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Macbook Pro 2010 Genius Bar experience

K

kasanova

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 2, 2011
3
0
So anyone ever had a bad experience with Apple Genius Bar?

I bought a 2010 Macbook Pro in September last year.

It's the 15' 2.66 i7 edition and the trackpad's left click doesn't work randomly at times. Plus it freezes sometimes while not doing anything intensive, like surfing the web, and needs a cold restart to make it work again.

Now since these problems happen intermittently I took a video of when they did happen and took it to my local genius bar.

Now I know how stressed the employee are there but when it was my turn to explain my problems from the get go the genius guy was very hostile and treated me like I didn't know anything about computers and kept calling the motherboard a 'logic board' and gave me car analogies.

He told me to speak to his manager and was very hostile to me.

The manager came in and was equally as hostile from the get go. He told me he didn't care about intermittent problems and that the only valid problems that can be looked after is problems that can be replicated instore.

I showed him my video and he still didn't care, he just basically said the only problem is a problem that happens instore.

He then told me the best he could do was to replace the trackpad (I could tell he really really did not want to do that even).

HERE IS THE MOST FUNNY PART!:

He told me all the problems I am experiencing with my Macbook pro are in my HEAD and I am just loopy and IMAGINING THINGS.
He was incredibly condescending to me in every way possible (been using/ taking apart and building computers since I was 13, I'm 23, and know what and where everything is) and it just felt like he told me I was a crazy and to get out of his store.

Okay at this point I was shocked. I don't know what made him say that, I was extremely civil to him, my boyfriend was just a meter away and heard everything.

He is a huge mac fan (got a little apple store in his house, everything is mac, iphone 4, imac, macbook pro, apple tv) and now he's thinking twice about buying anything mac ever again.

Suffice to say I will never be buying anything Mac again, I will be selling all the Mac things I have (which include my iphones, macbook pros).

Now BEFORE YOU FLAME ME I would like to say I used to be a huge apple fanboy and even told everyone to go get themselves an Iphone since it was the best.
Used to tell my mother to go get an iPhones but now I got her buying HTC and Samsungs.

Anyways. Good job Apple! You've lost a customer and many more potentially (not that you care anyways since you guys are getting great sales!)

P.S. this was from the Apple Store in Sydney, Chatswood. I got the manager's name. This also happened last weekend.
 
A bit extreme just because of one bad CS experience. But to each their own.
 
daneoni said:
A bit extreme just because of one bad CS experience. But to each their own.
Click to expand...

Well how would you feel if you had a problem with your laptop, had proof of it, then got told in your face you were crazy.

To each clique to their own.
 
Seeing as the Genius bars in both King of Prussia and Suburban Square PA damaged mine, yes I've had really bad experiences with the genius bars.

Fortunately, Customer Relations is awesome and when I called them they were more than willing to work with me. When I sent it in to the depot gave me a new top and bottom case, as well as a new display as all those parts were damaged by the genius bars.

BTW I am not bashing all genius bars. Back when I had my Titanium in 2002-2005, repairs at King of Prussia went just fine. I just have no tolerance for people who damage my computer.
 
Welcome to the latest Genius bashing thread. Please take a number and the line starts to the left...
:p
 
I wouldn't let one bad experience with that manager or genius put me off. Call Apple and tell them about your experience and the problems you're having. Have your boyfriend handy in case they'd like to question him about what happened. You might also consider bringing it to another Apple repair center. Best of luck.
 
In my encounters, about 40% of Geniuses have mediocre or worse customer/social interaction skills and about 20% are considerably arrogant and smug.

While some PC/Mobile Device companies trump Apple on politeness, very few of them are as competent. Examples:

Dell: Usually nice, rarely helpful
AT&T: Sometimes nice, not usually helpful
Comcast: Rarely nice, rarely helpful
HP: Sometimes nice, not usually helpful
Apple: Usually nice, sometimes helpful

I think the difference is in expectations. When one experiences a negative Apple support incident, whether it's a smug Genius or a temperamental phone agent, it's surprising and consequently much more frustrating.
 
kasanova said:
Well how would you feel if you had a problem with your laptop, had proof of it, then got told in your face you were crazy.

To each clique to their own.
Click to expand...

Find another rep/go to another store/call customer relations etc.

Tons of bad single-case experiences out there with CS from all businesses. Rule of thumb is you try someone else.

You/everyone who knows you knows you're not crazy so why are you letting a single incident get to you? what do you gain by throwing the towel in and lashing out? you don't get what you actually want (your issue fixed) and you're not really hurting anyone. You really think Apple will bat an eyelash/be affected in anyway just because you a single customer decided to carry out an exodus?

Magic Ball says 'Nope'

That said i empathize with you.
 
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punchwalk said:
In my encounters, about 40% of Geniuses have mediocre or worse customer/social interaction skills and about 20% are considerably arrogant and smug.

While some PC/Mobile Device companies trump Apple on politeness, very few of them are as competent. Examples:

Dell: Usually nice, rarely helpful
AT&T: Sometimes nice, not usually helpful
Comcast: Rarely nice, rarely helpful
HP: Sometimes nice, not usually helpful
Apple: Usually nice, sometimes helpful

I think the difference is in expectations. When one experiences a negative Apple support incident, whether it's a smug Genius or a temperamental phone agent, it's surprising and consequently much more frustrating.
Click to expand...

AT&T: Always sassy, not usually helpful
Comcast: Rarely nice, rarely helpful
Verizon: Sometimes nice, sometimes helpful
Microsoft: Usually long wait, rarely helpful
Apple: Usually nice, sometimes helpful
 
Big Bang Theory and the Genius Bar

Did anyone see on Big Bang Theory when part of the physicists' weekend entertainment was to go to the Genius Bar and make fun of the "geniuses?"

That said, the few times I've needed the Genius Bar I have been well-treated and have been helped.

To the OP, sorry you were treated offensively.
 
the fact the OP can easily ditch his Apple products, shows he didn't really need them in the beginning. Ditching an entire OS and phone system because of one bad experience? Must be able to afford the time and money to get out of Apple.

I absolutely disdain the "genius" bar and think its overly pretentious but the products are rock solid and I care more about the products than minor CS experiences.
 
Why let one bad Apple ruin everything for you? File a complaint against that employee (you'll be doing everyone a favor). Then, let Apple try to make you happy. If they don't, get a Toshiba laptop.
 
Clearly the manager should be fired for his behavior which is clearly not only rude but demeaning and the other 'genius' should be reprimanded for his behavior as well.

I also think you should not give up on Apple products because of this incident, it does not speak about the products or the company, rather the few bad 'apples' who slip through the cracks and wind up ruining it for everyone else.

AM
 
kasanova said:
Well how would you feel if you had a problem with your laptop, had proof of it, then got told in your face you were crazy.
Click to expand...
How would I "feel"? I'd feel compelled to go over the guys head knowing full well that one idiot does not represent Apple.

You're acting childish. Get over your hurt "feelings" and get your macbook fixed.


ashman70 said:
Clearly the manager should be fired for his behavior
Click to expand...
"Clearly" huh?

You macheads crack me up. Always firing Apple people because they don't click their heels and salute when you stomp your foot. :)

You're acting childish as well.
 
kasanova said:
Well how would you feel if you had a problem with your laptop, had proof of it, then got told in your face you were crazy.

To each clique to their own.
Click to expand...

...do you not know how to stick up for yourself? Look you got ****** service, you should demand for better service, report the manager, report the employee, go to another store. But because you had one experience you're going sell everything you have apple and boycott the products that you've come to love?

Jeez, so if you go to a dealership and you get one bad salesman will you never buy Honda/Nissan/BMW/Lexus ever again?

One bad apple doesn't represent the whole, clearly those employees need to be disciplined or even fired. But if I was at a store and an employee was that condescending to me, i'd rip them a new *******. I'd do everything in my power that they lose their position.

Sorry I don't see the point of this thread, it just seems to me like you gave up and can't defend for yourself...your bf just stood there as well? Yeaaaaaah you need to give him up as well.
 
Al Coholic said:
"Clearly" huh?

You macheads crack me up. Always firing Apple people because they don't click their heels and salute when you stomp your foot. :)

You're acting childish as well.
Click to expand...

hmm lets see, if I was the manager or supervisor of a store and one of my employees acted like that towards a customer...that would make me look bad as well as the company. Now what if other customers or potential customers witnessed this employee treating another customer like that. Now instead of losing 1 customer I lose a few more...yeah but its childish to fire an employee because they have bad customer service and just made me lose potential and loyal customers....yeah....macheads....
 
Sorry for your situation…

But on the other hand there are always two sides to each and every story.

I just wonder what venue the Apple Geniuses use to complain about the customers that are self-righteous, over-privileged and have a disturbing sense of entitlement… I bet that can wear on their employees over time. I see a lot of Apple/Mac device owners acting a lot like BMW owners do…

The only actual Apple store that I have been in is in Tokyo so I cannot speak for how they are in the States. The Tokyo employees were fairly knowledgeable...

:apple::cool::apple:
 
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phas3 said:
hmm lets see, if I was the manager or supervisor of a store and one of my employees acted like that towards a customer...that would make me look bad as well as the company. Now what if other customers or potential customers witnessed this employee treating another customer like that. Now instead of losing 1 customer I lose a few more...yeah but its childish to fire an employee because they have bad customer service and just made me lose potential and loyal customers....yeah....macheads....
Click to expand...

Uh... nice rant but you're forgetting one fact. The other side of the story ain't here.

For you to make a determination that the firing of an employee is "cut and dried" based solely on the information presented on a usenet board makes you just as much a dumb-ass "boss" as the manager you're so hell-bent on getting rid of.

I'd hate to work for you.
 
I'm taking this with a grain of salt. Both the Genius and Manager's reactions seem pretty extreme for someone calmly walking in and asking for some assistance. I have to imagine there is something else going on. For someone who is supposedly educated on computers you're giving very few details about your freezing issues and what you tried to do to fix them. What trouble shooting have you done? Have you kept an eye on Activity Monitor or Console messages around the freezing?
 
EVO9Nate said:
I just wonder what venue the Apple Geniuses use to complain about the customers that are self-righteous, over-privileged and have a disturbing sense of entitlement… I bet that can wear on their employees over time.
Click to expand...

From experience, complaining/consoling each other in the genius room is about all they get to do. And yes, you'd be surprised at how many ****** customers there are - they come for help and then act like they know everything. Frustration at the G-Bar is to be expected when a product goes wrong, and they're trained to deal with it, but some of the customers go past the line. The sense of entitlement is crazy.

Once, I carried a customer's 27" iMac to the G-Bar, so she didn't have to struggle with it. After I set it down, she huffed, "Great, you got a fingerprint on the screen" and plopped down onto a stool like she was Queen Elizabeth, immediately turning her back on me/dismissing me like I was a manservant. It was incredibly hard to bite my tongue on that one.

Even after all that, it was still always really cool to help someone fix their problem.

Blipp said:
I'm taking this with a grain of salt. Both the Genius and Manager's reactions seem pretty extreme for someone calmly walking in and asking for some assistance. I have to imagine there is something else going on. For someone who is supposedly educated on computers you're giving very few details about your freezing issues and what you tried to do to fix them. What trouble shooting have you done? Have you kept an eye on Activity Monitor or Console messages around the freezing?
Click to expand...

Agreed, this story is either incredibly, extremely rare, or there's something else going on. I've never seen both a Manager and Genius treat a customer like that (even when it was deserved). I hate to say it, but we saw people on a regular basis that were borderline certifiable.

If not, OP, I wouldn't give up so easily.

(Threads like this make me so glad I don't work for Apple anymore.)
 
This thread goes well with the other one about Chinese factory workers sabotaging Apple laptops in protest of their poor working conditions.
 
phas3 said:
Jeez, so if you go to a dealership and you get one bad salesman will you never buy Honda/Nissan/BMW/Lexus ever again?
Click to expand...

People will say things like this, but often the answer is a resounding "No!". People who sell new cars are in the business of selling brand loyalty. If somebody chooses a Honda over a Nissan because the Nissan salesperson was poor, it's a lot more likely that their next car will be a Honda as well.

Sales and Customer Service are the face of your brand. As I've said in another thread, I went to an Apple store with every intention of switching to MBP and am now actively rethinking this decision based solely on my interactions with the salespeople there. I've heard similar stories elsewhere.

I find this phenomenon to be really curious, because a poor sales-force is worse than no sales-force at all. I know that Apple is printing money with iPhones and iPads, but those sell themselves. Why employ the condescending and misinformed salespeople at all?
 
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