Disappointing Apple Store Experience

[nathanlukewong]

Hi there
Not sure if I should be worried, maybe someone could let me know.

I went to purchase an out-of-warranty iPhone 5 due me dropping my own and dust entering and covering the lens.

They sold me a replacement phone except I was told that they 'had' to upload usage data about my old phone to the Apple server for diagnostic reasons.

Also before the Genius would hand me my new phone, he set it up, selecting a whole heap of features I did not want (eg location tracking and sending usage and diagnostics to Apple).

I find it a little insulting that he had to do this for me. Why not just ask the customer if they needed a hand setting it up. And who know what 'data' they had to take from me and my original phone.

Is it worth me complaining to Apple?

 

[hockeyman94]

Hi there
Not sure if I should be worried, maybe someone could let me know.

I went to purchase an out-of-warranty iPhone 5 due me dropping my own and dust entering and covering the lens.

They sold me a replacement phone except I was told that they 'had' to upload usage data about my old phone to the Apple server for diagnostic reasons.

Also before the Genius would hand me my new phone, he set it up, selecting a whole heap of features I did not want (eg location tracking and sending usage and diagnostics to Apple).

I find it a little insulting that he had to do this for me. Why not just ask the customer if they needed a hand setting it up. And who know what 'data' they had to take from me and my original phone.

Is it worth me complaining to Apple?

You should go straight to the top email Tim Cook and tell him how outraged you are over this situation!

lol not really if you didn't want him to set it up you should have told him when he started doing it...

 

[user-name-here]

I was told that they 'had' to upload usage data about my old phone to the Apple server for diagnostic reasons.

Also before the Genius would hand me my new phone, he set it up

Is it worth me complaining to Apple?

So the genius followed company procedures (running a diagnostic), helped you set up your new iPhone, and you want to complain to corporate?

Sounds like the Genius was simply doing what he was taught to do. I wouldn't try to make anyones job in customer service harder than it is unless they are being malicious (which the Genius clearly wasn't).

 

[nathanlukewong]

So the genius followed company procedures (running a diagnostic), helped you set up your new iPhone, and you want to complain to corporate?

Sounds like the Genius was simply doing what he was taught to do. I wouldn't try to make anyones job in customer service harder than it is unless they are being malicious (which the Genius clearly wasn't).

This diagnostic was post telling me what was wrong with the phone. He said it had to do with Apple wanting feedback on how customers used their phones. Not sure how that was helping my individual problem?

I use to work for an Apple reseller and spent many years in retail. I'm not trying to give this guy a hard time, I just would have liked to have been asked, rather than told what to do.

 

[user-name-here]

This diagnostic was post telling me what was wrong with the phone. He said it had to do with Apple wanting feedback on how customers used their phones. Not sure how that was helping my individual problem?

I use to work for an Apple reseller and spent many years in retail. I'm not trying to give this guy a hard time, I just would have liked to have been asked, rather than told what to do.

I understand your point of view, but I would say these guys are dealing with tons and tons of customers who don't know squat about smartphones and are probably taught to "be the Genius" and direct the customers on what to do. Imagine if he didn't set up customers phones at the beginning and then had a customer pissed off that "the Genius didn't even take the time to set up my phone!"

As for running the diagnostic, that's not to help you but just an Apple company policy. Of course you can demand that they don't do it but it sounds like you didn't.

In the future I'd simply be more adamant to customer service reps what you want / don't want at the time it is occurring. I've had nothing but great experiences at Apple myself and I'm sure the Genius's will do what you ask if you let them know

 

[bandofbrothers]

I had the opposite experience when I picked up my new iPhone 5 at the apple store where I live.

He told me he would not be able to set things up, while at the set up station at the store, but would stay close for advice if required.

 

[chriscl]

If the setup that the Apple Store did is a problem, in terms of what options they selected for you, why not simply just reset the iPhone and set it up again yourself?

 

[nathanlukewong]

If the setup that the Apple Store did is a problem, in terms of what options they selected for you, why not simply just reset the iPhone and set it up again yourself?

I did just do that, I was more annoyed at the fact they thought they could just remove my privacy. If I was more ignorant and didnt know what the person was doing well I may have just fallen for it.

 

[Daveoc64]

I did just do that, I was more annoyed at the fact they thought they could just remove my privacy. If I was more ignorant and didnt know what the person was doing well I may have just fallen for it.

It does sound a bit dodgy requiring that you give them information like that or they won't allow you to use the warranty.

 

[OneMike]

I think you're overreacting. In my experiences though they can typically tell I know what I'm doing so they treat me as such.

 

[MJD Dawg]

I did just do that, I was more annoyed at the fact they thought they could just remove my privacy. If I was more ignorant and didnt know what the person was doing well I may have just fallen for it.

First world problems.

 

[Knowimagination]

do you not normally use location services? diagnostics can be turned off in settings pretty easily so not sure what you are complaining about.

Sounds like someone overly sensitive to their "privacy" enabling location services doesn't let apple track your whereabouts and sending diagnostic information doesn't tell them anything important about you either.

 

[Mrbobb]

Everybody these days want to get as much info from you as possible and place everybody stuff on the "big database" so they can sell you stuff later. EVERYBODY is doing this now. So nathanwong, used to work in retail, is up to you to put your foot down and say, What If I Refuse? and if you don't feel comfortable with it, just tell him you don't want to do it and will think about it and walk away.

This is like the jiffylube tries to upsell you and say you car needs this and needs that, you just say no thanks. Then they scare you, but your car is gonna fall apart in the next 10 miles! and you say, Am OK with that, thank you for telling me, just change my oil, how long is it gonna take? I got an appointment.