Genius Bar Damaged my MB Pro

[sarakn]

Now, I'm not raging or screaming. A minor vent, but really sharing my annoyance with Genius Bar.

Late last week, the E key on my rMBP started sticking. Sometimes it responds, other times I'll have to hit it a few times and it may or may not respond. Or I'll need to hit another key and come back for the E. WTF After waiting 10 months in 2013 switching from windows to Haswell, I can't believe this is part of my Happy Mac World.

I used compressed air several times before giving in and booking an appointment with the genius bar. Now, if this had been my dell, I can call them up and they would have ordered the parts and delivered to me while I waited for a tech to come on site to repair.

I went there thinking all he had to do was open to case and free whatever was causing the problem. He took it to the back and said they could not find anything, but I could leave it there for 3-5 days. Then I asked if it was a matter of something lodged under the key. He took out a small black tool that looked like half of a tweezer, popped the key, saw nothing and replaced it. I also mentioned the W key seemed to be sticking. He popped that, saw nothing, replaced it.

Then he said it seemed to be working. I was reluctant to leave my now only laptop there and he said just take it home and watch it for a few days. I did. Came back home, turned on the mac and noticed the light from the E key had a bigger reflection. Apparently, he chipped a bit of the plastic when using his tool and I'm a bit annoyed by this. So now, I have to go back to the store and leave my laptop so they can now repair something they damaged.

 

[NewtonPippin]

You're being way too picky. Relax and enjoy your Macbook dude!

 

[JHUFrank]

I don't think that was a minor rant, lol. But yes, they should fix anything they do like that.

 

[goMac]

Is the plastic chipped on the e key? If so, that's a super super easy repair. They can probably even do it while you wait.

 

[Natzoo]

Apple damaged my MacBook Pro screen once, and they replaced it. Always check your laptop before you leave the apple store

 

[cwosigns]

They dented my PowerBook once; fixed after I insisted.

 

[chipchen]

One time my laptop came back from repair missing a screw and they replaced the 2 year old laptop with a brand new one on the spot.

Look, things like this happen. It was a quick fix... those of us who are good at it... we've popped off 1000's of keys... and we're bound to chip one or two. What they meant by leaving it, was replacing the whole top part of that case with the keyboard where they would have to order the parts, etc.

Generally though, at least back in the day, we had many spare keyboards in the back to pick off keys as replacements for people. Bring it back, talk quietly to a manager, and they'll help you out. Better yet, call ahead and talk to one on the phone, that way they'll be ready for you when you return.

 

[cambookpro]

Just order a new 'E' key online for a few Dollars and replace it yourself. Much easier than going back to Apple.

Some things are too small to get worked up about.

 

[catzilla]

They knocked up my dog!

 

[sarakn]

Just order a new 'E' key online for a few Dollars and replace it yourself. Much easier than going back to Apple.

Some things are too small to get worked up about.

Is the plastic chipped on the e key? If so, that's a super super easy repair. They can probably even do it while you wait.

First off, the only time I got annoyed at Apple it today. Fine they damaged the key, but I know it was not intentional which is why I was not angry. Just annoyed. I go from having a key that does not always work to having a broken key that does not always work. Trust me, copying/pasting the E key gets old quick.

What annoyed me today is Apple's online support transferred me to their store so the store manager could address is. After 10 minutes on hold, a store rep comes on and says the managers are in a meeting and will call me back. A few hours later, they're still in a meeting and will call me once the meeting is over. This morning I called the store, the rep puts me on hold and comes back to tell me the manager will call me at 2pm because that's the time they call their customers. This just seems rather arrogant to me that managers only choose to speak to their customers at a certain time. Thankfully, the problem is not major, but is this the way Apple handles issues?

I still think this issue - the original and the broken key can be fixed in a matter of hours. But these guys are telling me I'd have to leave my laptop there for 3 days. WTF is that?

You're being way too picky. Relax and enjoy your Macbook dude!

NewtonPippin, when I purchased my laptop, I waited 10 months for Haswell and spent over $3,000 on it. If I'm going to deal with a damaged laptop, let me be the one to damage it myself not a repair person at the Genius bar.

 

[cambookpro]

First off, the only time I got annoyed at Apple it today. Fine they damaged the key, but I know it was not intentional which is why I was not angry. Just annoyed. I go from having a key that does not always work to having a broken key that does not always work. Trust me, copying/pasting the E key gets old quick.

What annoyed me today is Apple's online support transferred me to their store so the store manager could address is. After 10 minutes on hold, a store rep comes on and says the managers are in a meeting and will call me back. A few hours later, they're still in a meeting and will call me once the meeting is over. This morning I called the store, the rep puts me on hold and comes back to tell me the manager will call me at 2pm because that's the time they call their customers. This just seems rather arrogant to me that managers only choose to speak to their customers at a certain time. Thankfully, the problem is not major, but is this the way Apple handles issues?

I still think this issue - the original and the broken key can be fixed in a matter of hours. But these guys are telling me I'd have to leave my laptop there for 3 days. WTF is that?





NewtonPippin, when I purchased my laptop, I waited 10 months for Haswell and spent over $3,000 on it. If I'm going to deal with a damaged laptop, let me be the one to damage it myself not a repair person at the Genius bar.

So the key still sticks? That's different then to it just being chipped. Definitely a problem Apple should fix.

As for them having it for 3 days, I belive they'd run tests and possibly send it to a repair centre. It may not be the key that's the problem, it may be something else. In any case, they should fix it for you.

 

[sarakn]

So the key still sticks? That's different then to it just being chipped. Definitely a problem Apple should fix.

As for them having it for 3 days, I belive they'd run tests and possibly send it to a repair centre. It may not be the key that's the problem, it may be something else. In any case, they should fix it for you.

Yes, the key still sticks as the Genius bar rep was not able to fix it. He took my laptop to a back room, came back and told me he did not see anything wrong with it. But, I can leave it there for a few days - 3 to 5 is their policy. I went in thinking this is something that could have been addressed during my appointment, but oh well. So I mentioned I used compressed air - thinking something may have been lodged - but nothing worked. And that's when he popped the keys.

Prior to Oct 2013, I've owned Dells and have fixed 99% of any problems. With this laptop, I went online thinking it was something I could easily fix but posts said to avoid self-repair for the new macs. Since I have Applecare, why not take it to them. It's what I paid for. So I leave the store with a keyboard that's still not working, but is now damaged. 3 calls to them yesterday, 1 this morning. The person I spoke to told me I was first on the 2pm manager call list and it's now 3 pm.

That's what annoys me most. Such a simple issue that's being made to seem like a complex matter. I had a root canal 2 weeks ago and saw a dentist promptly. I called these guys at 5am so I could get in first thing, and it was easier to do that than speak to a manager at a retail store.