Furious with Apple

[kingjames1970]

So, I'm new to this stuff going wrong with Apple kit.

I've had lots of unexplained shutdowns and loss of bluetooth connection with my 15" 2016 MacBook Pro. I've had my LG 5K replaced so that's not it! After a complete wipe and reinstall, I had a massive crash today (application memory?!). So phoned Apple care and definitely seems like hardware. They got me to go to the nearest store in the UK.

In store they said I had done everything they could and wanted to take it in for repair. I told them that couldn't happen as I have lots of work on and I wasn't happy with a £3k laptop going t*ts up after such a short while. After a fuss they told me they would replace it but because it was a BTO they couldn't. They said to phone the online store (where I got it) and they would update my notes and they would replace it.

Long story short, they would only take in for repair. I've got loads of work on, a faulty Mac and I have no idea what to do next. I can't afford to lose the freelance work that sending it in would mean. Anybody any idea what rights I have or what I can do?!

I'm so furious with them just now. Up until now I've considered Apple customer care to be first rate. Now I'm really regretting my MBP purchase.

 

[Sanpete]

Bummer. I'm unclear on some details. What would you like them to do?

 

[lambertjohn]

So, I'm new to this stuff going wrong with Apple kit.

I've had lots of unexplained shutdowns and loss of bluetooth connection with my 15" 2016 MacBook Pro. I've had my LG 5K replaced so that's not it! After a complete wipe and reinstall, I had a massive crash today (application memory?!). So phoned Apple care and definitely seems like hardware. They got me to go to the nearest store in the UK.

In store they said I had done everything they could and wanted to take it in for repair. I told them that couldn't happen as I have lots of work on and I wasn't happy with a £3k laptop going t*ts up after such a short while. After a fuss they told me they would replace it but because it was a BTO they couldn't. They said to phone the online store (where I got it) and they would update my notes and they would replace it.

Long story short, they would only take in for repair. I've got loads of work on, a faulty Mac and I have no idea what to do next. I can't afford to lose the freelance work that sending it in would mean. Anybody any idea what rights I have or what I can do?!

I'm so furious with them just now. Up until now I've considered Apple customer care to be first rate. Now I'm really regretting my MBP purchase.

I probably would let them fix it, and while it was in service, I'd fall back on whatever computer you used before you bought the Macbook. Or, ask them for a loaner while your computer is being repaired. I'm like the other poster; what exactly do you want them to do? Sounds to me like they're trying to help you, but any route they take is going to cost you some time. No fault of theirs.

P.S. I have no clue what "Apple kit" is. Can you tell us what that is??

 

[kingjames1970]

Was really wanting them to swap it out. I don't think that's unreasonable considering it's only a few months old. Would be the easiest solution and the store would have done it (I think realising I've spent about £7k in the last year on my iPhone 7, 2 x iPad etc etc!) I guess I'll have to drop back to an old Mac, hugely irritating tho.

 

[D.T.]

P.S. I have no clue what "Apple kit" is. Can you tell us what that is??

British slang for equipment / consumer electronics product

Was really wanting them to swap it out. I don't think that's unreasonable considering it's only a few months old. Would be the easiest solution and the store would have done it (I think realising I've spent about £7k in the last year on my iPhone 7, 2 x iPad etc etc!) I guess I'll have to drop back to an old Mac, hugely irritating tho.

At least you have a fallback machine, heck, I was thinking you would be left without any machine - so yeah, let them fix it, s*** happens on occasion, if a computer is mission critical to your occupation, always have a backup (or three )

 

[jbachandouris]

I sympathize and most likely would react in the same manner as you are, but after only a 'few' months most retailers, including Apple, are unlikely to replace the machine. There are exceptions of course. The point is, they don't have to.

The thing I can't get past is that you say you have a lot of work on there due to your free lance business. Please tell me you actually have at least one backup.

 

[kingjames1970]

Yeah apart from the fact I can't take it out on a job. I'm trying a business contact now - at least they understand the concept of good faith and the nature of freelance work.

 

[jbachandouris]

Yeah apart from the fact I can't take it out on a job. I'm trying a business contact now - at least they understand the concept of good faith and the nature of freelance work.

Good luck!

 

[keysofanxiety]

Was really wanting them to swap it out. I don't think that's unreasonable considering it's only a few months old.

It's unreasonable to expect simply getting a new machine if it has an issue after a few months' use. 30 days, fair enough.

Look, they're fixing it under their warranty and the turnaround time will be well within their SLAs. I appreciate your frustration but "furious with Apple" just seems a little extreme.

 

[kingjames1970]

I sympathize and most likely would react in the same manner as you are, but after only a 'few' months most retailers, including Apple, are unlikely to replace the machine. There are exceptions of course. The point is, they don't have to.

The thing I can't get past is that you say you have a lot of work on there due to your free lance business. Please tell me you actually have at least one backup.

I've got an iMac but I'm not going to drop another £3K on a MBP to leave lying around just in case need to go portable (which I unusually have to). I understand your point but the Apple I have always dealt with before understand business pressures and have done their best to sort me out asap.

 

[keysofanxiety]

I've got an iMac but I'm not going to drop another £3K on a MBP to leave lying around just in case need to go portable (which I unusually have to). I understand your point but the Apple I have always dealt with before understand business pressures and have done their best to sort me out asap.

But they're still doing their best to sort you out ASAP. In this instance it means a warranty repair that will only take a couple of days at best (it never hits the quoted 7-10 day turnaround time).

They can't replace it as it's a BTO and even if they could, it would take at least a solid week for it to arrive, in which time you're still stuck with a faulty Mac.

It'll be fixed before you know it.

 

[kingjames1970]

It's unreasonable to expect simply getting a new machine if it has an issue after a few months' use. 30 days, fair enough.

Look, they're fixing it under their warranty and the turnaround time will be well within their SLAs. I appreciate your frustration but "furious with Apple" just seems a little extreme.

Apart from the fact, I was waiting for new (properly shielded) LG 5Ks to come in to make sure that wasn't what the problem was. I guess I'm more upset that in my 28 years of using Macs, I've come to depend on them being 100% rock solid. And this MBP has been anything but. I'm an Apple apologist like a lot of people here but today I really didn't like their customer care or (lack of) support at all.

(And seeing a three year old Mac Pro hooked up to an LG screen when I was talking to the Genius didn't help my mood.)

 

[Kcetech1]

But they're still doing their best to sort you out ASAP. In this instance it means a warranty repair that will only take a couple of days at best (it never hits the quoted 7-10 day turnaround time).

THIS depends on where you are at. here in Canada I have waited as long as 7 weeks for new gen BTO units to be fixed or replaced. ( Jan 30 to YESTERDAY for example ).

As much as I hate to say it, if you cant afford to be down a few days with a BTO unit you almost need a second machine, of which I used to be forced to do with some projects. One of the reasons I wish Apple had NBD service and swappable parts.

 

[cez1]

I had a similar thing happen a few years ago and an apple store employee suggested a I buy a new MacBook and return it after my original was back from repair (I believe you have ~14 days). I didn't do it as I had a backup iMac to use, but I was tempted. Check the policy in the UK and if you can swing it, that might be an option to keep you mobile.

 

[leman]

I can't afford to lose the freelance work that sending it in would mean. Anybody any idea what rights I have or what I can do?!

You have the right to purchase a third-party warranty and premium service which includes a replacement device for the time of service repairs. As a business person — especially if your time is precious — it is your responsibility to take measures to protect yourself from situations like these. Apple are not magicians and they can't just pull a new laptop out of thin air every time someone calls that its urgent. Hardware failures are annoying and unfortunate, but they happen routinely, and manufacturers are fixing them as best as they can. From what you tell us, Apple even went as far as to offering you a free replacement (something they are in no way obliged to do).

 

[kingjames1970]

I had a similar thing happen a few years ago and an apple store employee suggested a I buy a new MacBook and return it after my original was back from repair (I believe you have ~14 days). I didn't do it as I had a backup iMac to use, but I was tempted. Check the policy in the UK and if you can swing it, that might be an option to keep you mobile.

That my friend is a very good idea - thanks! I don't like the dishonesty of it but hey...

 

[Spudlicious]

So, I'm new to this stuff going wrong with Apple kit.

I've had lots of unexplained shutdowns and loss of bluetooth connection with my 15" 2016 MacBook Pro. I've had my LG 5K replaced so that's not it! After a complete wipe and reinstall, I had a massive crash today (application memory?!). So phoned Apple care and definitely seems like hardware. They got me to go to the nearest store in the UK.

In store they said I had done everything they could and wanted to take it in for repair. I told them that couldn't happen as I have lots of work on and I wasn't happy with a £3k laptop going t*ts up after such a short while. After a fuss they told me they would replace it but because it was a BTO they couldn't. They said to phone the online store (where I got it) and they would update my notes and they would replace it.

Long story short, they would only take in for repair. I've got loads of work on, a faulty Mac and I have no idea what to do next. I can't afford to lose the freelance work that sending it in would mean. Anybody any idea what rights I have or what I can do?!

I'm so furious with them just now. Up until now I've considered Apple customer care to be first rate. Now I'm really regretting my MBP purchase.

If you've been offered a prompt repair under warranty I don't see that you've got a fight with Apple, and it's worth noting that no other computer maker has retail premises you can visit to discuss an issue.

 

[cez1]

That my friend is a very good idea - thanks! I don't like the dishonesty of it but hey...

I was skeptical at first as well, but the suggestion came from an apple employee.

Same thing happened earlier this year when I travelled for work and forgot my MacBook Pro charger; I went to an apple store to replace it and the employee told me to use it for my trip and then return it when done. I ended up keeping it as a back up and billing it to work, but they (apple) seem to think it's acceptable conduct - why should we complain?

 

[kingjames1970]

If you've been offered a prompt repair under warranty I don't see that you've got a fight with Apple, and it's worth noting that no other computer maker has retail premises you can visit to discuss an issue.

Where did you get 'prompt' from? I haven't spent 10s of thousands with any other computer manufacturer of premium products either. Buying from Apple (apart from today) meant a bit of leeway regarding what they would do for you. That always made me think of them as special and bought a lot of loyalty from me which spilled out into my various iPhones, Apple Watches and iPads and buying Macs for work colleagues a dozen at a time rather than the Dells that IT wanted. If I wanted a crap computer with no high store presence or customer service I would have bought a laptop just like that for a lot less money.
[doublepost=1490293649][/doublepost]

I was skeptical at first as well, but the suggestion came from an apple employee.

Same thing happened earlier this year when I travelled for work and forgot my MacBook Pro charger; I went to an apple store to replace it and the employee told me to use it for my trip and then return it when done. I ended up keeping it as a back up and billing it to work, but they (apple) seem to think it's acceptable conduct - why should we complain?

Cheers. I'm going to consider that an option if my business contact can't give me a loaner or help me out in some way.

 

[haydn!]

So, Apple tried to help you over the phone but couldn't resolve the issue, they tried to help you in store, but couldn't resolve the issue. Initially offered a replacement, but as its a BTO they can't (understandable they're buy to order for a reason...) so are offering you a repair.

Sounds like the support has been pretty decent to be honest. Owning multiple iPhones, iPads, Watches and previous Macs is also irrelevant. All customers should be, and are, treated equally regardless of first or 100th purchase. So, you sure you're expectations aren't just set unrealistically high?

 

[kingjames1970]

So, Apple tried to help you over the phone but couldn't resolve the issue, they tried to help you in store, but couldn't resolve the issue. Initially offered a replacement, but as its a BTO they can't (understandable they're buy to order for a reason...) so are offering you a repair.

Sounds like the support has been pretty decent to be honest. Owning multiple iPhones, iPads, Watches and previous Macs is also irrelevant. All customers should be, and are, treated equally regardless of first or 100th purchase. So, you sure you're expectations aren't just set unrealistically high?

Regardless of your opinion, a £3k computer shouldn't be failing within 3 months. Yes I have high expectations but that's one reason why I have always bought into Apple and their ecosystem. I guess my anger has turned to disappointment. The Apple of old would always try and help - even if they had said they would try and rush the repair, I would have felt better about it. Loyalty should be rewarded, I'm surprised you think that is wrong. It's a pretty common business practice.

 

[craig1410]

Regardless of your opinion, a £3k computer shouldn't be failing within 3 months. Yes I have high expectations but that's one reason why I have always bought into Apple and their ecosystem. I guess my anger has turned to disappointment. The Apple of old would always try and help - even if they had said they would try and rush the repair, I would have felt better about it. Loyalty should be rewarded, I'm surprised you think that is wrong. It's a pretty common business practice.

This is no different to dealing with a car needing repairs even though you still need to commute to work. Any machine can (and does) fail so it's up to you to ensure you have a fallback plan appropriate to the magnitude of losses you may experience as a result of such a failure. You can either pay for some sort of insurance, such as having a spare machine on hand, or you can wait until a failure happens and buy your way out of the situation.

To say that a "£3k computer shouldn't be failing..." is just not a realistic approach to take and if you really take your business seriously then you need to adjust your expectations considerably. Yes, Apple quality and customer service is better than most but these machines are designed, manufactured and programmed by fallible humans.

So, my advice (as a fellow independent professional) is to take responsibility for your business and take whatever measures are appropriate to protect it. That might mean taking a few days holiday while your machine is fixed or it might mean buying a 2nd hand machine as a backup or requesting a loaner from Apple. That decision is yours.

Good luck.

 

[Glockworkorange]

Was really wanting them to swap it out. I don't think that's unreasonable considering it's only a few months old. Would be the easiest solution and the store would have done it (I think realising I've spent about £7k in the last year on my iPhone 7, 2 x iPad etc etc!) I guess I'll have to drop back to an old Mac, hugely irritating tho.

Dude, you have a Mac to fall back on. I get the frustration, but it's not like you're out surfing for a cheap Chromebok to make due.

 

[kingjames1970]

Thanks to those who offered genuine advice. I'll let you know how I get on, in case it is useful to anybody. Sorry if this thread degenerated, I should have known better than to dignify some responses. I'm just not used to an unhelpful Apple and it made me question my whole value system ;-)

 

[Lobwedgephil]

Not clear, you said they would replace it, but since it is BTO they have to order it, is that not acceptable?