I thought I'd share my horrible customer service experience that I had at an AT&T Corporate Store this afternoon.
I know this is a long post, but a lot of stuff happened, and I don't think it would be possible for me to shorten it much without completely losing how completely ludicrous it was. Plus, I need to vent.
Here we go......
I was walking by an AT&T Store, so I decided to go in to take a look at the iPhone cases, as I want to buy one for my new 3G S⃣ . I went over to the rack and started looking. While I was looking, I had my in-ear headphones on and was listening to music.
A sales associate approached me and asked me if I bought the new 3G S⃣ . I told him yes. He next asked if I bought AppleCare. I told him no, I didn't. He asked me why. I told him that I didn't need to buy it until the day before a year after my purchase date.
Before I go on...... a little aside:
On Launch Day, I went into this AT&T Store to ask if they had any iPhones. They didn't, but a sales associate chatted with me and showed me on their computer that I was eligible (which I already knew). For some reason the subject of the iPhone warranty came up. He told me that Apple has changed their policy. The new manufacturer's warranty is only 90 days. I told him that's wrong- it's a 1 year manufacturer and 90 days phone support- as it is on all Apple products. He insisted he was right. I shrugged and said he was wrong, and if it had changed I would know about it (from MacRumors of course!). When I got home, I went on Apple's website, saw that the warranty is the same as I thought it was, and decided as a courtesy to call the guy up and tell him. I called and told him, I told him where I got the info, and he thanked me. The end.
Back to my experience today.......
So after telling today's sales guy that I didn't need to buy AppleCare for a year, he told me that I was wrong, and that I only have 30 days to buy it!
I told him he was wrong, and that the manufacturer's warranty is for 1 year and phone support is for 90 days and that I have 1 year from the purchase date to buy AppleCare.
At that point, he started getting aggressive. I repeated the CORRECT information again, to which he again said that I was wrong and that his info is from an AT&T email. I told him he probably misread it. When I tried to repeat the correct info again, he kept on interrupting me/cutting me off and telling me I'm wrong and that I don't know what I'm talking about.
I told him to go to Apple's website and see for himself. He said he didn't need to! So I pulled out my iPhone, went to the site myself and showed him the iPhone AppleCare chart. He told me that it was wrong! He said that it was old information, and it's the same as the back of the AppleCare box, which is also old. I told him that Apple updates their site and doesn't display old info. He still INSISTED he was right!
I don't know why I continued with this situation, but it was kind of funny and absurd. Plus, I felt that he was using the 30 day thing as a scare tactic to force customers into buying AppleCare from him for either commission or to increase the store's revenue.
At this point, another sales guy came to watch and others in the store were watching and shaking their heads or laughing.
I offered to call 1-800-MY-APPLE, he said go for it, and got a representative on the phone, put him on speaker, and asked the rep to explain the warranty and AppleCare to the sales guy. Obviously, the Apple rep said the same thing I said. I thanked him, hung up..... and the sales guy STILL INSISTED he was right!!!!! He then asked where I called, and I told him 1-800-MY-APPLE. He said: "Oh, that's just like calling an Apple Store. They don't know anything. I told you to call Apple Corporate. They would have told you what I've told you. I'm still right about what I said."
The sales guy asked to see my iPhone so he can see what number I called. I told him that I wasn't about to hand my new 3G S⃣ to him. He asked if I thought he was going to steal it?!?!?
WTF?
He told me that I was acting like a jerk. I was not. I was being respectful even though I was having an argument with him.
He then told me that the Apple rep never said about needing to buy AppleCare in the first 30 days, which he claimed as fact. I told him that the Apple rep DID state that you have a year to buy it. He STILL insisted that he was right.
The other guy then asked what my problem was. I said: "I don't have a problem. I came in to look at iPhone cases. That guy engaged me. I didn't ask for his help." The sales guy then said that I did need help because I was looking at cases. No I didn't. I know how to use my eyes. I was looking at the rack of cases. I didn't need help with that. I told him that I didn't need help looking at something.
This went on for a little while longer as I was trying to leave. A few other little exchanges happened. It was very, very strange. They made me feel like a crazy person. As if I came in there to get into an argument or something. All I wanted to do was to look at the iPhone cases. I wasn't even planning on talking to anyone- I was listening to music.
I called AT&T Customer Service, told them the story, they apologized, and they told me that I would have to talk to the store manager. They recorded what I told them. The store manager isn't in until Friday. I'll be calling her then.
Anyone else besides me think that the sales guy from Launch Day told the sales guy from today to bug me about AppleCare? That's the conclusion I came to while walking home afterwards.
Whoa, sorry for the length!
I know this is a long post, but a lot of stuff happened, and I don't think it would be possible for me to shorten it much without completely losing how completely ludicrous it was. Plus, I need to vent.
Here we go......
I was walking by an AT&T Store, so I decided to go in to take a look at the iPhone cases, as I want to buy one for my new 3G S⃣ . I went over to the rack and started looking. While I was looking, I had my in-ear headphones on and was listening to music.
A sales associate approached me and asked me if I bought the new 3G S⃣ . I told him yes. He next asked if I bought AppleCare. I told him no, I didn't. He asked me why. I told him that I didn't need to buy it until the day before a year after my purchase date.
Before I go on...... a little aside:
On Launch Day, I went into this AT&T Store to ask if they had any iPhones. They didn't, but a sales associate chatted with me and showed me on their computer that I was eligible (which I already knew). For some reason the subject of the iPhone warranty came up. He told me that Apple has changed their policy. The new manufacturer's warranty is only 90 days. I told him that's wrong- it's a 1 year manufacturer and 90 days phone support- as it is on all Apple products. He insisted he was right. I shrugged and said he was wrong, and if it had changed I would know about it (from MacRumors of course!). When I got home, I went on Apple's website, saw that the warranty is the same as I thought it was, and decided as a courtesy to call the guy up and tell him. I called and told him, I told him where I got the info, and he thanked me. The end.
Back to my experience today.......
So after telling today's sales guy that I didn't need to buy AppleCare for a year, he told me that I was wrong, and that I only have 30 days to buy it!
I told him he was wrong, and that the manufacturer's warranty is for 1 year and phone support is for 90 days and that I have 1 year from the purchase date to buy AppleCare.
At that point, he started getting aggressive. I repeated the CORRECT information again, to which he again said that I was wrong and that his info is from an AT&T email. I told him he probably misread it. When I tried to repeat the correct info again, he kept on interrupting me/cutting me off and telling me I'm wrong and that I don't know what I'm talking about.
I told him to go to Apple's website and see for himself. He said he didn't need to! So I pulled out my iPhone, went to the site myself and showed him the iPhone AppleCare chart. He told me that it was wrong! He said that it was old information, and it's the same as the back of the AppleCare box, which is also old. I told him that Apple updates their site and doesn't display old info. He still INSISTED he was right!
I don't know why I continued with this situation, but it was kind of funny and absurd. Plus, I felt that he was using the 30 day thing as a scare tactic to force customers into buying AppleCare from him for either commission or to increase the store's revenue.
At this point, another sales guy came to watch and others in the store were watching and shaking their heads or laughing.
I offered to call 1-800-MY-APPLE, he said go for it, and got a representative on the phone, put him on speaker, and asked the rep to explain the warranty and AppleCare to the sales guy. Obviously, the Apple rep said the same thing I said. I thanked him, hung up..... and the sales guy STILL INSISTED he was right!!!!! He then asked where I called, and I told him 1-800-MY-APPLE. He said: "Oh, that's just like calling an Apple Store. They don't know anything. I told you to call Apple Corporate. They would have told you what I've told you. I'm still right about what I said."
The sales guy asked to see my iPhone so he can see what number I called. I told him that I wasn't about to hand my new 3G S⃣ to him. He asked if I thought he was going to steal it?!?!?
WTF?
He told me that I was acting like a jerk. I was not. I was being respectful even though I was having an argument with him.
He then told me that the Apple rep never said about needing to buy AppleCare in the first 30 days, which he claimed as fact. I told him that the Apple rep DID state that you have a year to buy it. He STILL insisted that he was right.
The other guy then asked what my problem was. I said: "I don't have a problem. I came in to look at iPhone cases. That guy engaged me. I didn't ask for his help." The sales guy then said that I did need help because I was looking at cases. No I didn't. I know how to use my eyes. I was looking at the rack of cases. I didn't need help with that. I told him that I didn't need help looking at something.
This went on for a little while longer as I was trying to leave. A few other little exchanges happened. It was very, very strange. They made me feel like a crazy person. As if I came in there to get into an argument or something. All I wanted to do was to look at the iPhone cases. I wasn't even planning on talking to anyone- I was listening to music.
I called AT&T Customer Service, told them the story, they apologized, and they told me that I would have to talk to the store manager. They recorded what I told them. The store manager isn't in until Friday. I'll be calling her then.
Anyone else besides me think that the sales guy from Launch Day told the sales guy from today to bug me about AppleCare? That's the conclusion I came to while walking home afterwards.
Whoa, sorry for the length!
