Expectation of Apple Customer Service to high?

[FandangoUK]

I finally switched to a Mac from windows machine having grown to like apple products through iOS devices.

Have had a new RMBP 2.6 for 2 weeks and am extremely happy with the purchase. As quite a few people mentioned here the underside creaks a little when moving and having checked this is down to the screws not being correctly tighted on the base of the machine. Firstly didnt expect standard lax build quality issues to be a concern and there seems to be a lot of these problems by looking at threads here but equally wasnt very impressed with the CS reponse on the phone.

I live around 80 miles from an apple store and a 4 hour round trip + repair time + petrol is something I was keen to avoid for a minor annoyance. I called up to see if they could just send me a screwdriver of the correct type so I could tighten them myself. Took ages to get the person to understand what the problem was (they had poor english) and then they just tried to push applecare (even though I am well within the 90 day phone support and 1y warranty) and nothing they could do but suggest take to a apple store.

There seems to be stories on here of amazing service and free gifts for lesser issues (not that I expected this) and just felt a bit shortchanged on my first use of apple CS having spent a lot on their products over the last couple of years and trying the resolve a problem you would not have expected to have.

 

[moel]

Unfortunately like the majority of Apple stuff, the first few thousand to come out of the factory have teething issues. (Part of the problem of keeping everything secret and then rushing out new products)

Apple aren't going to send you out a pentalobe screwdriver for you to tighten them up..as 1) They wouldn't have one in stock to send you 2) The new MBP's have no user serviceable parts inside.

Now granted you don't want to get access to the machine, but they have no way of knowing what you want.

Usually they are quite good though. I'm guessing you are either in the deeper reaches of Scotland, or out in the sticks somewhere if it's 80 miles to your nearest Apple store. However you can order said screwdriver from ebay

 

[peskaa]

I would have never expected them to send you a screwdriver. Although it makes sense to us, it's supplying tools that aren't supposed to be in consumer hands (according to Apple).

As such, Apple refer you to a retail store, as they've basically canned the other kinds of service. Unfortunately that's just how it is now, and you're right, it can be very inconvenient.

 

[Sahib90]

I would advise you to actually speak to customer relations. The mention of that department sends a powerful message to customer service reps.

The same thing happened to me and was resolved by requesting to speak to customer relation and a higher authority customer service rep took down my complaint and claimed she can help and there was no need to get customer relation involved.

Hope that helps.

 

[2298754]

Just buy a pentalobe screwdriver off the internet...

 

[FandangoUK]

Thanks, at least I can somewhat understand why they may not want to send me screwdriver and avoid what seemed like a common sense approach to save me and apple time.

I still 100% recommended the rMBP which is awesome in every respect and encountered no other issues.

Will wait until likely to be closer to an apple store or order screwdriver online through eBay.