Apple's Service

[supanatral]

I have posted this before, but now I've figured out how to make a poll.

I've had a pretty bad time with the technical support provided to me in the apple store when my notebook broke down. And I want to find out what other people think of their service.

After Seeing the post Mad at Apple, it inspired me to make a poll. The Quesion is, whether you're satisfied with the technical support provided to you either in the apple store or on Apple's discussion website.

[Natobasso]

I haven't called very often, but the few times I have I've met with unfriendly and unhelpful service. I love the company except for this (well, and besides the fact they are becoming more and more like Microsoft every day!)

[chevy]

I must say I had very little experience with Apple support. I own Macs since 1984, but only my B&W G3 required support. It went 3 times to repair during the first year... and since then I had no occasion to re-use support.

Why not "the best" ? Not because I had anything to pay or that they were reluctant to support me, but just they needed too long to find the weakness (this was a CPU issue).

[fryke]

I've _never_ had to do anything with "Apple's Service". If ever I had a problem with Apple hardware, it was taken care of by my local reseller - and quickly so. Or I've taken care of it myself. Hm. Guess I can't really choose an option in this poll, then.

[supanatral]

Originally Posted by fryke

If ever I had a problem with Apple hardware, it was taken care of by my local reseller - and quickly so.

I honestly think that's the way to go. I was talking to one the otherday when I was pricing out my macbook pro and they told me that if it's under warrenty that the only way that they get paid is if they replace a part. Otherwise if they need to reseat a cable lets say, then apple doesn't pay them a dime.

Lesson from all this: If you truly believe that you have a hardware issue and Apple doesn't believe you, then take it to a cirtified dealer because they will be more willing to replace a piece of hardware.

[Satcomer]

I have had to use the AppleCare service once. My MacBook Pro I bought off someone here had a right speaker blow about two weeks after receiving it. I called AppleCare and explained the problem's symptoms (calmly) and my trouble shooting steps. After ten minutes talking calmly with AppleCare person he sent me a repair return box. After less then a week it was return and the broken speak was fixed.

The moral of this story is if you be calm and level headed you can get more out of any tech support. If you go in the conversation demanding and ready to fight you will get nothing but headache.

[symphonix]

I'd rank their service as very good, but with some room for improvement. I've always been treated politely and felt like the people I deal with at Apple are helpful.

For the couple of times I have had a hardware fault requiring repair under warranty, its always been completed quickly and without any fuss; they never ask for paperwork since they can check a computer's warranty details by its serial number.

When I needed a problematic video cable in the hinge of my iBook replaced, the tech even kept the original and showed me the fault, admitting that it was a design shortcoming of that generation and assuring me that the new cable - a revised design - would resolve the issue.

There is only one key area in which I feel Apple could improve their service, however I think they have made great strides on this front since I bought my first Mac in 2001. That is in giving feedback to the customer on delivery times. If they advise that a computer will take a week to arrive, and supply issues set it back another three weeks, then the customer should be advised by email of the delay. Some of us Mac fanatics have a nasty habit of ordering a new model of Mac the very day it is released, in which case we can be waiting for up to 8 weeks to receive it. A more open and honest approach to advising customers on where their computer order is up to would be a big plus for Apple in my book.

[icemanjc]

I still have not had any problems with them, and I don't even have AppleCare.