Talk to important people?

[fryke]

I guess most people don't want or need an apology. Good service is the only answer to a problem. If they want to _really_ polish their image, they're going to throw something in. Give you a rebate on your next purchase or something like that... Worth more than a muttered "M'sorry" from a person that probably wasn't at fault, anyway.

 

[philbert]

You guys are hilarious. No kidding, if Apple and other big corps can waste your time and money (same thing, eh?) without having to utter one sentence of apology, can I do it too?

Why do you accept, no, ardently defend, rude behavior from a corporation, but not accept it from the people around you?

No offense, but some of you seem to have been thoroughly brainwashed by the corporate PR machine. It's only a few more steps before you are down on your knees thanking them for wasting your time and money.

It's a sentence. It takes like 5 seconds to push the words out of your mouth or keyboard. You do it to show respect. Apple doesn't say it because they don't respect you. That's all there is to it.

But I agree, none of this is a problem if you don't mind giving your money to people who don't respect you.

 

[aicul]

http://www.apple.com/feedback/

Are you serious about this advice. Since when has input to Apple's feed-back form quickly helped the interested party?

This feedback form is offensive. Users take time to detail their issues and a standard automated response is immediately given.

If Apple really wanted to manage feed-back they would assign a ticket number to each feed-back form and allow users to have some info on if something would be done.

 

[Viro]

It's a sentence. It takes like 5 seconds to push the words out of your mouth or keyboard. You do it to show respect. Apple doesn't say it because they don't respect you. That's all there is to it.

But I agree, none of this is a problem if you don't mind giving your money to people who don't respect you.

So you'd rather have an empty gesture from some employee in order to make you feel respected?

I'd rather have the phrase "I'm sorry" to have meaning, and for the person saying it to actually mean it. As it is, you don't really care whether they mean it or not, just so long as they say it. So seriously, what's the point?

 

[philbert]

Thanks for your reply, I hear what you're saying. Sincere apologies are indeed the most effective kind.

What do I want? Actually I'd like the damages incurred to be made right, and then I'd be fine with skipping the apology part.

Apple always honors the warranty and fixes the computer. I think we should applaud that.

So, some of you are reasoning, they fixed the damages, what's the problem?

You are missing the fact that Apple has NOT fixed all the damages.

How long does it take you to diagnose a problem with a new computer, figure out where the problem lies, and then make 2 trips to the repair shop? What is your time worth? If you know how to use computers, your time is worth something, right?

Some of you are buying an Apple assumption that their products have value, but your time does not. Imagine for a moment that I type a post here telling all of you that your time, that is YOU, are worth nothing? Would that be considered disrespectful?

I'm telling you that you and your time do have value. Apple is telling you that you and your time doesn't have value. And you're arguing with me, and siding with Apple.

Look, I'm realistic. I realize Apple is not going to compensate me for the time I spent fixing their broken computer. I'm not going to fight that battle, even though it has merit (and would greatly improve Apple if put in to place).

All I'm saying is, if Apple wants to maintain at least the pretense that they respect us, they can at least lie convincingly to us, and go to trouble to send me an apology postcard from the public relations dept.

But, if you read this thread, you'll see that there isn't a big reason why Apple should respect us that much, because we don't even respect us that much.

 

[cfleck]

Some of you are buying an Apple assumption that their products have value, but your time does not. Imagine for a moment that I type a post here telling all of you that your time, that is YOU, are worth nothing? Would that be considered disrespectful?

I'm telling you that you and your time do have value. Apple is telling you that you and your time doesn't have value. And you're arguing with me, and siding with Apple.

No one is saying that our time is worth nothing. What we're saying is that nowhere in the known universe are you compensated for your lost time when you have to take something back to Target, Home Depot, etc. For some reason you think Apple should, and they need to give hugs to boot.

Look, I'm realistic.

Actually, that is what this whole thing is about. You aren't being realistic.

I realize Apple is not going to compensate me for the time I spent fixing their broken computer. I'm not going to fight that battle, even though it has merit (and would greatly improve Apple if put in to place).

Right. And who sets how much your time is worth? Is your time worth more than my time?

All I'm saying is, if Apple wants to maintain at least the pretense that they respect us, they can at least lie convincingly to us, and go to trouble to send me an apology postcard from the public relations dept.

But you said earlier than an empty apology would be worthless.

But, if you read this thread, you'll see that there isn't a big reason why Apple should respect us that much, because we don't even respect us that much.

Actually, it is more that we (the people who disagree with you) tend to feel that Apple is a company out to make money, and not one out to make you feel good about yourself.

In the end, and I believe you are yet to admit it, you want to hold Apple to some higher standard than any other company. That is your choice, but hardly a realistic one.

 

[philbert]

In the end, and I believe you are yet to admit it, you want to hold Apple to some higher standard than any other company. That is your choice, but hardly a realistic one.

Yes, I agree. I thought Apple was the quality alternative. So fair enough, that is a higher standard, a higher standard that has been agressively sold to us since the dawn of Apple. It would fair to declare me somewhat naive for buying in to the pitch, I'd agree with that.

I am realistic now though. Like I said at the very top of the thread, I really don't expect anybody from Apple to read our input and react to it. Nor do I expect to persuade you guys. I realize that anything anybody says anywhere will be, and should be, challenged, this is a forum after all and constructive debate is the point.

Obviously, some of us aren't concerned with having our time abused, and that's a choice we're all entitled to.

But I just honestly feel it's clueless to needlessly alienate that segment of your customer base that does respect their own time, just to save the price of a postcard or toll free phone call. The fact that lots of corporations work this way doesn't make it any less clueless.

Think about it. You sell people tools that allow themselves to express themselves efficiently to the whole planet, and then you carelessly stick your finger in their eye.

Maybe you'll recall this thread should you ever receive a brand new broken Mac from Apple. No need to admit anything to me, just see how you feel then.