One of the many reasons I buy Macs. Apple support...

LordSplodge · 7 May 2011 at 15:45

My 2009 iMac developed a fault. A collection of balck smudges on the LCD in the top right corner. Clearly visible on a light coloured back ground and actually on the LCD. The iMac is about 6 months out of it's warranty.

I called Apple Support on the off-chance that it is a known issue (like the yellowing that happened on the 2009) and whilst there are posts about it on the Internet it is not an issue that Apple deem to be an automatic free fix regardless of warranty.

The technician on the phone conferred with his supervisor and said that if I take it to an Apple Store so they can check it isn't damage caused by the environment it is in then it will be a no-charge out of warranty fix and if the store did want to charge then to Tell them to call Apple.

Anyway on drive to Meadowhell earlier today and the store simply said "Yes we will put a new screen on, no charge, it will be about an hour"

Whilst an hour in Meadowhell on a Saturday seems like eternity and carrying a 27" iMac through a crowded store and mall is a right pain I have to say that again Apple have performed above and beyond.

That's why I'll be replacing my iMac next year with whatever the new model is. Same for the wife's MacBook.

It's not just about specs.

JonnyGLC · 7 May 2011 at 16:07

I've had my macbook for coming upto three years now, i've honestly not had a single hardware issue with it so far (touch wood).

I've used their support before though with my first gen iPhone which i managed to water damage. They still replaced it though! So thumbs up for that at least.

LordSplodge · 7 May 2011 at 17:11

A random name said:
I've had my macbook for coming upto three years now, i've honestly not had a single hardware issue with it so far (touch wood).
.

My wife's MacBook had the plastic crack at the edge (a known issue) after two years of use. Apple replaced that in around 15 minutes.

Only two times I needed support. Both times out of warranty. Both times for free!

Deku · 7 May 2011 at 17:16

Without meaning to rain on your parade Apple aren't the only ones who are good like this.

My parents Dell Laptop got repaired which was actually 6 months outside of the standard years warranty for absolutely no charge so Apple aren't the only ones who are customer focused.

Edit: and they didn't even have to leave their home. Dell paid for a courier to collect and deliver back.

Margaret · 7 May 2011 at 17:17

There's great stories about warranty and fixes for PCs and PC hardware too, as well as bad stories about Apple support.

You can justify it however you like but the fact is there's always good and bad when it comes to support. Always.

Logitech are probably the best out there for customer support.

dhruva55 · 7 May 2011 at 19:13

Deku said:
Without meaning to rain on your parade Apple aren't the only ones who are good like this.

My parents Dell Laptop got repaired which was actually 6 months outside of the standard years warranty for absolutely no charge so Apple aren't the only ones who are customer focused.

Edit: and they didn't even have to leave their home. Dell paid for a courier to collect and deliver back.

Ah seems my Dell Laptop was a good choice

LordSplodge · 7 May 2011 at 19:32

Deku said:
Without meaning to rain on your parade Apple aren't the only ones who are good like this.

Evidence suggests your parents are lucky. Dell consumer support has more bad stories than good. Business support from Dell on the other hand is mostly excellent.

Margaret said:
You can justify it however you like but the fact is there's always good and bad when it comes to support. Always.

Logitech are probably the best out there for customer support.

No experience with Logitech customer support so I can't comment. Now I buy Apple gear mostly because it fits my needs. Throw in the excellent support I have received as well as people I know and it's icing on the cake.

dhruva55 said:
Ah seems my Dell Laptop was a good choice

I'm saying nothing...

bcjames · 7 May 2011 at 20:03

I've also had good support in the past from Dell. As a consumer, what I really like about Apple support is that they have a store I can go to. Face-to-face service and in house fixing is really great!

JediFragger · 7 May 2011 at 22:01

bcjames said:
Face-to-face service and in house fixing is really great!

Agreed, this is a big plus for me too :cool:

DangerMoose · 7 May 2011 at 22:57

I was rather impressed by the service there as well. I took my first iPad 2 to the Meadowhall branch. The only weak point was that they did not have any in to replace it with but they were very good about it. Very understanding and did not in any way make me feel like I was being needlessly picky, even when I was not entirely sure myself.

Brian8bit · 7 May 2011 at 23:05

My 2009 iMac occasionally gets black smudges on the left hand side (my left when looking on to it). Which Apple like to call "image persistence".

Faustus · 7 May 2011 at 23:28

What I find worrying is the fact that Apple claim build quality second to none and yet consumers appear to be having faults of this nature on comparatively new hardware. I've never had any faults with my windows PC going back as far as 3.1. I still have one of my PCs now eight years old and happily running W7 without fault.

Brian8bit · 7 May 2011 at 23:36

But then none of your windows machines are an all in one with the processor and heatsink behind the screen...

MacRS4 · 7 May 2011 at 23:53

Faustus said:
What I find worrying is the fact that Apple claim build quality second to none and yet consumers appear to be having faults of this nature on comparatively new hardware. I've never had any faults with my windows PC going back as far as 3.1. I still have one of my PCs now eight years old and happily running W7 without fault.

I don't think it's particularly fair to measure the performance & reliability of hardware from an internet forum. It's a bit like going to casualty in some respects isn't it... You don't post to say hey, everything is working just great

"andy" · 8 May 2011 at 02:40

not everyone lives close to a store

not everyone can put up with smug and overly happy 'geniuses'

ive seen plenty of threads about peoples bad experiences with apple on here too. certainly no different to other big brands imo

Tute · 8 May 2011 at 03:03

My first iPhone 3GS developed a fault where apps would corrupt and make the phone unstable.

I took it into the Apple store and they connected it up, tried to run some kind of diagnostic on it and it just bricked the phone completely!

Anyhow, they simply swapped it out for a fresh phone there and then - i'm used to having to wait for a replacement through the post and wasn't expecting it to be sorted on the spot.

Needless to say I was most happy. No quibble replacements at the shop - the networks and other phone manufacturers could learn a lot from Apple.

MikeHunt79 · 8 May 2011 at 04:04

I think you appreciate decent support especially after experiencing poor aftersales support.

Try getting an Asus laptop fixed and you'll see what I mean!

asim18 · 8 May 2011 at 05:16

It's not just Apple. I've heard loads of horror stories about Apple support.

My brother's Samsung monitor broke a few months ago. They arranged a courier to swap it for a brand new one next day. One of the reasons I don't buy a Mac though is because of the disgraceful price/performance ratio.

DangerMoose · 8 May 2011 at 07:50

"andy" said:
not everyone lives close to a store

True, though I know of at least one retail chain where the turnaround time on repairs tends to start at 2 weeks. And even though they have technicians in many of their branches, even simple warranty repairs cannot take place there and need the item to be sent away. Even having the option of a speedy fix in store is a bonus in comparison. I am also led to believe there are other authorised repairers dotted around.

not everyone can put up with smug and overly happy 'geniuses'

Can't say as I found that on my one visit so far. They just seemed like normal, friendly people. Perhaps you are confusing the PR version (which has a habit of being overly cheesy for various companies) with reality?

ive seen plenty of threads about peoples bad experiences with apple on here too. certainly no different to other big brands imo

Well that is fair to an extent, as forums are indeed lousy places to get an idea of overall level of service or quality. There is also two sides to every story (or 3 if you are a Vorlon) and the customer most certainly is not always right. It is probably unfair to say that they are no different though.

BunnyKillBot · 8 May 2011 at 10:25

Deku said:
Without meaning to rain on your parade Apple aren't the only ones who are good like this.

He didn't say that they were. He is just a consumer who had a good support experience with a company and came on the forums to tell people about it. Companies that treat their customers well deserve some positive user testimonies from time to time.