Comments on: Growing Pains: Trouble in Paradise?

By: George

George — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 14:50:36 +0000

The whole genius bar thing is redculous! They should call it idiot bar.
I am very busy, and I had my first experience with this recently when my ipod stopped working. All I wanted to do was to go to the Apple store and DROP IT OFF for repair. Ohh no, I need an appointment! It is an mp3 player not a human being. Just let me drop it off at MY CONVENIENCE, and you can fix it at YOUR CONVENIENCE. Just call me when it is fixed and I will come pick it up at MY CONVENIENCE!

Now I just learned that I cannot add music to it from a different computer or even the same computer after a full reinstall of windows! I have to erase the whole damn ipod!

I see that the iphone doesn’t have 3G.

I swear the people at Apple are a bunch of drunks! The should make ivodka instead. They would be much better at it. Although I might need to make an appointment to puke after drinking too much.

By: coelomic

coelomic — Sat, 11 Mar 2006 17:54:47 +0000

Some Apple store Genii seem to have an attitude problem. They are snobbish. Bad marketing for one of the most recognized brands.

By: Phil Amon

Phil Amon — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 15:22:17 +0000

Ive been selling both PC and Mac products for years. It’s true that since the launch of the store in London and the general iPod period Ive noticed a change in the whole Apple experience. I used to chat with some of the support members after recognising thier voices on the phone – and got a little bit more honest responses out of some of them – like the sheer volume of calls just sky rocketed one day. Around about the time that iPods were so hard to get hold of.

In general I would say Apple is better than the PC crew. Dell have excellent customer support – however Im constantly charged more for their stuff than most mac equivalents. You can even haggle with them – but still they are in now way cheap. The gear is ok – I’ve seen macs dropped and bashed about with no problems occuring. Dells just seem to drop out everytime someone sneezes. I stopped using HP after a series of highly complicated run arounds and sheer confusion. I still supply thier business range printers that are good with good tech support – but reliability is again my bug bear.

As for PC world – well don’t get me started. I am unfortunated to leave near the Wandsworth branch (and the Kensington one is up the road). They compete hand in hand for sheer incompitence! For every one of your stories I have 5. If I need anything Im so careful when I go in there.

Technology eh!

By: si

si — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 12:53:53 +0000

Thought it would be quiet this morning and my first visit to the Apple Store in Regent Store…Hurray!!
However the same experience like the article described.
No help at all only procedures.Couldn’t even leave the ipod shuffle with them to pronounce it dead. Told to book and come back in 6 hrs time!! Huh??
No bookings in advance for tomorrow and can’t log in into the Concierge site…
Oh well if this is what the staff do with a £100 consumer product then I don’t want to know about appointments etc..
I will now stay away from consumer facing shopfronts.
Anyway why don’t they segregate the goods/ipod.

Luckily I have been buying apple products for business the past 12 years amd experienced a decent service.
What will expansion hold for them in the future..
Rant over….

By: Chris Holland

Chris Holland — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 09:19:18 +0000

[continuing from previous comment]

Keep in mind that in the PC world, it’s all-to-common to get the run-around between 1) your PC reseller, 2) the hardware vendor (Dell), 3) Microsoft

By: Chris Holland

Chris Holland — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 09:15:00 +0000

Karri: i still do recommend most of Apple’s products. i’ve worked on most computing platforms out there, and a good Mac is what keeps me productive. I had a 400Mhz Titanium powerbook for 3 years since 2001. I’ve been on this 1.25Ghz Aluminum powerbook for the last 2 years. Both very reliable, this one also continues to be. My Girlfriend’s 2002 white G3 iBook is still going strong, she uses it every day.

You’ll find occasional bad seeds in Apple’s lineups and we’d be remiss of our personal objectivity if we didn’t call out Apple’s mistakes when we see them, especially when service falls short of our expectations.

It’s always a good idea to get AppleCare for whichever Apple product you’re buying. But as far as i know, all products are covered 1 year either way, and AppleCare gives you 3 years. If something fails, it usually happens within the first year anyway. But sometimes, after prolonged usage of a laptop, it’s possible for your hard drive to get a mechanical failure. Good be bad luck on the laptop, or have something to do with how badly you rough it up. Either way, if you have AppleCare, my experience is, they hook you up :)

Also keep in mind that Apple sells you an end-to-end computing experience. When anything fails, we know where to point fingers, it’s very easy, and you’ll find we Apple users have high expectations. We’re entitled to, because we’re in the market for a better end-to-end computing experience, and are willing to pay for it.

By: Karri Lea

Karri Lea — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 04:57:59 +0000

I was seriously thinking of purchasing one of the new intel-mac ibooks after browsing the website and reviewing all of the articles regarding the virtual pc. I though mac would be awesome for a young professional due to its lack of crashing, etc. etc., we’ve all fallen under the spell of the marketing. However after reading of the horror stories of what can wrong with them I’m tempted to stay with the pc devil I know as then at least I can get the company IT guy to fix instead of trying to deal with authorized dealers, fed-ex, and faceless help desks.

Anyone still recommmending ibooks?

By: R.D. Kinloch

R.D. Kinloch — Fri, 14 Oct 2005 05:29:54 +0000

I have been considering buying an Apple laptop but my daughter’s experience has put me against that idea as it cancels out positive comments I have heard from my son-in-law and others. Perhaps the Calgary supplier is simply not up to giving adequate support. Where is the seller in this process? Is it simply his/her role to take a customer’s money or do they not have an obligation to make good on the sale and support their customer?
Why is my daughter only dealing with FedEx? Where is her representative? Shame on Apple for not dealing with effectively. I feel sorry for my daughter who has apparently wasted her hard earned money on a dud product when she so much wanted to use it to help her teach classes in school. When I dealt with Dell earlier this year their customer support was satisfactory and I have had nothing but praise for CompuSmart computers who offer excellent sales and service.
It is widely known that for each complaint that is not satisfied and dealt with properly at least ten other people will hear and be adversely affected. Is anyone listening?

R.D. Kinloch

By: Ella Kinloch

Ella Kinloch — Thu, 13 Oct 2005 01:36:04 +0000

My letter of complaint to apple….I am still without computer…
October 8th ‘2005

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to make a complaint about my dealings with your company.

• After a failed attempted to purchase of ibook G4 and applecare protection plan, a successful re-order was made. I specifically repeated to mac representative that I was billed for one applecare protection plan and to not bill me and send a second applecare protection plan.
• Delivery of applecare protection plan was made. The same week a second delivery of applecare protection plan was made from which I was billed for.
• FedEx tracking system/phone call to FedEx told me that computer was awaiting me at site for pick-up. Arrived but was told that package had been sent back.
• Phone call to Mac. Mac representative told me that package would be redelivered within 5 to 10 business days. Mac representative discussed with supervisor about whether original package should be sent or if a re-order should take place therefore sending new device its place taking into consideration how much time either option would take.
• Package did not arrive.
• Phone call to Mac. No package had been sent. Further discussion about whether or not to send original package or if a re-order should take place. Package was sent.
• Package arrives however FedEx cannot deliver to home address due to problem with address that was given (applecare protection plan had arrived with no problems but this time the same address was not adequate for delivery).
• Pick-up of package. (Note: FedEx employees complaining that mac’s policy of having two pieces of id. is causing problems with parent’s buying ipods for their children). Package looked beat up and dirty. Corners of box dented. Attempt to work dvd drive failed. Attempt to install mac:office failed. Problems with keyboard and with scroll pad button.
• The entire process adding up to approx. 8 weeks of problems.

Ella Kinloch
#401 823 5th Street N.E.
Calgary, Alberta
T2E 3W9

October 8th ‘2005

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to make a complaint about my dealings with your company.

October 8th ‘2005

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to make a complaint about my dealings with your company.

Goals of this complaint:

1. To be heard. Throughout this entire process no representative demonstrated any knowledge of my repeated dealings with mac. No one had any previous background knowledge to draw from. I had to re-explain each problem everytime I contacted mac.
2. To express my disappointment. Throughout this process my high expectations of mac have been altered. I expected more from Mac after hearing great reviews from friends and families. I continued to assume the best about mac and its high standard of product but it has become increasingly time consuming dealing with each problem.
3. To inform. If anyone from mac can read this and realize that there are cracks in your delivery/ordering process then your company is better of for it.
4. To hear a response. I will be interested to hear any type of response to this letter and to see how mac deals with its customers after giving them a broken computer and taking their money.

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 03 Oct 2005 20:47:39 +0000

Everyone,
I have to say I am disheartened by all of this. Having just bought a new iMac G5 from the Bluewater store I can say that it was completely painless. Not only were they friendly, but relatively efficient. Not necessarily quick, but thats more my fault for wanting finance.
I also have a PowerBook G4 12″, 1Ghz model. About a month after getting it, one of the keys on the keyboard came off, not their fault, i was trying to clean under it as it felt a little sticky. Rang them up, sent it in, 2 days later I had my PowerBook back with a whole new keyboard, free of charge.
My father has used Macs at work since the original 128k and has never had any problems with Apple support.
I hope that all these problems are just the unfortunate few bad occasions that will always happen

Tom