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Does Apple Red Flag Certain Accounts?

ghsDUDE

ghsDUDE

macrumors 68030
Original poster
May 25, 2010
2,949
763
Hi Everyone,

I had a question - I noticed that I've always purchased and registered products to my account (even when purchasing for family) and saw that I had 30 cases open with Apple in regards to call-ins and questions to products.

About 10 of those cases where mine and the other 20 from family when they had questions (everything was tied to my account). I've always purchased the iPhones in my family so anytime my mom has an issue and calls in it goes under my Apple account.

Just wondering - does anyone who has worked for Apple Support know if they label bad/trouble customers for calling in too many times or returning items?

I've been a longtime customer (almost 10 years) but I wanted to check if my account could ever get red-flagged or anything. I was told by Apple that they create a Case Number every time a call is made to ask a question for referencing - I just hate that everything is tied to my account.
 
Red flag you for calling to much with questions about the expensive phone/iPad/computer that was purchased? I highly doubt it.

Why are you worried about it? Afraid they won't answer your questions in the future?? Afraid they won't sell you any more expensive stuff?? I highly doubt it.
 
Apple WILL lock your account for security purposes, such as attempting to access your account with the wrong password too many times.
I also doubt that number of calls will result in a flag on your account. Remember that you get a case number each time you would call for a new issue. The cases aren't really "open", but are simply references in the event that you call again about the same issue. I think that security issues, or some kind of fraudulent activity on an account would be the only time that you would get a flag that would actually affect what you can do as a customer. Calling in a dozen times about the same issue should not result in some kind of flag on your account.
 
woodynorman said:
Why are you worried about it? Afraid they won't answer your questions in the future?? Afraid they won't sell you any more expensive stuff?? I highly doubt it.
Click to expand...
I'm worried that they would help me in the future with a problem or exchange since there's a high volume of cases (30 like I stated earlier) or repairs (9 in 3 years).

DeltaMac said:
Apple WILL lock your account for security purposes, such as attempting to access your account with the wrong password too many times.
I also doubt that number of calls will result in a flag on your account. Remember that you get a case number each time you would call for a new issue. The cases aren't really "open", but are simply references in the event that you call again about the same issue. I think that security issues, or some kind of fraudulent activity on an account would be the only time that you would get a flag that would actually affect what you can do as a customer. Calling in a dozen times about the same issue should not result in some kind of flag on your account.
Click to expand...

I guess I'm wondering if they wouldn't allow me to exchange or return something in the future (even though I have AppleCare for all my products).

I know other companies do this (Amazon for example can ban users for too many returns) so I'm wondering if anyone who has worked for Apple knows.
 
Review your AppleCare protection agreement, which will tell you much of what you need to know. Here's a copy of that agreement, as applied to Macs: http://www.apple.com/legal/sales-support/applecare/appmacnaen.html

You seem to think that you have a large number of cases reported at Apple. I can say that 30, spread out over 10 years, is not much.
If your 9 repairs in 3 years is all for the same computer, then that would be a lot. If you have had 9 different Apple products serviced over that time, then that just tells me that you have had a lot of Apple Products. I currently have only 8 Apple products in active use in my house. I have had the opportunity to call AppleCare about each item (not always for repairs, sometimes just questions), with one (an iMac) that I have shipped out to Apple, then took to an Apple "genius", and received a DIY repair (failed factory RAM stick). Probably called AppleCare 20 times, finally resulting in a replacement new iMac. It happens.
I might go several months without calling, and then call every few days.
If my AppleID account has been flagged in some way, there's no indication of that on my end. I get the same service to complain about, or to praise, as anyone else :D

As Applejuiced said so succinctly: You'll be fine.
 
ghsNick said:
I'm worried that they would help me in the future with a problem or exchange since there's a high volume of cases (30 like I stated earlier) or repairs (9 in 3 years).




I know other companies do this (Amazon for example can ban users for too many returns)
Click to expand...

Excessive returning products is one thing....asking a lot of questions is quite another
 
I'm a power user whose workflow stresses my machines as far as they'll stretch. Accordingly, I've had more issues than typical. And my whole family uses Macs, iPhones and iPads and Airports, most purchased and registered on my account. The local Apple Store knows me rather well.

If any customer is going to have an account locked for reasons of being high-maintenance, it'd be me.

Instead, Apple's service and support continues to impress. They know and value their repeat customers and strive to make us happy.

So unless you've made a habit of wasting everyone's time at Apple, you have nothing to worry about.
 
ghsNick said:
Hi Everyone,

I had a question - I noticed that I've always purchased and registered products to my account (even when purchasing for family) and saw that I had 30 cases open with Apple in regards to call-ins and questions to products.

About 10 of those cases where mine and the other 20 from family when they had questions (everything was tied to my account). I've always purchased the iPhones in my family so anytime my mom has an issue and calls in it goes under my Apple account.

Just wondering - does anyone who has worked for Apple Support know if they label bad/trouble customers for calling in too many times or returning items?

I've been a longtime customer (almost 10 years) but I wanted to check if my account could ever get red-flagged or anything. I was told by Apple that they create a Case Number every time a call is made to ask a question for referencing - I just hate that everything is tied to my account.
Click to expand...

No.
 
trying to get your phone swapped at the genius bar too many times for something thats not a real issue can get you flagged. sometimes they'll do it once or twice to make you happy but then you have those people who try to do it because they have scratches don't like, or software problems that can be fixed with a restore as new (not from a back up) and that usually fixes the issue. some people just want a new phone because of software and don't realize if they had software problems and get a new phone and restore from their back up it doesn't fix anything. people who try to do that too many times get flagged
 
woodynorman said:
Excessive returning products is one thing
Click to expand...
That also depends on why they're being returned. If there's no valid reason, then yes, it could be cause for concern. But if you've given good reasons for the multiple returns, then it's a non-issue.

I personally have been refunded, without question, by Apple for about 5 app purchases in the last 12 months. Each time there was a valid reason, and each time the rep in the reply email agreed with me for the reason stated.

I doubt I'm on any sort of "watch list".
 
I'm still trying to figure out where you go to see a complete list of all your support issues? I logged into my support account and can only fine my last most recent support issue and no others when I have had more than one. Can anyone tell me where I can find this info at?
 
I don't think you get 'flagged' as such, but having had many repairs or replacements on a product unncessacarily might prevent you getting what you want.

I.e me. When I phoned apple to complain a about the terrible service in my local store and that they refused to replace my phone just a few months out of warranty for a serious hardware issue he said - 'I think we should replace it, you had the phone since launch day, and it was only replaced once, very near to the time you bought it.'

I think that says it all really. Apple can make decisions based on information like this, just don't piss them off, or act unfairly.
 
I think your call history will follow you, whether that means you get an official flag is unlikely but I wonder if the people handling your next call will handle it differently seeing how you called so often.
 
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