

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 9, 2008
99
0
Wow. I paid for this service and it is now becoming a bit of dialectic hell.

Last week I brought my MacBook Pro into the store because of some grey splotches on, or rather, in my display. The genius looks at it and sends it out. I get it back five days later, which was impressive since two were over the weekend, and the work order says they replaced the logic board. Now this is fine, as I do have the NVIDIA 8600 (so it could have been bad) but they didn't bother to replace the display.
So back to the store I go and explain the possible mix up. The genius, a different one, says that the fact that they didn't fix the primary issue I had was unacceptable and, as it just so happens, they have the LCD part in store and can do the repair there.
Great. 24 hour turn around and I'm back and running. So I think.
I get the computer today, I inspect it at the store, all seems fine. Then I get home and I begin work, and I notice that my screen has now developed a flicker when on a low backlight setting and it also seems to exhibit a slight whine that wasn't there before. So I rush back to the store, and some guy comes up to em in an orange shirt and asks if I need any help. I explain the entire timeline, and that now I have this annoying flicker that wasn't there before.
And what does he do? He just shrugs, says "Eh." and walks away.

Now I'm not the kind of guy that gets bent out of shape about the issues my computer is having. Yes, sure they're frustrating and annoying, but I try and stay polite. But this idiot's attitude really got under my skin and then I got pissed off and walked out after telling him thanks for nothing.

So now I have to deal with this again and it's becoming frustrating, because I am now not so confident in the geniuses at the store, and I have already dealt with this problem for almost two weeks, and any longer affects my business.

So is there anyone out there who has had similar experiences, or more experiences with AppleCare that can give me a bit of advice on how to handle this situation?

Anything would be appreciated.
Thanks.
 
I personally have never had a bad experience at the apple store like that, but then again i have never really had too extreame of an issue with my macbook. but the way the guy treated you is completely unacceptable. to just say "Eh" then walk away is so disrespectful. I would have been just as ticked off as you are, especially after having to deal with all those repairs and downtime you have experienced. You should go back and ask to speak with a manager right away, he should be very helpful in trying to resolve any issues you still have with your computer.
 
Macvillain said:
I personally have never had a bad experience at the apple store like that, but then again i have never really had too extreame of an issue with my macbook. but the way the guy treated you is completely unacceptable. to just say "Eh" then walk away is so disrespectful. I would have been just as ticked off as you are, especially after having to deal with all those repairs and downtime you have experienced. You should go back and ask to speak with a manager right away, he should be very helpful in trying to resolve any issues you still have with your computer.
Click to expand...
Oh yeah, believe me, that's why I walked out. It was either that, or smack him.
And it boggles my mind, too. I have never had an experience like this with Apple before.
Are they indeed going down the crapper in terms of customer service?
 
it sounds like they replaced the screen and that replacement has flicker.

as for the guy that was rude to you i would say that was an isolated incident. the guys in the orange shirts are not who you want to be talking to. they are the personal shopping assisters. i would go back and steer clear of anybody in an orange shirt, register a complaint about that one employee, and explain to the "Geniuses" that after you got the computer back it has a flicker problem now.
 
Well, since I am in LA, there are about seven different Apple Stores I can go to, so I think I'll just go to a different one to deal with this, since I am willing to give the guy the benefit of the doubt this one time, I'll let it go.
The main frustrating this is two repairs later and it just isn't "fixed."
 
chgojcs said:
Well, since I am in LA, there are about seven different Apple Stores I can go to, so I think I'll just go to a different one to deal with this, since I am willing to give the guy the benefit of the doubt this one time, I'll let it go.
The main frustrating this is two repairs later and it just isn't "fixed."
Click to expand...

yea i hear you. its pretty unlucky. some would state occam's razor here but i really think that the replaced the display and while it fixed the old problem it started a new one. a lot of the new displays have had problem with flicker.
 
Ya that is frustrating. You would think that after fixing the thing they would pretty much test it in every way possible to make sure its fixed properly.
 
chgojcs said:
Well, since I am in LA, there are about seven different Apple Stores I can go to, so I think I'll just go to a different one to deal with this, since I am willing to give the guy the benefit of the doubt this one time, I'll let it go.
The main frustrating this is two repairs later and it just isn't "fixed."
Click to expand...

I went through that cycle way too many times with my 2.33 MBP. A part would get replaced because of a problem and when I got it back something else would be wrong, and this happened multiple times. It just seems that the QC when repairing machines isn't checked as thoroughly as it should be. It got to the point where they ended up replacing the computer about 2 months ago.
 
patrick92260 said:
I went through that cycle way too many times with my 2.33 MBP. A part would get replaced because of a problem and when I got it back something else would be wrong, and this happened multiple times. It just seems that the QC when repairing machines isn't checked as thoroughly as it should be. It got to the point where they ended up replacing the computer about 2 months ago.
Click to expand...
It's not even if I care I get a replacement, I just want my computer to be working.
 
Oh, and I also forgot to mention that whenever I reboot, the computer, somwhere, makes a weird squeeking, kind of whine, noise.

Just on the initial start up, though.
 
The best thing to do is calmly speak with the store manager and explain the multiple repairs. Worst case he will expedite your repair and best case you could be sent home with a brand new notebook.

Remember be polite because Apple always takes care its customers. :cool:
 
I wouldn't let the orange guy in the shirt ruin your image of Apple's customer service. They're just greeters or non-knowledgeable employees who don't actually do anything other than carry around their Macbook Airs. If you had been treated that way by a Genius, then that would be a real problem you should talk to the manager about.
 
I'm not going to go in hot headed. In fact, I didn't when I went in today. But that guy's attitude just rubbed me the wrong way.

I'll make an appointment for tomorrow and see what happens.
 
Also, if anyone has any insight, what would be causing the flicker and/or whine? Is it the inverter or the display itself?
 
chgojcs said:
Also, if anyone has any insight, what would be causing the flicker and/or whine? Is it the inverter or the display itself?
Click to expand...

Dunno, but go back (or to another) and just get it fixed. Yeah the guy shouldn't have just shrugged you off, but the fact that you left and didn't pursue a manager or whatever is your problem.

Just go back, and they will be happy to fix it for you, no one here is going to have "the answer" and can't fix it over the internet anyway.
 
Matthew Yohe said:
Dunno, but go back (or to another) and just get it fixed. Yeah the guy shouldn't have just shrugged you off, but the fact that you left and didn't pursue a manager or whatever is your problem.

Just go back, and they will be happy to fix it for you, no one here is going to have "the answer" and can't fix it over the internet anyway.
Click to expand...
Thanks.

Oh, and I appreciate your slight attitude of superiority.
 
Matthew Yohe said:
Not superior, just honest.

While I do find it odd that anyone would've just said "eh" to you, I think you could've easily pressed this with someone else.
Click to expand...
Again, thanks.

And that honesty was defintely followed by the attitude. I wasn't looking to fix the problem on the internet, as you stated, just merely asking the question to see if there was anyone whom might have had previous experience with this issue, and therefore I could gather information as to the potential repair involved.

But I suppose that was just me looking for an easy fix.
 
I feel really terrible about this. That's why it's called customer care in the first place, to simply care for customers; not diss them! The problem here is that idiot who just blurted out "Eh" after hearing your story. If he didn't understand your problem, he could have simply endorsed you to someone more knowledgeable and capable. What he did was so rude, I would have scold him in that store for all the people to see.

Anyway, about your flicker problem, the visual settings might have been altered when they changed it. I hope they fix your problem soon. I know how it feels when your work is hindered. Good luck to you.
 
Yep... some Genius's are just idiots in disguise.

My stripped down story.

  • Brought my laptop in for repair because the fan exploded inside the case.
  • The Genius kept my laptop overnight, then called me the next day to pick it up.
  • When I went to get it, he made me feel like an idiot because he "took apart my laptop and saw that the fans were fine" and "tested the machine thoroughly to make sure the problem didn't come back." Basically saying that I wasted his time on a non-issue.
  • 5 hours later (5 hour drive), I had just got to my last class of the day and turned my machine on and then fan pieces started falling out of my laptop. Imagine how enraged I was.

The Genius made me feel like an idiot in the store because he was talking very loudly like I'm some sort of idiot for thinking that there was an issue with the shattering glass noise then the grinding noise that followed with my laptop. I still question Apple's customer service to this date, but they made things right and gave me a new laptop.
 
If you have a bad interaction with a genius ask to speak to the manager immediately. Don't waste your time with the genius. Explain the problem to the manager. Once he/she takes care of it thank them and then ask them if they would like some feedback on the genius. When they say yes, explain what the genius said/did that was inappropriate.
 
Is it just me, or does calling them "geniuses" seem a bit pretentious?
Really... is having a "genius level" IQ a requirement for them? I doubt it.
 
I had the same problem with the grey splotches.

The Apple store changed my screen, took 30 minutes or so, and all was good.

Why they changed the logic board on yours i cannot understand?
 
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