Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Icespiker

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 31, 2005
21
0
Colorado
I'm just venting some frustration, not because I had to have my new Powerbook repaired, but because when it was returned.. oh wait.. its not returned, who knows where it is? Apple sent it back via DHL... but why?.. not even my company i work for uses DHL. After wasting a couple of hours trying to find where Apple sent it to, they had me contact DHL. They had the correct address, but my guess is their drivers either don't know how to read or are content to just leave packages with anyone(probably combination of both).

BTW, about my laptop 15" 1.67GHz Powerbook G4, purchased Feb 3, 2005, it had a problem where one day, after it went to sleep.. then trying to wake it, it experienced some sort of apple apnea. Turns out, that the RAM no longer works in the lower RAM slot, but works fine in the upper slot.
 
They had used Airborne Express which was better (for me) than DHL. However, DHL and Airborne Express merged and things got a lot worse from what I've seen. I'll never use their services again.
 
Yeah when I had my big Apple/DHL hulaballo, the Applecare guy told me they get a lot of complaints about it and their understanding of why they use it is cost-based.

My enjoyment of DHL was having my package mysteriously sit in some sorting facility for 3 days and then start shipping again on a friday only to be delayed again. Of course DHL doesn't ship on weekends, so I didn't get my beloved iBook back for nearly 2 weeks (Applecare time included). Using FedEx or UPS would have cut that time in half...literally.
 
I liked Airborne better. DHL has not impressed me!

* They couldn't find my address, which is CLEARLY marked--they just didn't bother to try.

* When they took my PBook off for warranty service, the guy walks off with the box dangling between THUMB AND FOREFINGER by one corner! Jeez--if you're gonna mishandle your customers' packages, at least wait until you're out of sight!

* General unprofessional appearance/manner, compared to Airborne/FeEx/UPS.

No loss or damage, though, happily.
 
Our store does a lot of Apple repairs and we have the DHL guy at our store every day. We have had a good run with DHL, we know all the drivers and they are always friendly and prompt. If we order a part before 5 PM EST we get it by 10 AM the next day, the service we get is excellent, it all depends on who your delivery guys are.
 
Icespiker said:
I'm just venting some frustration, not because I had to have my new Powerbook repaired, but because when it was returned.. oh wait.. its not returned, who knows where it is? Apple sent it back via DHL... but why?.. not even my company i work for uses DHL. After wasting a couple of hours trying to find where Apple sent it to, they had me contact DHL. They had the correct address, but my guess is their drivers either don't know how to read or are content to just leave packages with anyone(probably combination of both).

BTW, about my laptop 15" 1.67GHz Powerbook G4, purchased Feb 3, 2005, it had a problem where one day, after it went to sleep.. then trying to wake it, it experienced some sort of apple apnea. Turns out, that the RAM no longer works in the lower RAM slot, but works fine in the upper slot.
I had this problem last year when my G3 iBook's logic board died. Apple repaired it under warranty, and shipped it back via DHL. All was well until it went it into the terminal about 10 miles from my house, and it was never heard from again. :(
Fortunately, Apple replaced it (absolutely free) within three days with my present 1.2 GHz G4 iBook. :D
 
UPS once lost my Amiga 2500 while out for repair. Months later, they gave up trying to find it, and bought me an Amiga 3000 :)

Then one day I got a call that someone across the country had bought my computer at an auction! They found my name and phone number (and all kinds of personal data) on the HD and were calling to ask me to send the manuals!
 
DHL once delivered a part for my fridge. The part came from the Sears Main Part Center in Baltimore, it was marked Airborne.

The guy, he stood from his truck, and chuked it at the door. Luckily it didnt break anything. Had to get it airborne sometime I guess? :confused:
 
I dunno...in the past month I bought a PowerBook 12", A PBG412 AppleCare, and (in one shipment) and Airport Express w/ an Airport Card. The APP and the AEX/APC shipped UPS and the PB shipped FedEx. The PB took about 12 days to ship and the AEX/APC and APP took 3-5 days. :/
 
I don't think one service is better than the other. I've had good and bad experiences with all of them. My worst experience with apple was when I ordered by pro keyboard.
I was following it here in Holland as it was out for delivery to my dad's house in the USA. A few hours later the package had been delivered and signed for. I contacted my dad to ask if all was well, but he had received nothing! Turns out the Fedex idiot had left the package out in the snow in freezing whether by the mailbox, despite somebody being home all day. He also signed for it himself. Nice... Called Fedex to complain, they apologized but that was about it.
 
Not a big DHL fan, either. Last week I ordered an antibody for my lab. It was supposed to be delivered on Friday. Friday morning I get a call from the DHL guy. He asks me where I am located (I work in UVA Hospital, probably one of the largest landmarks in Charlottesville. Who doesn't know where this is here?). I tell him, like it says on the package, where I am located. He asks for directions (!). I give them to him. He never shows.

Monday morning another DHL person delivers the antibody. This antibody cost $320 and had to be stored at -20C. DHL just left it in the storeroom over the weekend because the guy didn't bother to deliver to me. A quick call to the manufacturer got it straightened out. I think DHL just purchased a new antibody for me.

Jim
 
Update...

Well, after spending another hour or so on the phone to find my Powerbook, DHL has to confirm where the package was delivered to. So, they(DHL) tells me that they are going to call the driver at home and find out some more info on it. They call me back later, and said they have to wait until tomorrow because the driver doesn't even have a phone number :eek: ! So, I guess I have to wait another day before i hear anything more.

What kind of compensation can I expect for the wasted time on phone and the down time? I doubt anything, but maybe someone at least received a formal apology :rolleyes: .
 
so...everyone should post their job so we can TALK TONS OF xxxx about one bad experience we've had with someone in that field. Christ, package deliverers have a hard job and it's just not feasible NEVER to lose a single one. You people need to chill out big time and realize that everyone is trying to do their job. Is it really worth a post?
 
Icespiker said:
Well, after spending another hour or so on the phone to find my Powerbook, DHL has to confirm where the package was delivered to. So, they(DHL) tells me that they are going to call the driver at home and find out some more info on it. They call me back later, and said they have to wait until tomorrow because the driver doesn't even have a phone number :eek: ! So, I guess I have to wait another day before i hear anything more.

What kind of compensation can I expect for the wasted time on phone and the down time? I doubt anything, but maybe someone at least received a formal apology :rolleyes: .
Well, I sure hope you have all of your information backed up, because it sounds like you will be getting a new PowerBook. Unfortunately for you, they haven't been updated since you bought yours. ;)
 
Some mistakes are just "one of those things." Mis-read a 9 for a 6. Hit an armadillo and went over a bridge. Slept past the snooze.

Some mistakes are NOT acceptable, not even sometimes. There's no reason to "sometimes" throw a package at a door, or carry it by one corner. And some of these stories we are venting about fall into that category.

But sometimes you never know the cause, and assuming the worst doesn't help--I agree. Then again, nothing DOES help when your $2000 PowerBook is missing. So may as well post and vent :)
 
if i pay for something i expect to get it .. on time in one piece

i'm having trouble with my solicitor at the moment , wanna hear me gripe about that too :mad:
 
:confused: :eek: :( And whatever else I can throw into there. My iBook was shipped via DHL from TechRestore, and its supposed to be delivered tomorrow. I'm scared you guys :eek: I just want my iBook. If they don't deliver it within this weeks timeframe, we'll go the rounds.
 
I think it is prudent to be cautious with your computer. When I sent my PB into Apple, I was extremely nervous and insisted upon signature only delivery, tracking and insurance, the works. A frequent eBayer, I have seen the UPS guy smash a light fixture on my front doorstep; an Airborne guy drop a four foot long Bauhaus chrome 30's desk so it cracked; another Airborne guy mistakenly left a Mercedes part with my neighbor next door, who "lost" my package when I inquired a week later; actually the best insurance service I have had is with the Post Office, though all of the above mentioned deliverers paid through the nose for their mistakes. All of this to say that the Apple service I got was excellent and I was VERY glad I was cautious and nervous about shipping because it made me VERY aware of where my PB was at all times. But still, a lot of phone time.
 
Final update

Yay, its finally here and back in my safety. Here's what happened, the delivery guy dropped it off at the wrong adress.. like a few blocks away, across a major street. DHL finally gets a hold of him today(Friday) and picks it up from the wrong address. He re-delivers it today, it arrives around noon-time because they forgot to check up on it, I had to call them to remind them, that they lost my package. So, they call me again, to confirm I received it.. I said, no I haven't. They tell me it was given to a blond lady. C'mon, not even a name? Apparently, they don't care if the person actually exists, works, lives at the delivery location. The guy delivered it to the wrong place again, so they have him track it down again.. and I had to give him specific directions, on the phone, where to find it. So, third's a charm, I guess.. but still unacceptable in this case. Its not like my office building is a very hard place to find either.

I'm now happy that my Powerbook is back though.
 
slooksterPSV said:
:confused: :eek: :( And whatever else I can throw into there. My iBook was shipped via DHL from TechRestore, and its supposed to be delivered tomorrow. I'm scared you guys :eek: I just want my iBook. If they don't deliver it within this weeks timeframe, we'll go the rounds.

Did you receive your iBook ok?
 
Icespiker said:
Yay, its finally here and back in my safety. Here's what happened, the delivery guy dropped it off at the wrong adress.. like a few blocks away, across a major street. DHL finally gets a hold of him today(Friday) and picks it up from the wrong address. He re-delivers it today, it arrives around noon-time because they forgot to check up on it, I had to call them to remind them, that they lost my package. So, they call me again, to confirm I received it.. I said, no I haven't. They tell me it was given to a blond lady. C'mon, not even a name? Apparently, they don't care if the person actually exists, works, lives at the delivery location. The guy delivered it to the wrong place again, so they have him track it down again.. and I had to give him specific directions, on the phone, where to find it. So, third's a charm, I guess.. but still unacceptable in this case. Its not like my office building is a very hard place to find either.

I'm now happy that my Powerbook is back though.
Good to hear you got it back. :)
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.