Apple support - What utter ****

agnes

agnes

agnes

Soldato
Joined
1 Dec 2006
Posts
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Location
Amsterdam, NL
Ok, I have an iPad Nano 7th gen with some engraving on the back, it was a gift from my old dear a few years back.

I cracked the screen by accident and decided to go to Apple to get a full replacement outside of warranty as I wanted to keep the engraving and they offer a discounted price for a new iPod as a repair. It's not the best offer, but it's good enough for me.

So... This is the hell I've had to endure... Before I list the steps I've taken, I know full well I was out of warranty and had to pay for a replacement. I simply wanted to hand my iPod over and some cash and expect a new one back...

  1. Walk into Apple store in Reading, told I have to book an appointment online
  2. Go home, try to book an appointment online, told I have to pay £25 to do so
  3. Try multiple numbers and 2 hours later to speak to someone, made appointment for next day, no £25 charge
  4. Walk into the store the next day, 3 second chat with someone who recorded it was indeed a cracked screen against the serial, told me to call the Reading store to organise replacement (his mistake)
  5. Call Reading store, have a vague and confusing chat with a guy who simply takes serial number, phone number, name and says "Someone will call you back shortly" then hangs up...
  6. I call back the next day after hearing nothing, told I called the wrong number on the card (one number???), called a 0844 number... Spend 25 minutes getting through to someone
  7. Get through to someone who doesn't normally deal with iPod repairs, spend 45 minutes on phone explaining situation, what I'd like to do, he finally takes my card details
  8. I receive multiple emails stating the wrong name on delivery address (mum who bought it), some emails stating delivery complete. Invoice emails for funds taken from me... All over a week period
  9. Last night I receive an email stating I have 4 days to return the original iPod or I will be charged the full amount for the product

At this point I'm lost for words, I've been thrown around to so many teams just for a bloody repair!!!! And now I'm faced with charges because they haven't received mine! I was told I would receive a box to send it back in, that NEVER happened.

I call this morning in a bit of a rage, after spending 25 minutes on the phone, I finally am told that I will receive the iPod tomorrow (new one) also the return box for the old one and that the 4 days have been extended to allow for this.

When I asked "so what's gone wrong in this instance? Why has this been so difficult?", I'm told "it just happens some times"...

This, this is EXACTLY why I despise Apple, what an AWFUL company, how has someone not stepped back and said in their board meetings "umm guys, this is a truly **** way to operate??? Why are we making it so hard?"...

I love my little iPod, it's a gift and this means something to me, specially with the engraving, it's not a bad little device either. But I will never, NEVER give Apple a penny of my own after this...

Just wow...

TL;DR Apple are ****.
 
malachi said:
You just got unlucky with bad CS. It happens, no company is perfect.
Click to expand...

I don't think it's unlucky, it's an awful way to operate...

Why have a store that I can't walk into and speak to someone, and then why try and charge me £25 for an appointment at said store? It's such a backwards way to operate a high street shop... It's just stupid...
 
agnes said:
I don't think it's unlucky, it's an awful way to operate...

Why have a store that I can't walk into and speak to someone, and then why try and charge me £25 for an appointment at said store? It's such a backwards way to operate a high street shop... It's just stupid...
Click to expand...

I've never heard of this before. Then again, I would have gone to the store and spoke to someone higher up by about half way through the process you described. Seems weird that you would go in store and they would tell you "need to book online mate". Did they suggest booking online because they had no more slots open that day? Surprised they wouldn't suggest using one of the 100 devices in store that are connected to the internet...
 
Never heard about a charge purely for the appointment. I've always booked online as they are pretty much always busy, I have heard of people managing to wait for an appointment but I assume this is only where there is a gap in booked appointments.

Can't fault the service at all myself. My girlfriends iPhone screen smashed when it was dropped, Apple replaced it FOC as a goodwill gesture (I was perfectly honest, she dropped it onto a concrete slab and it smashed). She also had the faulty home button issue on her next iPhone, took it in. Were given a loaner handset whilst her phone was in for repair.
 
Apple support is the best of any company I've ever experienced. Have never had anything but a brilliant experience with them, and I've had to use them a number of times over the years. Shame you had a bad one
 
I'm surprised by this as I've had nothing but excellent service from Apple. I've had an iPod, iPhone and MacBook Pro all fail. I've booked an appointment online (absolutely no charge), gone in and had the problem fixed on the spot. With the iPod and iPhone, the device was swapped out straight away. With the MacBook Pro, they fixed it on-site within an hour.

I've never had such good customer care.
 
how has someone not stepped back and said in their board meetings "umm guys, this is a truly **** way to operate??? Why are we making it so hard?"...
Click to expand...

Because they're all too busy ******* each other off and pretending to be creative by using words like "Dynamic" and "Modernist"

Lots of technology companies are similar in that respect, they like to think they're some pioneers because they work for a big brand.

I've heard things about apple support and all, the "support" staff in the stores are basically sales people who can turn something off and on again.
 
Seems that the one and only time I needed this amazing support is the one time I got the worst run around I've ever experienced. I've worked in IT for almost 10 years now, and this is by far the worst support from a company I've ever experienced. I followed all instructions given to the letter, and it just resulted in me chasing a rabbit.

I don't want to risk it again and thus that shiny Mac Book I've been tempting my self with out of 3 laptop choices is truly out of the picture now lol.
 
Lol

agnes said:
Seems that the one and only time I needed this amazing support is the one time I got the worst run around I've ever experienced. I've worked in IT for almost 10 years now, and this is by far the worst support from a company I've ever experienced. I followed all instructions given to the letter, and it just resulted in me chasing a rabbit.

I don't want to risk it again and thus that shiny Mac Book I've been tempting my self with out of 3 laptop choices is truly out of the picture now lol.
Click to expand...

To discount the MacBook Pro because of a single incidence of poor customer service in relation to returning an iPod is a daft decision.
 
I had the screen on my iPhone replaced. I walked into my local Apple store, walked out 1 hour later with a new screen. No appointment, charge as agreed. It was packed and full of people but I got served in 1 minute and my phone was being fixed in 5. It was also a cracked screen out of warranty.

Though to be fair I went to buy some stuff for work using my company Amex a few weeks later and did get a bit of a "computer says no" from one of the blue t-shirt brigade at which point went above them as I knew they were talking crap and got it sorted in store. New card, no PIN, wouldn't accept blah blah blah but soon fixed.
 
AtticusFinch said:
To discount the MacBook Pro because of a single incidence of poor customer service in relation to returning an iPod is a daft decision.
Click to expand...

Not really, it was also the losing laptop out of the 3 due to price. It has several nails in the coffin as it is.
 
Unlucky, and I guess you never knew about they need you to book an appointment, (free on their website), to see about anything. I thought that was a widely known fact ?

Then just ask for a replacement on the spot, insist.

Done it like 3 times now, during lunch hour even, 20mins.

That is actually the norm, replace new (refurb) with old (sometimes with a fee), I even got a larger/newer gen iPod because the one I had they don't make anymore. Never had to send anything off.
 
I dislike Apple. There I said it :D I hate the way they tie customers and lock down their products. BUT my wife has had to use their customer support for her iphone 5s and it has been good. She's on her 3rd 5s* now so their products are crap, but good customer service :D :p

*overheating and switching off.
 
Every time I've needed Apple support it's been beyond stellar. Just recently I had my 5s replaced. It had a loose battery, I had a new one in my hands with in 12 hours of calling them.
 
I've only ever had fantastic experiences with the stores. Sure, they're a bit cringeworthy in design and staffing but when my home button was dodgy on my iP4 it was swapped out there and then and I was given a free bumper as "goodwill".

As opposed to EE sending it away for 28 days and then shrugging at me when I asked what I should use as a mobile in the meantime.
 
It's the same as all the courier threads we get saying DPD is **** etc. The majority of people have probably had good experiences, but there is always the few who have had less than stellar interactions, and these are the people who are most vocal when it comes to talking about the company's reputation.

It all comes down to who you talk to and their competence to put you in touch with the right department. Judging an entire company on a few of it's staff is somewhat of an overreaction (but good click-bait nonetheless).
 
agnes said:
Ok, I have an iPad Nano 7th gen with some engraving on the back, it was a gift from my old dear a few years back.

I cracked the screen by accident and decided to go to Apple to get a full replacement outside of warranty as I wanted to keep the engraving and they offer a discounted price for a new iPod as a repair. It's not the best offer, but it's good enough for me.

So... This is the hell I've had to endure... Before I list the steps I've taken, I know full well I was out of warranty and had to pay for a replacement. I simply wanted to hand my iPod over and some cash and expect a new one back...

  1. Walk into Apple store in Reading, told I have to book an appointment online
  2. Go home, try to book an appointment online, told I have to pay £25 to do so
  3. Try multiple numbers and 2 hours later to speak to someone, made appointment for next day, no £25 charge
  4. Walk into the store the next day, 3 second chat with someone who recorded it was indeed a cracked screen against the serial, told me to call the Reading store to organise replacement (his mistake)
  5. Call Reading store, have a vague and confusing chat with a guy who simply takes serial number, phone number, name and says "Someone will call you back shortly" then hangs up...
  6. I call back the next day after hearing nothing, told I called the wrong number on the card (one number???), called a 0844 number... Spend 25 minutes getting through to someone
  7. Get through to someone who doesn't normally deal with iPod repairs, spend 45 minutes on phone explaining situation, what I'd like to do, he finally takes my card details
  8. I receive multiple emails stating the wrong name on delivery address (mum who bought it), some emails stating delivery complete. Invoice emails for funds taken from me... All over a week period
  9. Last night I receive an email stating I have 4 days to return the original iPod or I will be charged the full amount for the product

At this point I'm lost for words, I've been thrown around to so many teams just for a bloody repair!!!! And now I'm faced with charges because they haven't received mine! I was told I would receive a box to send it back in, that NEVER happened.

I call this morning in a bit of a rage, after spending 25 minutes on the phone, I finally am told that I will receive the iPod tomorrow (new one) also the return box for the old one and that the 4 days have been extended to allow for this.

When I asked "so what's gone wrong in this instance? Why has this been so difficult?", I'm told "it just happens some times"...

This, this is EXACTLY why I despise Apple, what an AWFUL company, how has someone not stepped back and said in their board meetings "umm guys, this is a truly **** way to operate??? Why are we making it so hard?"...

I love my little iPod, it's a gift and this means something to me, specially with the engraving, it's not a bad little device either. But I will never, NEVER give Apple a penny of my own after this...

Just wow...

TL;DR Apple are ****.
Click to expand...
#I think cancellation repairs number have to be free as of April, you should look into that.
 
I hate Apple, the company, and their software. With a passion.

But I will openly admit, the ipod is a handy thing, with, at least at the time I bought mine, the most capacity per £. I also got an ipad mini for offshore, as I couldn't be hooped with my Android tablet being so slow and unstable.

I try to avoid iTunes as much as possible though. It is horrible, horrible software.
 
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