Replacement process experience

[Trogdor796]

Just to clarify on a few thing people were wondering about.

I left watch with them Wednesday and got the email on Sunday that it was ready for pickup.

The "chatting with support agent" was indeed an online text exchange. I also have a copy of the transcript in an email they sent me, and do plan to include it in the email to Tim Cook.

Regarding apple care, I'm strongly regretting not purchasing it for the watch and can't now as it's been 90 days. This would have been a $330 repair without warranty, all for something that just happened during normal use of the watch. If it had a major problem a few months in what's to say it doesn't develop another problem down the line?

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

Regarding apple care, I'm strongly regretting not purchasing it for the watch and can't now as it's been 90 days. This would have been a $330 repai without

Did you purchase it with a credit card? Many CCs offer extended warranty in the 2nd year. Amex makes it particularly easy to file a claim and they'd reimburse you the $329 plus tax for the repair.

If you already have one of those CCs but used your debit card instead, remind yourself to use it for all large ticket purchases from now on. You can always pay it off right away like a charge/debit card.

 

[Trogdor796]

Did you purchase it with a credit card? Many CCs offer extended warranty in the 2nd year. Amex makes it particularly easy to file a claim and they'd reimburse you the $329 plus tax for the repair.

If you already have one of those CCs but used your debit card instead, remind yourself to use it for all large ticket purchases from now on. You can always pay it off right away like a charge/debit card.

It was purchased with an American Express, I'll have to look up their policy on it. Thanks for the tip, I hadn't even thought of that!

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

It was purchased with an American Express, I'll have to look up their policy on it. Thanks for the tip, I hadn't even thought of that!

Then you're good to go. Amex will mirror the standard one-year warranty in the second year and cover all manufacturing defects, including defective taptic engines and water damage.

 

[fanta88]

I have to agree with other posters who note that this is a worrying deviation from the replacement policies for most of the prior apple devices. And I also hope that this is not the policy for future iphones, for example. To be without the watch for approximately a week is one thing; to be without a phone is another.

 

[sziehr]

I've had a similar experience this morning. I booked in a Genius Bar appointment for a lil chip underneath my black sport watch. Now I thought this chip was bizarre as anytime I put the watch down its on the charger and find it hard to believe something could have done that against my skin.

I have knocked the watch against walls, tables (including my stone bench top) and to my surprise not one mark is visible! But a chip underneath led me to believe the anodizing could be faulty in that area.

So I turned up for my appointment and was shut down immediately for the argument that it is a wearable device and these things happen. I thought was a valid point but to be so durable everywhere else doesn't make any sense to me.

I expressed my concern that the charger might be the culprit and that was shot down also, without him even looking at the bloody thing!

So I continued to complain about what software bugs I was having, the genius looking after me had no clue. I know I am technically minded with this but to have more knowledge than a genius really threw me.

End of the story he explained no replacement and they do not do anything watch related instore, everything gets sent out 7-10 days turnaround. Even software restores!!! His reasoning is like someone else stated, this is a new device.

In the end he quite rudely dismissed me while my watch was being repaired with my iPhone. To send a customer on their way and say "call AppleCare" with an unusable device has rattled my faith in Apple.

I have been with apple since the iPhone 4, dealt with Apple numerous times and this is the first time I can say i am truly disappointed.

From this experience it seems like they are fazing out there second to none customer service!

My concern is Apple is ditching the one thing I love most about them... Their concern for the user experience.

This echo of my experience when i return mine for a rash issue. I could have walked in with a shattered iPhone and walked out with a iPhone no BS.

The agent was not helpful and rude about my issue. I am not just shaken i am no longer pushing the people i support to buy apple anything. I mean if i can not get top flight service from them why should i excuse the higher cost of devices with it is made up for in service.

I am but a small fish in the pond but seems like this is a system wide issue now.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

I am but a small fish in the pond but seems like this is a system wide issue now.

It's not yet a system wide issue, as they're still stocking white box replacements for other iDevices for same day replacement. We'll start worrying about it being a system wide issue if they choose not to stock white box replacements for the upcoming iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.

 

[jbachandouris]

It's not yet a system wide issue, as they're still stocking white box replacements for other iDevices for same day replacement. We'll start worrying about it being a system wide issue if they choose not to stock white box replacements for the upcoming iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.

He's not talking about the lack of what box replacements, he's talking about Apple's 'support' reps having lousy attitudes and being unhelpful.

There was an article on another website where a woman was told 'you're wearing it wrong' because she had a rash. I'm sorry, it takes a special kind of STUPID to say something like that.

When they told me my watch had to be sent back, I just returned it. I will re-purchase at some point, but having to send a watch out for a software restore is not acceptable at this stage.

 

[Trogdor796]

He's not talking about the lack of what box replacements, he's talking about Apple's 'support' reps having lousy attitudes and being unhelpful.

There was an article on another website where a woman was told 'you're wearing it wrong' because she had a rash. I'm sorry, it takes a special kind of STUPID to say something like that.

When they told me my watch had to be sent back, I just returned it. I will re-purchase at some point, but having to send a watch out for a software restore is not acceptable at this stage.

They have you send them out for software problems? What kind of software problem are they unable to fix in store, on the spot? That's just wrong.

 

[jbachandouris]

That is correct. The last time I checked (granted it's been over a month), they told me they had to be sent back for even the simplest software restore. I declined.

 

[Trogdor796]

That is correct. The last time I checked (granted it's been over a month), they told me they had to be sent back for even the simplest software restore. I declined.

Wow...as someone who works in IT, that just doesn't even make sense.

Well, I sent an email to Tim Cook. I'll update you guys if I hear anything back. I'm not expecting any compensation, I just want him or someone high up at Apple to be aware of this stuff.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

He's not talking about the lack of what box replacements, he's talking about Apple's 'support' reps having lousy attitudes and being unhelpful.

There was an article on another website where a woman was told 'you're wearing it wrong' because she had a rash. I'm sorry, it takes a special kind of STUPID to say something like that.

When they told me my watch had to be sent back, I just returned it. I will re-purchase at some point, but having to send a watch out for a software restore is not acceptable at this stage.

There are too many members who think they're allergic when it's actually contact dermatitis, and hence they have unrealistic expectations. I see only a few genuine cases of actual allergies.

The real underlying issue that affects all members whatever the problem is concerns Apple's decision not to stock white box replacement for the AW as they've done in the past for other iDevices. As you pointed out, it's inconvenient to have to send a watch out for a simple software restore.

 

[jannette]

I am in the UK and have had excellent support for my watch. I had multiple problems with the software. After speaking to first line support and trying various things including un pairing etc, I was escalated to senior support.

We tried various things, but nothing worked and so the agent ( a lovely Irish lady) said they would send me a new watch overnight. Some hours later another senior support agent called to say she had been reading my case notes and thought that perhaps a clean install of IOS 8 might do the trick.

This did fix all the problems. Next day the replacement watch arrived. I sent it back and received a gift card for all the trouble.

So, in the UK, Apple support is still good. I have the direct number to senior support now.....just call us when you have a problem. I do not have Apple Care.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

They have you send them out for software problems? What kind of software problem are they unable to fix in store, on the spot? That's just wrong.

That's the risk people take for choosing to install the beta on their daily use AW (when they're not actually developers). Apple Stores aren't equipped to do any repair on the AW (including flashing back to wOS1), so it boils down to Apple's choosing not to stock white box replacements for the AW.

 

[JohnApples]

I am in the UK and have had excellent support for my watch. I had multiple problems with the software. After speaking to first line support and trying various things including un pairing etc, I was escalated to senior support.

We tried various things, but nothing worked and so the agent ( a lovely Irish lady) said they would send me a new watch overnight. Some hours later another senior support agent called to say she had been reading my case notes and thought that perhaps a clean install of IOS 8 might do the trick.

This did fix all the problems. Next day the replacement watch arrived. I sent it back and received a gift card for all the trouble.

So, in the UK, Apple support is still good. I have the direct number to senior support now.....just call us when you have a problem. I do not have Apple Care.

Wow I wish I could say the same for me (in the US). I went through hell this summer with my Apple Watch (posted about it a couple of times) and didn't receive so much as a proper apology (just lots of "I understand your frustration"s).

Took my Watch in for repairs, went back a few days later only to find out that they declined repair. Spoke with a few different representatives and a "senior adviser" and none of them could figure out why it was declined. Was told that the repair process was 'not handled properly'. Had to mail my Watch in again and wait a week for a replacement.

Then I couldn't get the AC+ transferred over to the Watch, and it took 3 weeks and countless phone calls to get it right. Again, no one could figure out why the warranty wouldn't transfer over and it wasn't until the THIRD "senior adviser" did I actually get my problem resolved. Kept getting tossed around between different reps, with literally hours worth of on-hold time. No apologies.

In the past I've received excellent support when it was about my iPhone. Really disappointed in the Watch support, even though I know it's a new product.

 

[Night Spring]

They have you send them out for software problems? What kind of software problem are they unable to fix in store, on the spot? That's just wrong.

The "software problem" I heard about was people who had upgraded to watch OS 2 beta, and wanted to downgrade back to regular watch OS. Apple does not officially support downgrading iOS devices and Apple watches. But with iOS devices there's a workaround where you can force a device into DFU (device firmware upload) mode, and upload an older iOS through a computer. Since the Apple watch has no USB port to connect to a computer, this does not work with Apple watch. That's why they need to send it back to factory, because Apple stores don't have the necessary equipment to force a firmware reload.

Of course, as JayLenoChin pointed out, this process could be made faster by stocking replacement watches in-store, and swapping them out. But for people who upgraded to beta and then decided they want to downgrade, I have no sympathy. They should have known the risk when they installed a beta software, and I don't think they should be able to get replacement watches to fix their mistake.