Unhappy about Apple Store in Santa Rosa CA

[swissjo]

My C key popped off the keyboard, and I called Apple. They were very helpful and asked if I had AppleCare. I said yes--I paid a fortune for it--and the person said they would take care of this by making an appointment for the Genius bar. So my wife treks over to Santa Rosa for the appointment. Some too-cool-for-his customers dude named Sean could care less about solving any problems. He denies that AppleCare will fix this, and he suggests a new keyboard as the only answer, to the tune of mucho dinero. Of course, they don't have a keyboard, and, of course, another appointment is needed.
In summary, I am not happy about the runaround, and especially about a snooty, snotty-nosed know-it-all who should work at a correctional institution for all his attitude in customer service skills.
Steve, are you listening? These kinds of problems will screw up your business!
Maybe not today, but in the long run...

 

[Dragonforce]

Maybe you could try to attach the key back to the keyboard by yourself? I once "vacuumed" 2 keys off my Apple Alu Keyboard, they were really easy to attach. They snap right in place.

 

[Ravich]

You didnt think to like... get his name, call and complain, and demand compensation?

 

[GoCubsGo]

It's that he couldn't care less ...
You don't need an appointment to buy a keyboard ...
You should have complained and no, steve isn't listening.

 

[lionheartednyhc]

And you're telling this to us, why? Try directing this to the store.

 

[sparkie7]

Never send the missus to do your job. Esp a tech one.

 

[crazytom]

Going the way of M$?

I took my keyboard in today to get it fixed under Applecare. It had sticky keys and keys were failing left and right every day until it became unusable...and no, I didn't spill anything in it. I was told by the friendly folks at the store that I had to bring MY WHOLE COMPUTER in....to fix my keyboard!

Sure, I could complain to the store, manager, and any customer that was in shouting distance, but I'm sure that they'd stand behind some stupid 'policy' stating why they couldn't take care of a customer, that has over the years paid many thousands of dollars for computers, ipods, accessories, and applications ... just so they could make sure they weren't getting screwed by replacing a $40 keyboard that's under warranty... I don't need that BS and the only thing my complaining about it would do is get me more upset and do something stupid, like cracking that keyboard over their counter.

Fortunately, there's the online customer self-service center: no attitude, easy questions, my documents are available and verified, service is prompt. The only bummer is waiting for the part to get shipped to me and having to purchase a cheap keyboard to get me by in the interim....though, it would be all too easy to do the exact same thing at the Apple Store and... save Apple some money by not paying shipping both ways and... save me the waiting time for a fixed keyboard... all the bureaucracy of Apple now is very reminiscent of a M$ from their mid-years. I hate to see a good company go bad.

I was going to buy a new ipod while I was there, but I won't keep throwing money at a company that is going to be making mountains out of mole hills. I used to be a Mac fanboy, but I've been burned on the G4 'Windtunnel', the 3G ipod, 50% software application update costs when buying a new mac (I'm on #5) ... if they can't take care of me IN STORE for a simple replacement keyboard, then I'm done with them. I'll be watching and supporting Google for now on and see if they will stay a 'good company' for very much longer.

 

[dockingbay94]

They should be able to replace your key (if they have spare or loose keys which is not likely) or keyboard if deemed necessary under AppleCare if no liquid or accidental damage has been caused to it. If this is the case then the retail representative was wrong in his conclusion given the information you provided here.

The only time they will recommend you bring in the entire computer if its a keyboard issue, is if they suspect that it could be an issue with both (ie. keys not responding, bluetooth not connecting, keys mapped wrong, etc.)

 

[Wild-Bill]

What?!?!!?!?!?

If an store employee told me I had to bring my Mac Pro tower into the store for them to fix my keyboard, I would ask them what they were smoking.... and could I have some.

No way in hell I would accept that answer from Apple.

 

[nasabaer]

Oh man... such a great service...
They easily could connect your defective keyboard to another mac and test the keys there.
if they are functioning properly you have a problem with your mac / usb connector or system. Point.
Abolutely no need to bring in the whole mac.