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Panther in UK

I just phoned Apple

Well all my stuff (Panther and some DVD-Rs) has been sitting in Luxembourg for 48 hours now without any movement at all.

I phoned Apple to politely ask what was going on and express my disappointment.

The guy on the phone said he would 'get in touch with his transportation team and see what could be done to expedite delivery, either on Friday or Monday at the latest'.

I asked if this was the best he could do, and he just kept repeating that same quote above like a mantra.

I know it is not the person answering the phone's fault but it just sounded so stupid, because the reality is they have majorly messed up here, and the guy isn't really going to do anything specific to help me, that's just a cover story for the truth which is they are scrambling to sort it out for everyone.

Floop
 
I phoned Panther today because I hadn't recieved shipping notice for my replacement Panther.

Was told to email the support team. I asked why and was told that they were now out of stock and didn't know when shipment would begin again.

What a laugh!
 
OSX Panther Fiasco!

OK so still no copy of OSX Panther here. So I decide to call my local PC World, they confirm they have it in stock. So I decide enough is enough, I will call the Apple UK store and cancel my order and claim a refund on my credit card which they took on the 24th of October, having shippe dmy product on 21st of October, so they say.

First I wait 20mins in order to get through on the telephone, I then speak to a gentlemen and inform him about what I want to do, within seconds he puts me back on hold and I wait another 20 mins. I am now so determined not to give Apple my business that I hang on. I get to speak to another gentlemen and explain I simply wish to cancel the order and claim a refund.


He informs me that he cannot do that until ten working days has elapsed! So I have to ring again on Tuesday next week in order to claim my refund! I cannot believe this carziness!

I also wrote two separate emails yesterday to which I still have not received a reply.

Well I can assure Apple UK that I will today be purchasing my copy of OSX Panther from PC World, and next week I will be ringing you up to claim a full refund. You are not having my business after the pathetic way in which you have dealt with this situation.

OK they are technicaly within their right to make me wait, I should not expect to get my copy before the ten days. OK fine, if they want to play it that way I can. I will comply with their 'procedures' and do as I am told.

However, Apple UK forgot to ask what I do for a living... I am a management consultant who deals with thousands of tainee managers a year. We talk to them about 'good management processes' about 'quality management systems' and 'excellent customer service'. I shall be developing an interesting case study on my current experience of Apple UK and I assure Apple that I will be telling this story to thousands of groups of managers over the next few months and years. It could have been so much better, the story could have been so much more positive... but the procedures prevent it from being so.

It seems Apple got rid of a £99 'bolshy' customer, but what they haven't calculated is the damage that has been done to it's reputation, at a time when it is trying to win over 'switchers'.

Sorry Apple, but with this one you really have not done yourself any favours.
 
It's beyond a laugh now, it's just pathetic. Thursday and no new "panties"!

I'm sure some non-Mac-heads would look at this thread and think we're all sad losers! :) But the point is we actually LIKE Apple and the Mac and, presumably, enjoy using it. If we weren't so loyal we wouldn't give a damn about late deliveries and false promises.

The problem is it seems now like Apple UK take that loyalty completely for-granted and assume they can offer second rate service without it impacting on their sales figures.

The same seems to go for the iPhoto photo/book ordering service, full-speed •mac services instead of the snail-pace we currently get, non-US centric Sherlock channels etc etc. That's such a crap attitude!

I'm looking forward to the new UK Mac Users site. I have some HTML experience and (more) graphic design experience - I can also string a sentence or two together and find it difficult sometimes to keep my opinions to myself! If any of that is of use to you, count me in too!
 
What I love is the Apple Store's consistency of approach :D

Today (Thursday 30th) I rang the Apple Store to enquire as to the whereabouts of my copy of Panther.... I spoke to 'Peter' and then I was put on hold for another 4 minutes, then I got the following offer:

(a) A courier delivered copy in 1-2 working days.

or,

(b) a complete refund.....

I took the refund... my copy's coming from MacWarehouse before midday tomorrow.

-Rob
 
Good choice, the courier option is a fix up, they haven't got any copies to send out at the moment. I was told that my order would remain 'open' for the forseeable future!
 
I also took the refund option and went down to Tottenham Court Road last night. Installed Panther this morning and all is fine with the world.

Very slick is all I can say..

Shame on Apple for making us want it so badly we can't wait and then not delivering the goods.

A classic case of over-promise and under-deliver.
 
I got my copy this morning.

The package says it was posted on the 21st, and is a simple Royal Mail 1st Class (ie not ParcelForce, ParcelPost). Yep, my order was marked as 'Spring'.

Hang in there, guys. Here's hoping it'll be better next time.

Fantastic product, Apple; but lousy logisitics.
 
Originally posted by BowiPod
Are you in London or elsewhere?
Click to expand...
I'm elsewhere.

That's a point worth noting - in some areas PART of the delay may not be Apple's fault, as the postal strikes seem to be spreading from London.

However, I'm in an area not affected by any strikes (yep, I checked ;) ), and it still only arrived on the 30th having been sent on the 21st. Express delivery this ain't. "Allow 10 days for delivery" sounds right, "We'll get it to you on the evening of the 24th" sounds like a complete lie.
 
Still nothing.

I ordered on the 9th.

I received an email saying my items (Panther and some DVD-Rs) had shipped on the 23rd, at which point they were in Ireland.

They then, separately, went to Luxembourg.

They had both arrived in Luxembourg on the afternoon of Tuesday 28th.

It is now the evening of Thursday 30th.

They are still in Luxembourg, they haven't moved an inch in over 48 hours.

Here is the tracking information, showing them still sitting in Luxembourg:

http://www.eyesite-design.co.uk/junk/tracking.jpg

I am losing my patience and sense of humour.

Floop
 
The Saga Continues

This morning I get this rather simple email from the Apple Store UK.

Dear Sir,

A request has been made that your order be shipped by express courrier, this request is filed under the reference number QMS XXXXXX
Apologies for any inconvenience caused.
Best Regards,

What does this mean? "A request has been made?" To whom?

1. From the sender to internal Apple distrubution?

2. From Apple to Parcel Post?

If 1., what is the point. I was told the parcel already shipped on 21st of October. So unless Apple are sending a second copy what will the request achieve?

If 2., what is the point in asking the company that fouled up in the first place to help you out?

No traking info, no details. Just a "fob off" in my opinion.

Lets see what happens.

And all I am trying to do here, is buy something that was offered for sale!

At least I got an email reply, I guess I should be grateful!

Gees.
 
The Saga Continues

This morning I get this rather simple email from the Apple Store UK.

Dear Sir,

A request has been made that your order be shipped by express courrier, this request is filed under the reference number QMS XXXXXX
Apologies for any inconvenience caused.
Best Regards,

What does this mean? "A request has been made?" To whom?

1. From the sender to internal Apple distrubution?

2. From Apple to Parcel Post?

If 1., what is the point. I was told the parcel already shipped on 21st of October. So unless Apple are sending a second copy what will the request achieve?

If 2., what is the point in asking the company that fouled up in the first place to help you out?

No traking info, no details. Just a "fob off" in my opinion.

Lets see what happens.

And all I am trying to do here, is buy something that was offered for sale!

At least I got an email reply, I guess I should be grateful!

Gees.
 
Sorry for the double post... tried to delete it but not enough privileges...not my day!
 
Finally it arrived. For you information mine shipped on the 22nd.

I've also got another copy on the way!

Good luck to the rest of you:)
 
BowiPod,

Where are you based? How did your copy arrive? Courier or Parcel Post/Ordinary Post?
 
I'm in Aberdeen, arrived by First Class Post (Royal Mail).

Hope this helps.
 
Got mine

I was checking my online tracking - which showed my delivery was still in Luxembourg, THREE DAYS after it got there... when there was a ring at the door

It was the man from TNT with my copy of Panther and DVD-Rs

Now I can moan about the fact that Apple are saying there are problems between Panther and Firewire HDs. I have a Firewire HD.

Talk about blowing a product launch.

Oh, and according to the tracking, all my items are still in Luxembourg, although they are sitting on my desk next to me.

Floop
 
Still no sign of my copy, in Orpington, Kent (BR postcode).

Everywhere around us seems to have got whacked by the strikes - further in, there's the SE postcodes that're screwed, as are the DA and ME areas further out into Kent.

I got a 1st class delivery from Amazon this morning though, so it looks like the post is working.

So... one week on, and about 3 weeks since I originally ordered. Not holding my breath for delivery 2nd post today or Saturday morning...
 
Well, it got here, it has a 'First Class' sticker on it for returning it to Apple if it doesn't get delivered - but i don't believe it was actually sent First Class - since when did First Class mail take 9 days!?

On the FireWire drive issue - Apple have made a statement, details here http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/2003/10/30/firewireissue/index.php?redirect=1067569441000 and it appears it's due to a bug in the firmware for some FireWire 800 drives only.

If, like me, you've got a FW 400 drive there's no problem and you can go ahead and use it (but don't quote me!).

If you have a FW 800 drive check with the manufacturers because some of them have already issued firmware updates to fix the problem.
 
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