Updated:They sold my RESERVED iPhone!!!

[bruinsrme]

I didn't get anything from the manager other than a sorry. That's it. He was to interested in going home then trying to make things better.

Bastard wanting to go home after dealing with hundreds of customers and prepping the staff and store for the launch.
What would have made it better?

Personally I would have shaken his hand and said have a nice evening and have asked him to call me the next day to see how it could be resolved.

Sometimes a little humanity goes far with Apple.

I had a problem with the new iPad. The issue consumed so much time I had to come back the next day to purchase a MacBook. That cause me to miss out on the back to school deal. Called Apple and explained. The manager confirmed and Apple took very good care of me.

I realize the excitement. But I there is one company that will make things right it's Apple

 

[nascars321]

So an update:
Got a call from the store manager. Was not sure how my phone disappeared. Would try to find out what happened. Totally was very nice and professional. Even offered me a free case of my choice when my phone arrives.

I didn't ask that with my reservation being 8-8:30 and because of a 30 min line it was 8:45ish before they even took my name from the line. Maybe this dropped my reservation but they still could pull it up.

 

[McDaddio]

It's not about entitlement. Let's get away from that aspect.

No, it is exactly about an entitlement.
Oh boo hoo, whoa is me, I reserved something and it isn't there...WHERE IS MY FREE STUFF?!?!!?

People should grow up and stop with this stinking attitude.

expecting Apple to make an effort to get this guy his phone is such an unreasonable thing.

It isn't unreasonable - but if they don't have a phone...wait for it...they don't have a phone. He will get one as soon as they can get him one.

What is unreasonable is this entitlement attitude of someone made a mistake...GIVE ME SOMETHING FOR FREE!!!

This is about a reservation...he didn't even pay for it and people think he should get a free phone or other free things.

 

[McDaddio]

I didn't ask that with my reservation being 8-8:30 and because of a 30 min line it was 8:45ish before they even took my name from the line.

Well, there you go! Now we know where the phone went.
You should have added this information in the original post...it would have saved a lot of time for everyone.

In the email on the reservation it clearly states that if you aren't there in time, you may lose your phone.
If didn't check in on time after reading your email, don't blame Apple.

No different than if you make an appointment for a doctor, you check in at the front desk...you don't wait in the waiting room hoping they will call you. Genius bar works the same way

 

[KUguardgrl13]

Well, there you go! Now we know where the phone went.
You should have added this information in the original post...it would have saved a lot of time for everyone.

In the email on the reservation it clearly states that if you aren't there in time, you may lose your phone.
If didn't check in on time after reading your email, don't blame Apple.

No different than if you make an appointment for a doctor, you check in at the front desk...you don't wait in the waiting room hoping they will call you. Genius bar works the same way

From the OP's response I get the sense that he was in a line during his reservation time and didn't get called up until 15 minutes after that. It shouldn't be his fault if he was there on time.

 

[Martin81]

Well, there you go! Now we know where the phone went.
You should have added this information in the original post...it would have saved a lot of time for everyone.

In the email on the reservation it clearly states that if you aren't there in time, you may lose your phone.
If didn't check in on time after reading your email, don't blame Apple.

It's okay if Apple decides to sell the device 15min after your time slot ended. BUT if they do that they have to insure that you get your device if you show up at the store in your time slot. Long lines aren't an excuse. Especially when you have one of the first time slots after store opening. My opinion on that.

 

[areyes163]

Mistakes happen. Everyone makes them including me. I love reading how people feel they are owed something free. Or want a free phone or free case or want someone fired.

It is a phone. Not a kidney. Have you never made a mistake at work before. If you make a mistake does your company Automatically give away free stuff ? Probably not. Is it nice that Apple will offer something for your troubles? Absolutely. Is it nice that most of the time Apple will attempt to make things right with the customer? Absolutely and that is part of the reason most of us buy their products.

But I think that also leads to people losing their minds over not getting a phone.

Even if the store sold the OPs phone to someone else why does he deserve a free phone. Answer is he doesn't. If I were the manager I would offer a free case or something for it honoring the reservation and making him waste his time but they do not have to.

In this day and age people really need to learn patience and humility. Mistakes happen. No one is perfect. Does it suck when the mistake happens to you yes. I have been on the losing end of my share of things but truth is it happens and happens to everyone at one point or another. Just move on. It ok

 

[iapplelove]

Thankfully my local Apple Store in providence RI always has their stuff together on a big launch! And it's the only store around so the lines are massive

 

[nascars321]

It wasn't am it was 8-8:30 PM at night. So you are saying I should have known it was a 1/2hr line and showed up at 7:45?

 

[areyes163]

Or checked in with a customer service rep then got in line. Yes. If I had an appointment I would check in first so they know I'm there instead of waiting in line and then not know.

It's like going to a Dr appointment. You just don't show up and sit in the waiting room without letting someone know your there.

 

[nascars321]

They didn't do that. They just put you on line. They didn't check you on until it was your turn.

 

[Electrics]

Bastard wanting to go home after dealing with hundreds of customers and prepping the staff and store for the launch.

You mean doing his job?

FWIW, he did his job very poorly and his boss should know about it.

A reservation is a guarantee to the customer. As a business owner myself I don't take it lightly when one of my employees makes the company look bad. And having a rough day is no excuse.

I realize the excitement. But I there is one company that will make things right it's Apple

The manager did not offer to make it right. The manager offered to give him his promised iPhone in the future, not even giving him a date. Making it "right" would involve some type of compensation for his lost time and broken reservation.

 

[Lunfai]

No, it is exactly about an entitlement.
Oh boo hoo, whoa is me, I reserved something and it isn't there...WHERE IS MY FREE STUFF?!?!!?

People should grow up and stop with this stinking attitude.




It isn't unreasonable - but if they don't have a phone...wait for it...they don't have a phone. He will get one as soon as they can get him one.

What is unreasonable is this entitlement attitude of someone made a mistake...GIVE ME SOMETHING FOR FREE!!!

This is about a reservation...he didn't even pay for it and people think he should get a free phone or other free things.

There's a difference from a gesture of good will and being greedy and it's just being greedy to me. We are all not perfect and if they screw up and handle it in a professional manner and try to resolve it as fast as possible, then I will be content

 

[Electrics]

No, it is exactly about an entitlement.
Oh boo hoo, whoa is me, I reserved something and it isn't there...WHERE IS MY FREE STUFF?!?!!?

That is NOT entitlement. That is compensation for breaking an agreement.

Tell me, is your time not worth anything? The OP wasted hours of his time as well as fuel to go get the iPhone that he reserved and Apple said would be there. He should be compensated for the incompetence.

I HATE entitlement mentality, but this is most certainly NOT it.

It isn't unreasonable - but if they don't have a phone...wait for it...they don't have a phone. He will get one as soon as they can get him one.

If I tell you that my men will be at your house to do electrical work on Friday at 11AM and you take off of work and sit around all day waiting, and we never show up, you bet your ass you will be mad. And if I did screw up like that, you bet your ass I would be discounting the job to make up for it.

 

[Fried_Gold]

This happened at Three when the 5S came out, reserved a gold 5S for my girlfriend only when we got to the store the guy who we reserved it with had finished his shift and sold it.

All he cared about was making another sale before his shift ended.

 

[bushido]

I am not surprised in that case to be honest. another staff member probably saw that it hasn't been picked up on time and sold it. just like u lose your reserved movie ticket if you don't get it 30 mins before the showing starts even if you were waiting in line but couldn't make it to the counter on time

 

[Electrics]

I am not surprised in that case to be honest. another staff member probably saw that it hasn't been picked up on time and sold it. just like u lose your reserved movie ticket if you don't get it 30 mins before the showing starts even if you were waiting in line but couldn't make it to the counter on time

Is that in the agreement? Did Apple tell him that his reservation would be null and void if Apple was slow that day?

 

[AndrewR23]

Bastard wanting to go home after dealing with hundreds of customers and prepping the staff and store for the launch.
What would have made it better?

Personally I would have shaken his hand and said have a nice evening and have asked him to call me the next day to see how it could be resolved.

Sometimes a little humanity goes far with Apple.

I had a problem with the new iPad. The issue consumed so much time I had to come back the next day to purchase a MacBook. That cause me to miss out on the back to school deal. Called Apple and explained. The manager confirmed and Apple took very good care of me.

I realize the excitement. But I there is one company that will make things right it's Apple

Have you even worked in customer service? Ive had my fair share with Apple employees being rude and wanting to go home instead of helping. They shouldn't be in retail if they do that, period.

 

[ZipZap]

Geez, are all the people posting here telling the OP to grow up, not to complain, that it's just a phone, etc., bitter iPhone 6/6+ purchasers wishing they held out for the 6s/6s+?

OP, you should definitely escalate. I'm sorry you weren't offered anything in compensation. I'd be frustrated as well. It may "just be a phone", but many of us do depend on our phones for our everyday tasks.

Sheesh. Grow some empathy, people.

I am all about getting compensated if I am inconvenienced or treated poorly. Businesses dont learn unless they lose something in the process.

In the OP's case, it was being treated poorly. That manager should have at least come over to discuss. If you make a mistake, own it and fess up.

If, on the other hand, your message to me is "too bad" or "pound sand", I get entrenched and I am going up the line with you're name.

 

[ZipZap]

My wife works as manager of Best Buy. I don't want to go onto a tangent but someone's
Preorder arrived damaged and they notified her it was ready for pickup in error (not paying attention that the item was damaged). I don't remember what the item was (but it was something under $100). The customer decided that fair compensation would be a free dyson vacuum cleaner. Not only was the item in question not at all related to what she originally bought, she wanted something, for free, worth many times more than what she originally paid.

So, yeah. Some people make crazy unreasonable demands. What I don't understand is why such a large segment of people responding here thinks expecting Apple to make an effort to get this guy his phone is such an unreasonable thing. Afaik he isn't asking for anything other than what he thought he was getting; a reserved phone that he can pay for and use.

So you neglect to describe how that customer was treated when they arrived. My experience with Best Buy managers is that they are unavailable and uninterested in customer service (and I am being kind). So we dont really know how they got to the point of an outrageous request from the customer.

In my experience, if you (manager) are ready to offer some compensation that diffuses the customer. Most Best Buy managers come looking for a fight. That is, if you can actually get to the store manager these days.

 

[ZipZap]

Bastard wanting to go home after dealing with hundreds of customers and prepping the staff and store for the launch.
What would have made it better?

Personally I would have shaken his hand and said have a nice evening and have asked him to call me the next day to see how it could be resolved.

Sometimes a little humanity goes far with Apple.

I had a problem with the new iPad. The issue consumed so much time I had to come back the next day to purchase a MacBook. That cause me to miss out on the back to school deal. Called Apple and explained. The manager confirmed and Apple took very good care of me.

I realize the excitement. But I there is one company that will make things right it's Apple

He chose his job and in retail there are good and bad days.

 

[ZipZap]

So an update:
Got a call from the store manager. Was not sure how my phone disappeared. Would try to find out what happened. Totally was very nice and professional. Even offered me a free case of my choice when my phone arrives.

I didn't ask that with my reservation being 8-8:30 and because of a 30 min line it was 8:45ish before they even took my name from the line. Maybe this dropped my reservation but they still could pull it up.

What precipitated the call? You moving it up the line?

 

[nouveau-apple]

¯\(°_O)/¯ We have your reservation. We just don't have the phones.

 

[ZipZap]

Well, there you go! Now we know where the phone went.
You should have added this information in the original post...it would have saved a lot of time for everyone.

In the email on the reservation it clearly states that if you aren't there in time, you may lose your phone.
If didn't check in on time after reading your email, don't blame Apple.

No different than if you make an appointment for a doctor, you check in at the front desk...you don't wait in the waiting room hoping they will call you. Genius bar works the same way

How can they not have a phone a 8:45 AM?

 

[skwood]

How can they not have a phone a 8:45 AM?

I believe it was PM