Apple's Support Site Now Lets Customers Schedule Repairs at Apple Authorized Providers

[MacRumors]

Apple recently made a quiet update to its Apple Support site, introducing a new feature that allows customers to find and schedule repairs for iPhones, Macs, and iPads from Apple Authorized Service Providers.

When troubleshooting a product, choosing "Bring in for Repair" after going through Apple's support prompts now brings up all repair centers near a customer, including Apple's own retail stores and retail locations where customers can get repairs from Apple Authorized Service Providers.

In addition to including all nearby Apple Authorized Service Providers, the new repair site also lists availability, so customers can find the fastest repairs and get same-day service in many locations. There's even an option to book a repair right from the site.

Most of the time, getting a repair appointment at an Apple Store's Genius Bar requires a wait of several days to a week, while Apple Authorized Service Providers have much more open availability.

In the San Francisco Bay Area, for example, local Apple Stores do not have repair appointments until next week, but third-party repair shops like Best Buy, Clickaway, Mobile Kangaroo, and Computercare have appointments today or tomorrow.

Apple Authorized Service Providers have been officially authorized by Apple to perform repairs on Apple devices. Both AppleCare repairs and out-of-warranty repair services are available, but many customers may not be aware of local options outside of an Apple Store.

Apple's new focus on third-party service providers may provide some much-needed relief for Apple retail stores that are unable to keep up with repair requests and it will ensure customers are able to get faster service.

Article Link: Apple's Support Site Now Lets Customers Schedule Repairs at Apple Authorized Providers

 

[v0lume4]

Can't wait to schedule my repair, get there, then be told that the issue was caused by "being dropped multiple times on a hard surface."

 

[VAGDesign]

I wish Greece had an official Apple Store and support instead of resellers...

 

[B.K.]

Most of the time, getting a repair appointment at an Apple Store's Genius Bar requires a wait of several days to a week.

That is ridiculous. How does anyone at Apple find that acceptable?

 

[dontwalkhand]

This will bring a lot of help to my favorite third party Apple Stores like MacMedia here in Phoenix

 

[millypede]

Also available in the UK too now.

 

[leman]

Did it today... Came to the store. They told me they are booked out for the next 2 weeks. Works really well

 

[chr1s60]

The fact that Apple allows Best Buy on this instantly takes away credibility.

 

[jdblas69]

That is ridiculous. How does anyone at Apple find that acceptable?

They probably don't think it is acceptable hence the change to book at authorized repair centres as an option.

 

[ryanwarsaw]

It is now more convenient to have my latest piece of junk fixed?

 

[joesegh]

Ugh, why do they still have the iOS 9 style pins on the map??

 

[Zippitydont]

Wonder if anyone at Apple has thought of making products that don't fail as a way to ease backlogs at their Geneius Bars ?

 

[now i see it]

I'll bet battery and screen replacement constitute the bulk of repairs. These are easy to do and any trained 3rd party can do the repair easily. No need to clog up Apple stores with all this mundane stuff.

 

[BrentD]

Noticed this a couple days ago when I searched my 6S serial and found it needed the battery replacement deal. Didn't know it was a new feature on the site, though, as I haven't used it.

 

[unr1]

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[Attirex]

Time for Tim Cook to resign.

 

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what a joke

 

[Briski80]

I'll bet battery and screen replacement constitute the bulk of repairs. These are easy to do and any trained 3rd party can do the repair easily. No need to clog up Apple stores with all this mundane stuff.

While these are easy to do, Apple don't actually allow APR to carry out screen replacements. They get sent to Apple to be done as they require the new screen to be calibrated properly which requires a stupidly expensive price of kit, which no APR is going to purchase.

 

[hashholly]

Time for Tim Cook to resign.

Why?

 

[iReality85]

Gonna need it with all those touch-diseased iPhone 6's and MacBook Pros with busted speakers flowing in!

 

[praetorian909]

Hmm saw this last week when I was trying to book a Genius appointment (first in a long time) and didn't realize it was that new.

 

[ElRojito]

That is ridiculous. How does anyone at Apple find that acceptable?

Because people demand walk-in availability. The time has to come from somewhere -- to make more walk in availability you need to take away appointments and vice-versa.

 

[SqB]

Yeah, no thanks. I fully expect to use this and the go to the Bust Buy and be told that they can't fix my phone because they don't have the part for the repair or some such nonsense. Thats if they even acknowledge I have an appointment in the first place.

I'll stick with the two week wait and two hour round trip drive to the real Apple Store.

 

[tampageek]

Perfect! Another reason to NOT go to an Apple Store - or whatever Angela wants to call them now. The PR is puzzling. Isn't the GB supposed to be a way to get people into all those fancy new stores to buy dongles? Maybe they're phasing out service? That would go along with everything else they're getting rid of these days....ports, magsafe, airport, displays, bla bla bla......

 

[Westside guy]

While these are easy to do, Apple don't actually allow APR to carry out screen replacements. They get sent to Apple to be done as they require the new screen to be calibrated properly which requires a stupidly expensive price of kit, which no APR is going to purchase.

My last "in store" repair at an actual Apple Store took a week and a half. The times I've had a "return to depot" repair, I pretty consistently had the machine back in my hands after two or three days. So none of this seems bad to me... anything Apple can do to improve their repair experience is a plus.

That said, my experiences with Apple's service over the past decade is getting eerily similar to what I experienced with Dell 10-15 years ago. Around 2000 Dell's service was amazing - but, by 2004-2005, their service (and most of their products) sucked. I really, really don't want Apple to continue down that road.