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ebook

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 10, 2004
297
1
Sprint Car Capital of the World
Okay, here is the deal. I ordered a 20" G5 iMac with BT the day they were released and received it the same week that most people started getting theirs around Sept. 20th or so. I set it up and had the loud fan noise problem the day I received it so I called Apple within one hour of delivery to talk with them. They ended up sending a midplane...well actually they did that twice. So, on Oct. 21st they received my iMac back in California so they could send me a brand new machine. At that point I was bummed, but dealing with it. The told me to expect my computer within two weeks. Well, I called them today and they said AT BEST it would ship on the 16th of this month and I should expect it around the 22nd or so. To me this is unacceptable business practice. I do not make very much money and had been saving to get this computer so I could have the best available for the longest possible time (thus ordering the day it came). Now I will probably get me computer (if I'm lucky) almost 3 months from order date. And, they will probably come out with a update in 6 or 7 months. I feel as though I have been screwed out of $2,000 and they really don't care. Do you have any advice on how to handle this situation?
 

quagmire

macrumors 604
Apr 19, 2004
6,870
2,292
PATIENCE!!!! It is not apple's fault. If the G5 was in plentyful supply they would have your new iMac G5 by the 2 weeks they first said. I bet you would of gotten it in the first week.
 

ebook

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 10, 2004
297
1
Sprint Car Capital of the World
quagmire said:
PATIENCE!!!! It is not apple's fault. If the G5 was in plentyful supply they would have your new iMac G5 by the 2 weeks they first said. I bet you would of gotten it in the first week.

Yes, but I could walk into a Apple store and take one out with me, or according to the website I could have one shipped in 3-5 days. I have been patient.
 

Jovian9

macrumors 68000
Feb 19, 2003
1,967
110
Planet Zebes
I would also find this unacceptable. You have paid for your product so you should get it ASAP......before those who are ordering now. I would call Apple and ask to be transferred to Customer Relations. Type everything up that you need to say and all the facts so you can shoot through it to the rep before they have a chance to do anything. Ask to be compensated (maybe more RAM, an iPod, a gift certificate).
I've done this 2X. I bought a refurb 17" PB 1GHz 60GB 1X Superdrive in March......shortly after the battery went out. They sent me a new one (and I had to go to FedEx to send the old one back or I would have been charged for it). Right after that the logic board went out. I had to send it in for repairs (they said I'd have it back in a week or so). After that time had passed I called and talked to Customer Relations and they sent me a 512MB stick of RAM (to match the 512 in the PB) for free.........they offered me a choice b/t a 2nd battery or a stick of RAM and I chose the RAM. After a month had passed I still did not have my PB back. I was pretty upset about spending $2500 on a PB and using it for about 2 weeks in the first 2 months or so. So I called and talked to Customer Relations again. This time they sent me a NEW (not refurbished) 17" 1.33GHz 80GB 2X Superdrive PB to replace the refurb I'd had problems with.
The Customer Relations reps were very nice and understood my frustration. They worked with me to make me satisfied with the situation. Call them and see what they can do for you to make the repair process a little more bearable for you.
 

Sun Baked

macrumors G5
May 19, 2002
14,937
157
Yes, this situation is a little different than somebody who has been waiting for a machine on order -- since you've already paid for the machine.

And in the cases where there is a loan, they're taking your money for a machine you no longer have -- and can't stop paying.
 

ebook

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 10, 2004
297
1
Sprint Car Capital of the World
Sun Baked said:
Yes, this situation is a little different than somebody who has been waiting for a machine on order -- since you've already paid for the machine.

And in the cases where there is a loan, they're taking your money for a machine you no longer have -- and can't stop paying.

Yep, I have paid for this computer (that I don't have) already. Paid the credit card bill over a month ago! And thanks Jovian9 for the advice. I will call them asap. Hopefully they can work something out. I'm also writing a letter to Apple as I'm pretty disappointed with how things have worked.
 

ebook

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 10, 2004
297
1
Sprint Car Capital of the World
Okay, well after they hung-up on me once (I'm sure it was an accident...i hope). I talked with a Customer Relations person and an After Sales Specialist and this is what they told me. Your computer should ship on the 16th. That is all they could say. The could do nothing for me at all. As a life long Apple user who has stated Apple's customer realtions as one of the best reasons to buy from them this is really starting to make me mad.
 

Jovian9

macrumors 68000
Feb 19, 2003
1,967
110
Planet Zebes
Don't give up. Call back and keep reminding them of all the information and when you first purchased this computer. Demand satisfaction.
 

Mechcozmo

macrumors 603
Jul 17, 2004
5,215
2
Be nice, above all. If you are an ass about stuff then they will naturally say, "ugh.. hold for 10 more minutes for you, buddy!"

But make sure that you tell them that you are rather annoyed at the quality of the product and how many times it requires repairs.
 

edesignuk

Moderator emeritus
Mar 25, 2002
19,232
2
London, England
quagmire said:
PATIENCE!!!! It is not apple's fault. If the G5 was in plentyful supply they would have your new iMac G5 by the 2 weeks they first said. I bet you would of gotten it in the first week.
If it's not Apples fault, who's fault is it!?! :rolleyes:

Apple produced and delieverd a dud machine, and now they're taking forever to resolve the problem.

As others have said, don't bother with speaking to the Apple phone drones, ask for a manager, and if they're useless ask for their manager etc. The service you are receiving is not good enough, take it as far as you need to to get it sorted.

Good luck.
 

ebook

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 10, 2004
297
1
Sprint Car Capital of the World
edesignuk said:
As others have said, don't bother with speaking to the Apple phone drones, ask for a manager, and if they're useless ask for their manager etc. The service you are receiving is not good enough, take it as far as you need to to get it sorted.

Good luck.

I sent out a letter to Apple today, and I am also going to send them a few e-mails. I called a left a message with my product specialist yesterday also, I just really wish that I could get something accomplished because I do have more going on in my life than just this Apple and I am getting tired of spending thirty minutes to an hour on the phone with you every time I call.
 

7254278

macrumors 68020
Apr 11, 2004
2,365
0
NYC
I think you have been extremeley patient. . . I have been wanting to make the switch for about 5 months now but unfortunatley i cant afford it yet(hopping to get a new 12" ibook by dec). All I know is if I ordered my ibook and i would have to return it because it was broken id be very frustrated. . . and if I woiuld have had to wait over 2 months to get it back I would probably go postal on apple. ;)

Patients is a vertue but it can also harm your health! ;)

DEMAND(SCREAM,YELL THREATEN), do whatever it takes for satisfaction, you DEFINATLEY deserve it!
 

Mechcozmo

macrumors 603
Jul 17, 2004
5,215
2
Patmian212 said:
DEMAND(SCREAM,YELL THREATEN), do whatever it takes for satisfaction, you DEFINATLEY deserve it!

And then watch as they hang up on you and say, "Talk like that and we WON'T help you."
 

ebook

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 10, 2004
297
1
Sprint Car Capital of the World
I know how to deal with Apple!!!

Well, while it is not a perfect solution it will work. I get home from work today to find a message on my answering machine from the tier 2 specialist that I have been working with. The bad news is that first my replacement computer was to be shipped the 9th, then the 16th, and now it is the 18th (do you think this means they are having problems?). The good news is that he told me because of my wait he is sending me a 20 gig iPod!!! Now that is some customer service. I am disappointed that it has taken this long to fix the situation, and it isn't totally fixed yet, but I am happy that they have tried to please me. I am going to call customer relations and tell them that I am very pleased with the guy that had been working with me. I'm also going to write a letter of thanks...of course I had written a letter of disappointment about 5 days ago...

Let's just hope they aren't wrong about the ship date of the 18th. If it ships then I may get lucky and get it before Thanksgiving (crosses fingers). If it doesn't ship, well then it will be close to December and I'll have been waiting over 3 months for a computer that has already been paid for.
 

Jovian9

macrumors 68000
Feb 19, 2003
1,967
110
Planet Zebes
ebook said:
Well, while it is not a perfect solution it will work. I get home from work today to find a message on my answering machine from the tier 2 specialist that I have been working with. The bad news is that first my replacement computer was to be shipped the 9th, then the 16th, and now it is the 18th (do you think this means they are having problems?). The good news is that he told me because of my wait he is sending me a 20 gig iPod!!! Now that is some customer service. I am disappointed that it has taken this long to fix the situation, and it isn't totally fixed yet, but I am happy that they have tried to please me. I am going to call customer relations and tell them that I am very pleased with the guy that had been working with me. I'm also going to write a letter of thanks...of course I had written a letter of disappointment about 5 days ago...

Let's just hope they aren't wrong about the ship date of the 18th. If it ships then I may get lucky and get it before Thanksgiving (crosses fingers). If it doesn't ship, well then it will be close to December and I'll have been waiting over 3 months for a computer that has already been paid for.

Glad to hear you are at least getting some decent compensation for your wait/troubles.
Did I see in another post that you are getting some RAM for the iMac G5 as well as a 20GB iPod?
 

ebook

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 10, 2004
297
1
Sprint Car Capital of the World
Jovian9 said:
Glad to hear you are at least getting some decent compensation for your wait/troubles.
Did I see in another post that you are getting some RAM for the iMac G5 as well as a 20GB iPod?

Yep, they sent me some RAM on October 21st (I think) because of the month of calls and what not. Then they told me that I should have my new computer in a week and a half, then they told me Nov. 9, then they told me Nov. 16, then they told me Nov. 18. I called and told them that I would at least like to have something I can use...so the iPod came, and it came today! I would love to have my computer because I purchased it to use the DVD burner, AirTunes, Garage Band, etc... but, I'm also glad that they were willing to compensate me in order to make things some what right.
 

ebook

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 10, 2004
297
1
Sprint Car Capital of the World
Rocksaurus said:
I'm going to be perfectly honest with you guys - I'd wait 3 months for a free iPod ANY TIME. Agh. No more complaining please.

Well, that's fine if you would. And I'm glad that I got it (although I probably would have gotten one for Christmas). But, I paid around $2100 for a new iMac, $130 for an AirPort Extreme Base Station, $150 for a printer, and $119 for an AirPort Exprese. Also, I sold my old iMac G3. Now, all of that money has been out of my bank account for awhile and I really can't use any of it! I work at a church (not a lot of pay) and my wife stays at home with our son. We could afford this computer, but we had been saving up for it and looking forward to using iMovie and iDVD to put together some family videos that we have shot of our son. Also, we wanted to use the AirPort Express to stream music to our living room because my wife likes to listen to music during the day. So....yes, I'm pleased with the iPod, but if I had a choice of a computer that worked from day one or waiting three months and getting an iPod I would take the computer. Just a difference of opinion between us, and if you read over the whole thread you can notice that I'm complementing Apple's Customer Service, in fact I wrote more about how I was pleased with in the Review Forum.
 

absolut_mac

macrumors 6502a
Oct 30, 2003
934
0
Dallas, Texas
Great!!

ebook said:
The good news is that he told me because of my wait he is sending me a 20 gig iPod!!! Now that is some customer service.

Great news - you obviously don't need any pointers from us.

As for those who recommended shouting and yelling - that's a huge no-no in my experience. I know, I've tried that method before, usually without much success.

The best method is always to deal with the highest supervisor/manager available and to be very polite, but firm. And for me personally, what usually does most companies in and make them see your point of view is when you use expressions like....

"I know Apple is such a professional company, so I've always expected the best from them. Unfortunately the way this has been handled isn't up to Apple's usual professional standards etc"

Most companies detest it when consumers flatter them first, and then accuse them of becoming unprofessional :D
 

caveman_uk

Guest
Feb 17, 2003
2,390
1
Hitchin, Herts, UK
Yeah....losing it doesn't get you anywhere. Polite but firm is the way. Interestingly enough I use that 'flatter them then say how disappointed you are' approach all the time....
 

wdlove

macrumors P6
Oct 20, 2002
16,568
0
ebook said:
Yes, but I could walk into a Apple store and take one out with me, or according to the website I could have one shipped in 3-5 days. I have been patient.

If you just want a stock iMac then it makes sense to purchase at your local Apple Store. Then you would be eligible for the ProCare Card. It allows for priority assistance at the store and also on repairs.
 

ebook

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 10, 2004
297
1
Sprint Car Capital of the World
Just a little update

I received my replacement iMac today and as far as the fan issues go I think I have a GOOD ONE! BUT, you are not going to believe this. My original machine came with the BT mouse and keyboard along with an AirPort Extreme Card...well, this one has none of those! Luckily it does have BT built in so I don't have to get a new computer, but I had to call Apple for 1 hour to tell them to send me a new AirPort Card and BT keyboard and mouse (which they are doing). I'll just be glad when I have everything and it is all set up and done!!!
 
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