Do Repairs At the Genius Bar Need Stricter Quality Control?

[MICHAELSD]

I'm not sure if anybody's been following my threads about having to have my iPhone 3GS replaced. I went to the Apple Store to get my second iPhone 3GS replaced (which an AppleCare rep put a note in for the Genius to do), but the "Genius" insisted that he replaced the display instead. So I let him after trying to get him to give me a replacement instead, but I didn't trust my iPhone 3GS to come out in decent quality, especially after he banged his keys against my iPhone 3GS to use the flashlight he had on his keychain.

Ten minutes later, he came back with my iPhone 3GS. I examined it as soon as I got it back, and there were scratches and knicks across the display. The metal bezel had a few knicks on it, too, and the back had hairline scratches across it. We discussed the scratches and knicks on the display for ten minutes, and he wiped it a few times, and he obviously wasn't going to replace it. I told him that I'd wait to see if it was dust. I called AppleCare when I got home.

The first, regular rep I talked to was convinced that I would have to pay to get it repaired since it was cosmetic damage and since the store didn't replace it. I asked to talk to a rep higher than him, and after a call lasting over a half hour, I finally had a mail-in replacement set up. This was both my second Apple Store visit (the first time I went to the Apple Store they were out of iPhone 3GS replacements) and my second mail-in replacement regarding the iPhone 3GS.

What do you guys think, is quality control at the Genius Bar high enough or does Apple need to improve it? These are premium products and we should have great repair service. Normally, it is when you get a Genius that doesn't mind replacing products. Personally, I would hate having to take my MacBook Pro to the Genius Bar, but it has worked without a problem so far.

 

[thegoldenmackid]

Your phone cost less then a Mini, if it was a Mac Pro I'd be of concern. In general no, people don't post about their wonderful experiences at the Genius Bar. There are more new users who to join to rant/vent then to praise. A couple of users have reported problems at the Genius Bar, but would you rather take your "premium" phone to Best Buy?

 

[MICHAELSD]

It doesn't necessarily cost less than a Mac Mini, since it is subsidized by AT&T down from $600/$700. While the Genius Bar is better than the Geek Squad and Dell's support, Genius Bar employees need more common sense. Do you bang your keys against an iPhone you're about to repair while you're looking for a flashlight to check the water indicators? I'm not sure how it's treated in the back where they repair it, but I doubt quality control is great.

 

[thegoldenmackid]

I'm not sure how it's treated on the back where they repair it, but I doubt quality control is great.

We can debate its price versus a Mac Mini, my point was more towards, while it is the most expensive iPod, Genius A could see iPhone customers all day long, Genius B could see one Mac Pro customer, the value of the latter could still be double. As to the statement quoted above, I utterly disagree. Maybe it's just me, but I'm friendly with those at the Apple Store. I outline my problem consciously in the email appointment. I show up on time and with all papers, but most importantly I'm just kind. If someone was rude to me, I might not be so careful, but I'm still at a job and I have forums like this one that are going to make sure that one little mistake is going to lead to utter rants. Genius' for the most part I imagine love their company and don't want to disrespect it. However, if someone is being obnoxious, the Genius might slip up a tad; but, I imagine many would not. And seriously, if you dealt all day long every day of the week with our forum users and their complaints about possible tint, buttons not feeling like they are going all the way, yellow tint, blue tint, green tint, white tint, a dust particle, decimal place screen imperfections, case coloring, hairline cracks and battery life complaints - you'd want to hit someone over the head every day too.

And like you admitted, no one is really better? (Although Dell's XPS service had some fairly crazy at-home funness)

 

[SFStateStudent]

Let's give credit to BB, b/c first hand experience with BB has always resulted in a replacement of any item on the spot with the receipt in hand; no questions asked. No gauntlet whatsoever.....

 

[thegoldenmackid]

Let's give credit to BB, b/c first hand experience with BB has always resulted in a replacement of any item on the spot with the receipt in hand; no questions asked. No gauntlet whatsoever.....

My experiences have never gone well. The only thing worse then the service people were the customer service people. I did not go to complain, but I had to return a product that was clearly faulty, it took the 55 minutes of waiting at the counter to tell me that they did not have any stock and that they had forgot to tell me 50 minutes beforehand when the computer said they were out.

 

[MICHAELSD]

I was calm and friendly. I didn't really have any problems with the Genius, even though I didn't trust the Genius to do the repair (partly from these forums), though it was noted that I should get a replacement by an AppleCare rep. While I haven't had an uneven bezel or a yellow tint at the bottom of the screen, I'd admit that those problems would annoy me, and if I was a Genius, I wouldn't mind replacing/repairing an iPhone for those problems. That's like when people used to drop/damage an older CRT TV and they would get a purple tint that annoyed everyone every time that they watched it.

 

[thegoldenmackid]

I was calm and friendly. I didn't really have any problems with the Genius, even though I didn't trust the Genius to do the repair (partly from these forums), though it was noted that I should get a replacement by an AppleCare rep. While I haven't had an uneven bezel or a yellow tint at the bottom of the screen, I'd admit that those problems would annoy me, and if I was a Genius, I wouldn't mind replacing/repairing an iPhone for those problems. That's like when people used to drop/damage an older CRT TV and they would get a purple tint that annoyed everyone every time that they watched it.

I went to the Genius Bar the other day and was in the middle of two other iPhone users. One was complain about a tint, three geniuses concluded that he was way off and another iPhone user was complaining about scratches to the Apple Logo and the Genius was calmly trying to explain the benefits of using a film or case to prevent scratching. I was thinking about the ramifications of taking one of the SoundSticks and beating one of the two of them. Things like that would drive me nuts.

 

[MICHAELSD]

Problems like that would annoy me if I were a Genius, but it could turn out to be amusing, especially if people were complaining about things that weren't there or that happen during normal usage without a case.

 

[skwoytek]

My first experience at the genius bar was two years ago for a MacBook repair. The genius needed to check something on the bottom, flipped it upside down, and then spun it 180 so it was facing him properly. As he spun it I heard the grit between my MacBook and the counter top. When he was done, I commented on the half circle swirls etched into the top of my MacBook. He simply said he didn't do it and wouldn't discuss it. I don't "use" the top of my MacBook, but it still hurt as it was only a few months old.

Other than that, any trip I've made to the genius bar has been great.

 

[appleguy123]

. The genius needed to check something on the bottom, flipped it upside down, and then spun it 180 so it was facing him properly. As he spun it I heard the grit between my MacBook and the counter top.

that made me flinch! i hope that never happens to me.

 

[davyreins]

I've only had one bad experience at the Genius bar because the Genius was being a bit of a prick, all of the others were exceptional. Although, my bezel did begin to separate after they replaced the screen on my iPhone so I'm a little suspicious of their repairs.