F*** Apple -- service rant
Tuesday, September 18 2007 @ 10:42 AM CDT

Issue: 512Meg to 1 Gig memory upgrade for the Power PC Mac Mini...

I called the Apple store, 100 miles away, two weeks ahead of time, and then again the day before I drove 100 miles to get there -- BOTH times they assured me they had the part for the Power PC Mini on hand, and could install it in a matter of minutes - piece of cake.

When I got there no one was interested in talking to me until they made me wait two hours (no real surprise, there) and finally let me state why I was there:

"I need a 1 gig memory for a Mac Mini, Power PC-style"
"Sure, no problem, got it right here. Let me see the serial number No, wait! This is a Power PC!"
"Yeah," I replied, "This is the fourth time I have told you that."

"We don't carry those here. Just buy one from Apple online for $200 and bring it here. We'll install it. Too bad you have to drive so far."

I was livid.

Solution:
I stopped at a nearby independent Bits/Bytes and asked if he worked on Macs. Surprisingly he said yes --- but did not happen to have the one gig chip on hand -- so he pointed me to Fry's a few miles away, who installed it while I waited --- $30 to install and $70 for the chip (Apple wants $200) it -- done deal.

Apple is never interested in servicing any product they are not CURRENTLY selling.

Fuck Apple, at least for service. Jobs should have to put up with this crap himself.

Re:F*** Apple -- service rant
Tuesday, September 18 2007 @ 10:58 AM CDT

Quote by: blackhole Issue: 512Meg to 1 Gig memory upgrade for the Power PC Mac Mini... I called the Apple store, 100 miles away, two weeks ahead of time, and then again the day before I drove 100 miles to get there -- BOTH times they assured me they had the part for the Power PC Mini on hand, and could install it in a matter of minutes, piece of cake. When I got there no one was interested in talking to me until they made me wait two hours (no real surprise, there) and finally let me state why I was there: "I need a 1 gig memory for a Mac Mini, Power PC-style" "Sure, no problem, got it right here. Let me see the serial number No, wait! This is a Power PC!" "Yeah," I replied, "This is the fourth time I have told you that." "We don't carry those here. Just buy one from Apple online for $200 and bring it here. We'll install it. Too bad you have to drive so far." I was livid. Solution: I stopped at a nearby independent Bits/Bytes and asked if he worked on Macs. Surprisingly he said yes --- but did not happen to have the one gig chip on hand -- so he pointed me to Fry's a few miles away, who installed it while I waited --- $30 to install and $70 for the chip (Apple wants $200) it -- done deal. Apple is never interested in servicing any product they are not CURRENTLY selling. Fuck Apple, at least for service. Jobs should have to put up with this crap himself.

Sorry to hear about your "bad-apple" experience... I only live 30 miles away from the nearest Apple Store, and I've had a few nightmares there myself.

There is a definite "Steve Jobs" arrogance from the employees of the Apple Store(s). Unless the customer has "DOLLAR $IGN$" in their eyes, they're treated like PC users (did I say that?)!

Somewhere along the line, Apple forgot that the customer is always right.

Would you like fries with that?

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Tuesday, September 18 2007 @ 11:01 AM CDT

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Re:F*** Apple -- service rant
Tuesday, September 18 2007 @ 11:36 AM CDT

I had a happy outcome with Apple Support recently -- an LE 7.2 upgrade disk that was purportedly no longer available (it was well past the deadline for ordering the 7.1 > 7.2 paid "cross-grade", in their terminology). Apple did an "on-demand factory replacement CD burn". The only problem was that it took three weeks to get to me with overnight shipping, rather than an estimated 3 working days. Oh well, I feel fortunate I got my upgrade.

Re:F*** Apple -- service rant
Tuesday, September 18 2007 @ 11:42 AM CDT

My experience with Apple service is not great - I've found that the online support response times to emails tends to be slow and questions don't get properly answered.

KK

Re:F*** Apple -- service rant
Tuesday, September 18 2007 @ 11:50 AM CDT

We don't have an Apple store here, just the CompUSA "store within a store." But they never carry anything for not-curent Macs either. "Want a battery for your iBook? Forget it. Well, we can order one and have it in two weeks." Or when I needed a new AC adapter, no Apple part, though they finally located a Kensington one with a switchable tip that fit (It was a piece of trash).

But worse was when the tip of the AC adapter broke off inside the socket of the iBook and would not come out. The repair guy said, "Oh, that's a common problem. Unfortunately the socket is an integral part of the motherboard. You need a new motherboard. $680.00. And the labor will be another $200 or so." (They had a clearance on the last of the new iBooks of the same model for about $15 more than it would cost to repair mine).

So I went to a computer geek friend of mine at church. He found the part on eBay for $29.00 (It's NOT an integral part of the motherboard), and installed it in about 10 minutes. Problem solved.

Re:F*** Apple -- service rant maccast.com
Tuesday, September 18 2007 @ 12:03 PM CDT

I have noticed disscussion groups on the apple site are much better info sources
than apple itself. Also Maccast.com which is also a podcast has clear disscusion
groups and ranting space. good thing is you reach a wide audience and they have some
good alternatives.

Re:F*** Apple -- service rant
Tuesday, September 18 2007 @ 12:10 PM CDT

Quote by: Alimar There is a definite "Steve Jobs" arrogance from the employees of the Apple Store(s). Unless the customer has "DOLLAR $IGN$" in their eyes, they're treated like PC users (did I say that?)! Somewhere along the line, Apple forgot that the customer is always right.

I've had unpleasant experiences at EVERY Apple Store that I've been to, all around the country.

I've never found that having money (I could afford ANYTHING in that store while I was so lucratively employed by Phantom!) made the employees treat me any better. I think that I'm ignored because I'm not "young and hip".

My main gripe with the Apple Stores is that they've done away with a dedicated person at the cash register. Now you have to flag down an always-busy and/or preoccupied sales person in their green shirt. It's like pulling teeth trying to get one of them to take my money!!

ARROGANCE is an apt term to describe Apple. I suppose they feel that they can "afford" that attitude because of the iPod's phenomenal success. But if they are not careful, they may lose their customer base.

Re:F*** Apple -- service rant
Tuesday, September 18 2007 @ 01:47 PM CDT

I totally agree. I go if I just can't find the answer myself.

I live in the Atlanta are and we have three with a fourth coming. The only one I go to is in Lenox mall (where all of the superstars and producers hang out. even with that, I go early in the day. That particular apple store stays crowded for the majority of the day.

Re:F*** Apple -- service rant
Tuesday, September 18 2007 @ 05:11 PM CDT

I never use the stores. I went for a job there, and I have been working macs for 16 years, since system 7. I know it like the back of my hands, and I thought they might want my expertise. They gave me a bowl of fruit and asked me to talk about the fruit for 10 minutes. They didn't even ask me to switch a mac on. So I think most of the people working there are greengrocers. Next time, try and find a mac forum, and see if anyone has knowledge about what u need. It will save you a lot of time.

Even though the service is not good, I still cannot fault the hardware or the software for apple. Everything is designed and built , and programmed an intelligent way.