Just a few weeks ago, I would have recommended an Apple product to anyone. My wife and I own 3 iPods and 2 portable computers–an iBook G4 and a MacBook Pro. The design and user experience of the products are wonderful. However, I have learned this week that the customer service experience is something much, much different.
Although my earliest experiences with Apple go way back, I became an Apple customer for the first time in December 2004 when my wife, Amber, gave me an iPod mini for Christmas. Shortly thereafter, I just had to have the Apple iBook to accompany it! I found a great deal on an iBook G4 that was not the latest and greatest processor and I was ecstatic. I am a Unix power user, so I loved having access to the raw, unfettered command shell while still being in a great looking and well thought-out GUI environment.
I beat the crap out of that iBook. It fell off tables, chairs, couches and just kept ticking. Its construction just confirmed to me what I heard about the quality of Apple’s engineering a complete product from hardware to software to accessories. I enthusiastically recommended Apple and the Mac to everyone I knew, whether they were in the market for a new computer or not. I don’t know how many purchases my recommendation led to, but I planted the seed in lots of minds. After four and a half years of nearly constant use, the iBook started to show its age. The trackpad became less sensitive and required a firm and very intentional clicking motion to activate it. Shortly afterward, the video started cutting out requiring restarts of the computer. I contemplated making repairs but decided it probably wasn’t worth it. Still, I couldn’t bring myself to dispose of it, so I zipped it up in a neoprene sleeve body bag and laid it to rest on my shelf. Amber always tells me I spend too much time on the computer, and she is almost certainly right. At the risk of being dramatic, losing that iBook was like losing a friend.
Since the iBook only had 1GHz of processor power and a 12 inch screen, I contemplated replacing it with an inexpensive netbook. Amber knew how much I enjoyed that Mac and generously encouraged me to go ahead and replace it with a new one. She said, “I don’t want you to get something that you’re going to be disappointed with after 6 months.” So, I logged on to Amazon.com on August 9, 2009, and purchased a new MacBook Pro 13inch with the aluminum unibody. It was the latest and greatest (at least with a 13 inch screen, but I really wanted true portability).
With its sleek aluminum case, the MacBook Pro was truly a thing of beauty. To avoid having it sit on my front porch for thieves, I had it shipped to my office, where I work with several other software engineers. I unwrapped it and showed my co-workers the sleek and compact design. I even made a point of showing off how well the Apple chargers are designed, with their removable extension cords and built in prongs for wrapping up the cord.
Everything’s peachy, right? Well, if only I had the opportunity to have those 6 months Amber worried about to be tired of that Mac! After about 35 days of possession, in a freak accident, Amber’s laptop slid off the couch and the corner dented the top side of the closed Mac. While I will admit that we weren’t super careful and could have prevented the accident, the astonishment began when I opened the Mac and saw that the LED display was very damaged and even the front glass in front of the display was cracked in a spiderweb like someone had shot it with a BB gun.
This was not a great moment for me. I knew the accidental physical damage would not be covered by the warranty and figured I would be out $300-400 for the repair. It’s a costly mistake, but not the end of the world, right? Boy, was I about to have my world rocked. I did some Googling and found various parts that might repair it, ranging from screens only to full display assemblies. The prices I found were $350-750 for parts only. Well, I thought, that pretty much rules out me doing it for myself. I knew Apple’s warranty wouldn’t cover the damage, but I was hopeful that they would make me a deal on the parts and labor since I had owned it less than 2 months. So, I took it in to the Apple Store’s “Genius” Bar at the Country Club Plaza store (Kansas City, Missouri). That’s when my story took a turn for the worse, as I discovered that whatever genius the employees may or may not have certainly does not apply to customer service.
While waiting for 40 minutes for my 4:15 appointment (9/17) to which I was asked to show up 10 minutes early, an employee at the Apple Store chatted with me briefly about the situation. He said “if they can’t help you, be sure to check with your credit card company about protection.” (Jumping forward a bit, this seemed somewhat helpful until all 4 Apple employees I talked with suggested this route and 2 of the 4 suggested I file a homeowner’s insurance claim. I quickly got the feeling that Apple wasn’t interested in supporting their product.)
Finally, I spoke with “Genius” Mike about the situation. He looked at the computer, said “That’s too bad,” and immediately quoted me repair prices without any reference materials. While you could consider that professionalism and having a great memory, it immediately set off alarm bells for me. That specific laptop model has been out since June, and he has already had enough exposure to repairs on the screens to quote me a price? Yet, the prices themselves were astonishing alone. He said that the usual repair rate would be $1000 (on a $1200 laptop), but that there was a special accidental damage rate of $755 if it was shipped off to a third party for repair. Wow, look at the savings! Without waiting for my response, he started shutting down my laptop that I had brought in running–seemed a little presumptuous to me. I asked him about other options. He mentioned directly contacting a third party repair shop, accidental damage protection on my credit card, and homeowner’s insurance. Finally, I mentioned to him that I had seen parts online and thought about fixing it myself. He said if I was technically minded that I should be able to do it since the MacBook Pro is “beautifully engineered.” I had to take exception to that, and said “except for that part where they don’t build the case strong enough to protect the screen. I am pretty sure my iBook with the polycarbonate case would have survived this.” At this point, “Genius” Mike turned in to passive-aggressive jerk Mike and said something about “it’s accidental damage, you can’t expect us to do anything” and started walking away. I said, “that’s fine, but I won’t be buying from Apple again.” At that point, he said with a sneer, “Well, then enjoy your new computer” and walked away.
Man, was I steamed. I thought I should definitely contact Apple phone support and hope for a better resolution. I opened up case number 136513051 and spoke with Brad around 6:20 PM CT on 9/17. He quickly affirmed that Apple wouldn’t be helping me under the warranty (which I knew and fully understood) and recommended a claim with my credit card company or homeowner’s insurance. I said that I would really like to talk with someone who might be able to work out a deal on the parts and labor (like maybe at cost since I had owned the Mac for so little time). He escalated me to Steven, who again brought up the credit card company. These guys really didn’t want to provide any support! I asked Steven if I could get the parts and labor at a discount and specifically mentioned the idea of getting them at cost. He explained that Apple either fixes something under warranty or they don’t–there are no other resolutions. He used tons of lines like “I can’t do that,” “That’s just the way Apple works,” and “policy”. So, who was this guy I got escalated to–just another tier 1 guy? At this point, I just thanked him for his time and specifically requested that he write in the notes of the ticket that I would not be purchasing from Apple again. He had no reaction to this other than to agree he would write that in the notes. I was astonished.
I have talked to Amazon, the credit card company, and 4 Apple employees, and the only resolution I have been offered is paying most of the price of the laptop again to have it repaired. Customer service is dead in America. All I want is for someone to offer me parts and labor at cost (and if that cost is more than about $400 I will feel pretty confident I am being lied to). That doesn’t seem that extreme given this situation.
So, here is what my treatment means for Apple:
-Beyond maybe fixing my laptop, I won’t be making further Mac purchases from Apple
-There will be no new iPods in my home
-The iPhone I have contemplated buying will be replaced by a Nokia smart phone or Android phone
-The iPhone software I have been contemplating writing will never be sold in the Apple App Store
-When my current iTunes account balance is gone, I will not be using iTunes Store
-I will politely refuse to accept any gift of iTunes gift cards from family members as holiday stocking stuffers or gifts
-I will tell everyone I know about my experience, especially people to whom I have previously spoken favorably about Apple
If any Apple employees read this, I am confident that you will see your company is in the wrong in this situation. Thanks for reading!
