Three weeks ago my iMac's screen turned black meanwhile I was working on my computer. I went to the local Stormfront store for repair and after defending my case they agreed that it should be covered by consumer law (as I had the same exact repair one year before). After a delayed repair (three weeks) my iMac 21.5 inch came back on a Friday and unfortunately the repair centre did not do their job properly as there was large gap between the glass and the frame at the top of the screen. I called that same day that I was not happy with the quality and they told me they were happy to take the machine back for another repair. In that weekend I kept on working on the machine as I am due to hand in my dissertation in November, so time it ticking. Unfortunetely, on Sunday evening exactly the same issue occured and the iMac made sounds however the screen was completely black. Completely dissatified with Stormfront, I called that Monday morning to report the reoccuring issue and they gladly arranged another repair for the iMac and due to my circumstances they would speed the things up, so I could collect it this Friday.
Meanwhile I sent the iMac for repair, I rang AppleCare to discuss the quality of the repair. The person on the phone was extremely nice and said that he would check what Apple could do for me rather than trusting on the quality of the Stormfront. While he looked into my history of repairs with my iMac (as in the last 4 years I had the harddrive replaced twice, lcd+logic board+graphics card replaced three times, and another graphics card repair plus back light repair), he told me that Apple agreed to replace my entire machine for a brand new one. I was greatly excited as this was not was I expected, however remember the history of repairs with my iMac I was all to happy to accept this generous offer. The AppleCare employee explained me that I would get an e-mail within 24 hours to confirm the new specifications of the machine and my address and he told me my new machine would be exhanged with my current one within 7-10 days. The next days however I still did not receive any e-mail, so I started calling with Apple. AppleCare, now another employee told me that all was fine, however there was a small delay with the confirmation e-mail, so he told me to wait another 24 hours. On Wednesday (yesterday) I still did not receive any e-mail, so once again I started calling with AppleCare. Here I got the news that they made a mistake and could not replace my iMac, as admin (some department of Apple) did not agree with the replacement. The only problem was that the employee forgot to mention that the replacement was not final just of yet, resulting in expectations on my side. After many apologize of AppleCare, I arranged for them to pick up my machine for repair which would take about another 7 days.
That same night I called with AppleCare once again to file a complaint about the way they promised to replace my computer, meanwhile now I was stuck with another repair of a machine that spent more time in the repair shop rather than my study. The AppleCare employee completely agreed on my part and said that he would file a complained too. After spending some time on the phone he arranged even one better for me, as the old claim of the replacement was regarding the quality of the product, he told me he could replace the machine with a brand new one (once again) with as reason customer relations, as the entire senior management team of AppleCare agreed that I had been treated unfairly. Happy but aware of my recent situations with AppleCare I asked the senior manager whether this time it would be final that I would receive a replacement machine, and he answered me that he had spoken with the customer relation team and the senior management team and even though admin might deny it the first time I would definitely receive a new iMac due to the situation and the customer relation and senior management team backing him up. His exact words were: I guarantee you that you will get the replacement machine.
Once again I was happy with the way AppleCare handled the situation and I was fully ready to receive the new iMac: that day I picked up my old iMac from the Stormfront and I sent an e-mail to the repair centre of Apple to cancel my, by AppleCare arranged, repair. Thursday (the next morning) at 8am my doorbell rang, as apparently the repair centre of Apple receive the message about the cancellation too late so they came to collect the iMac. I denied the pick up, as I canceled it, and that was all fine. Later that morning I called with AppleCare regarding any news of the iMac replacement that was set in progress. The Senior Manager explained exactly what was going to happen and read the specifications of the new machine that I would get. He said that I was even lucky as yesterday the new iMac came out and I would be getting one of those (2.8ghz quad-core, 21.5 inch, 1TB HDD, etc). As the specifications were slightly higher than my old device I was happy with the replacement and I was also happy that AppleCare made up for the mistake made.
Unfortunately, the story does not stop their as just of now (Thursday late afternoon), I received a call once again from AppleCare. On the phone was the senior manager who guaranteed my replacement machine, telling me that they made another mistake and they were not allowed to replace the machine after all. Due to the machine's age (bought on August 19th 2011), the machine was not eligible for replacement after all. He told me that the machine could only be replaced if it was younger than four years. To my annoyance, I told him that the machine was four years and two months old, however more than two months the machine was at Apple's due to repairs. He told me that he completely agreed and understood the situation (like always), however whatever he or any of his colleagues could do or try, they were not allowed to replace the computer.
As conclusion, I am now stuck with my dis-functioning machine, which will go for repair once again tomorrow to Apple's repair centre, to get an issue repaired that has been going on since 2012 when it went for the first time to repair due to screen issues. I have been promised a replacement iMac twice and this has been confirmed by two other AppleCare employees. I have spent Monday to Thursday calling and arguing with AppleCare, sending and collecting my iMac from Stormfront, e-mailing and denying Apple's collect service, and the worst of all having to send my iMac for repair tomorrow meanwhile knowing that if AppleCare would not have made fake promises, I would have had my repaired iMac back from Stormfront by tomorrow. Oh, and also, my dissertation was already delayed due to the three week repair of Stormfront, as I rely on my iMac thoroughly due to Skype interviews, meanwhile now I have spent a week calling and waiting for AppleCare to send me my replacement iMac.
I am opening this discussion to see if completely out of place or am I in my right here, and what you think I should do from hereon, as AppleCare tells me to write this story to Apple in Ireland to see if they can do anything for me. And also to have Apple reading this case and hopefully deciding to rectify this series of mistakes made by AppleCare. In addition, if potential Apple buyer are reading this, I would like to recommend that if you are thinking of purchasing an Apple product for the quality of the service, DON'T.
Meanwhile I sent the iMac for repair, I rang AppleCare to discuss the quality of the repair. The person on the phone was extremely nice and said that he would check what Apple could do for me rather than trusting on the quality of the Stormfront. While he looked into my history of repairs with my iMac (as in the last 4 years I had the harddrive replaced twice, lcd+logic board+graphics card replaced three times, and another graphics card repair plus back light repair), he told me that Apple agreed to replace my entire machine for a brand new one. I was greatly excited as this was not was I expected, however remember the history of repairs with my iMac I was all to happy to accept this generous offer. The AppleCare employee explained me that I would get an e-mail within 24 hours to confirm the new specifications of the machine and my address and he told me my new machine would be exhanged with my current one within 7-10 days. The next days however I still did not receive any e-mail, so I started calling with Apple. AppleCare, now another employee told me that all was fine, however there was a small delay with the confirmation e-mail, so he told me to wait another 24 hours. On Wednesday (yesterday) I still did not receive any e-mail, so once again I started calling with AppleCare. Here I got the news that they made a mistake and could not replace my iMac, as admin (some department of Apple) did not agree with the replacement. The only problem was that the employee forgot to mention that the replacement was not final just of yet, resulting in expectations on my side. After many apologize of AppleCare, I arranged for them to pick up my machine for repair which would take about another 7 days.
That same night I called with AppleCare once again to file a complaint about the way they promised to replace my computer, meanwhile now I was stuck with another repair of a machine that spent more time in the repair shop rather than my study. The AppleCare employee completely agreed on my part and said that he would file a complained too. After spending some time on the phone he arranged even one better for me, as the old claim of the replacement was regarding the quality of the product, he told me he could replace the machine with a brand new one (once again) with as reason customer relations, as the entire senior management team of AppleCare agreed that I had been treated unfairly. Happy but aware of my recent situations with AppleCare I asked the senior manager whether this time it would be final that I would receive a replacement machine, and he answered me that he had spoken with the customer relation team and the senior management team and even though admin might deny it the first time I would definitely receive a new iMac due to the situation and the customer relation and senior management team backing him up. His exact words were: I guarantee you that you will get the replacement machine.
Once again I was happy with the way AppleCare handled the situation and I was fully ready to receive the new iMac: that day I picked up my old iMac from the Stormfront and I sent an e-mail to the repair centre of Apple to cancel my, by AppleCare arranged, repair. Thursday (the next morning) at 8am my doorbell rang, as apparently the repair centre of Apple receive the message about the cancellation too late so they came to collect the iMac. I denied the pick up, as I canceled it, and that was all fine. Later that morning I called with AppleCare regarding any news of the iMac replacement that was set in progress. The Senior Manager explained exactly what was going to happen and read the specifications of the new machine that I would get. He said that I was even lucky as yesterday the new iMac came out and I would be getting one of those (2.8ghz quad-core, 21.5 inch, 1TB HDD, etc). As the specifications were slightly higher than my old device I was happy with the replacement and I was also happy that AppleCare made up for the mistake made.
Unfortunately, the story does not stop their as just of now (Thursday late afternoon), I received a call once again from AppleCare. On the phone was the senior manager who guaranteed my replacement machine, telling me that they made another mistake and they were not allowed to replace the machine after all. Due to the machine's age (bought on August 19th 2011), the machine was not eligible for replacement after all. He told me that the machine could only be replaced if it was younger than four years. To my annoyance, I told him that the machine was four years and two months old, however more than two months the machine was at Apple's due to repairs. He told me that he completely agreed and understood the situation (like always), however whatever he or any of his colleagues could do or try, they were not allowed to replace the computer.
As conclusion, I am now stuck with my dis-functioning machine, which will go for repair once again tomorrow to Apple's repair centre, to get an issue repaired that has been going on since 2012 when it went for the first time to repair due to screen issues. I have been promised a replacement iMac twice and this has been confirmed by two other AppleCare employees. I have spent Monday to Thursday calling and arguing with AppleCare, sending and collecting my iMac from Stormfront, e-mailing and denying Apple's collect service, and the worst of all having to send my iMac for repair tomorrow meanwhile knowing that if AppleCare would not have made fake promises, I would have had my repaired iMac back from Stormfront by tomorrow. Oh, and also, my dissertation was already delayed due to the three week repair of Stormfront, as I rely on my iMac thoroughly due to Skype interviews, meanwhile now I have spent a week calling and waiting for AppleCare to send me my replacement iMac.
I am opening this discussion to see if completely out of place or am I in my right here, and what you think I should do from hereon, as AppleCare tells me to write this story to Apple in Ireland to see if they can do anything for me. And also to have Apple reading this case and hopefully deciding to rectify this series of mistakes made by AppleCare. In addition, if potential Apple buyer are reading this, I would like to recommend that if you are thinking of purchasing an Apple product for the quality of the service, DON'T.
