I am really surprised, as I've never had such a problem with Apple products, and we've been an Apple couple for years. Maybe the days you were trying to accomplish what you wanted had something to do with your frustrating experience. As an apple stockholder, I apologize. Again, we've not had a problem either online or in the store. We bought pro care and one-on-one, and have really used and enjoyed them, for education, not problems. These machines are nothing like the lower priced guys who say they do the same things. They don't, and the elegant experience of working with a Mac product is quite unique. Customer service has always rocked for us! Good luck going forward, and I hope your ongoing experiences are more like the rest of us!

It is surprising - i had nothing but the best experience with Apple customer service - fast response, very helpful and often going an extra mile to help. In fact I'd go as far as to say that it is customer service that really sets them apart from the rest of the industry.

Could it be just Black Friday thing? Retailers are going a little overwhelmed during these times....

You start off referring to Apple customers as a 'cult'. Then you expect to get the best possible financing deal, on the busiest day of the year, and you want it right now, you can't bother to wait in line (you call that an 'obstacle course').

Ever think someone ELSE in line might need to get his or her iPhone fixed? Is Blackberry or Motorola waiting in the mall for you when you have an 'emergency' on their weak phones? Yeah, I didn't think so. But if they did, they surely don't have any products that people are there just to look at the way Apple does. The stores are literally packed all the time, the best retail business in the US. Making an appointment actually is going to save you time, but I guess you expect the royal treatment. (I bet Microsoft gave you the treatment a few times, huh?)

Facts are the Mac is the better machine, always has been, BTW, this is why it was copied (badly) not the other way around, and Macs do in fact NOT get viruses NEARLY to the extent that the lowly PC does. In fact, it's a total oddity at this point, there really aren't any credible virus threats YET for Mac OS X.

But you refer to this fact as 'drinking the kool-aid' a sick reference to Jonestown, the epitome of cults. There you go, name calling again. Do you do this because you have no facts whatsoever to support your position. It looks that way to me.

Try writing an article about something next time, instead of a smear piece.

I believe Apple has had the best ratings from JD Power for its computers and service for the past several years. No doubt not every experience is perfect, but the story is this article is pretty lame as the basis for a full blown article on Blogging Stocks. Is every bit of consumer whining worthy of posting as a worthwhile read? I would say that is a far more serious customer service issue than what this guy experienced with Apple.

I speak as one who has three Macs, an iPhone, an Airport Express, an iPod, a Time Machine. I guess I am a Kool Aid drinker. But I keep coming back because the products are great and so is the service.

Kent Ramsay
Aurora, OH

You ended up getting everything you wanted. I have a hard time believing you would get a better experience at this time from any other retailer.

Wow!

You mean to tell me that a third party online financing system went down on black friday? Appaling!!!

And then you got disconnected on a voice response system?

And after those traumatic problems, you were lucky enough to trick some Apple employee into letting get a black friday deal on the following monday?

I can see how all these hoops would anger even the most level headed. Also, the idea that someone should wait in line before being helped with a problem? What's up with that? They should understand this is not just a problem but "your problem" and drop everything (which it sounds like they did, but that didn't stop you from bitching about it).

So for those keeping score.

1) Apple honored a one day special price 2 days later.
2) Has a phone system that you can get disconnected from and uses a less than perfect financing system (did you get your financing by the way?).
3) Apple offers an appointment system for FREE tech support (unlike the charged for phone support of many tech companies).
4) Apple allowed you to jump ahead in line on that appointment system for something you deemed urgent.

Boy those Mac faithful will put up with just about anything.

You don't get cool from buying a product.
the author of this article is a fool.
The guy that wrote this article sound like most spoiled americans.
It has nothing to do with drinking the Koolaid, I've bought numerous apple products since 1996 with very few problems and excellent customer service when i had a problem.
This guy should have bought a pc.

You should, email Steve's staff.

I've had a reply from emailing sjobs@apple.com. ... steve@mac.com and sjobs@ apple.com are checked by high-level customer service ...


Steven Normandin, SPS Webmaster
Somerville Public Schools Technology Department
snormandin@k12.somerville.ma.us
http://www.somerville.k12.ma.us
http://steven-normandin.com

I have trouble with Verizon Wireless phone and it was replaced twice without an issue so a Casual Observer someone is waiting to replace a phone.

If Apple wants to sell phones either have some at AT&T be able to service them or get out the business.

How do you make an appointment for a phone problem that does not have happen on command? It is crappy customer service if some one can not look at a problem while it is happening.

I've never had any issues with Apple Support. On the contrary, I had a Macbook Pro disk drive go bad on me last summer and had a very positive experience getting it replaced at no cost to me. I had my laptop back in my hands in less than 48 hours. And that included shipping it to Texas from Indiana, and back again.

I do have one question for you? Why are you a "stock" blogger, yet financing a $1300 laptop? Tough year or something?

Unbelievable! It disappoints me to no end that customers think that they are right all the time every time. Your expectations are so completely out of whack. Like a previous poster writes, you shop on the busiest day of the year and then demand immediate satisfaction when your expectations aren't met. I wish that you could work in the Genius Bar or as a specialist when wads like you come in. It would cure you from ever wanting to work retail. It is people like you that have almost cured me of it. I dread having to deal with people like you because all I am doing is the best I can do and you come in and dump on people, like they invented the product, bult and then sold it to you. You are obviously a retail a-hole. I bet you eat a lot of spit. One day it will all come back to you.

Oh, and thanks for jumping the line by not making an appointment like nearly everyone else does. What a tool!

had the same experience at an apple store in CA. they wanted me to make an appointment to talk to a guy about my iphone and a problem i was having. i was traveling on business and needed to know if the phone was going to work or not. just test it. i finally got past the 'air traffic controller' with the headset at the front desk and the tech buy was NOT busy at all. got the feeling they it was all about creating an illusion that they were really busy exclusive and in demand. the guy was really helpful, answered my question in two minutes, but if i hadn't have forced myself past the traffic cop, i'd have still been there waiting.

I am not the least bit surprised. My wife and I had direct contact with Apple and their so called "genius bar" is nothing of the sort. We bought a Macbook Pro just 2 months ago and experienced the screen cracking at the lower corner edge causing the entire screen to be unviewable. We brought the notebook into an Apple store this weekend for exchange and was told outright by the manager that it was an accidental damage and that is not covered. The notebook was never dropped or moved from a desk during the whole 2 month duration and it does not have any marks on it indicating accidental damage. Yet, the manager stood pat with an indifferent attitude and outright refused to exchange the item and told us it would cost nearly $900 to fix the issue. She told us that even slight pressure on the screen would cause cracking and cause this type of problem. What?!!! We paid $2500 for something that is this fragile and essentially useless now? Unbelievable. This is clearly manufacturer defect and I promptly told her that we would pursue action with the BBB and legal action through small claims.

Apple Inc gives you a good spiel to sell their products, but when you have an issue, they don't back their product and lay the blame on the consumer negligence even when it was "clearly" not our fault. Apple will go down in flames. It's just a matter of when. Take caution if you buy their expensive Macbook Pro because you just may experience the same cause and effect and given the same BS at their store.

I told them at departure that we will never purchase another Apple product ever again.

"Is dealing with Apple always so difficult?"

No. Not in the 18 years I've been a customer. Actually, I believe your opening premise is faulty. Sometimes expectations far exceed reality. I hope that you'll enjoy your future experience when you've had a chance to cool down.

wow what a bunch of humorless apple fanboys lmao.

Your frustrations are rightfully founded. Although, you would be remiss to dismiss the multitude of similar problems plaguing PC-based vendors such as DELL or HP. I have had far more catastrophic problems and failures with their machines and service than I have had with Apple. Also keep in mind that Apple computing products are in the midst of a dramatic upswing in demand. Any fast-growth demand curve will usually result in sporadic problems both with ordering units and general service.

I would not let this experience turn you away from Apple in general, although it is, indeed, hard to shake a first impression.

Try to keep an even keel, especially when ordering during the holidays. It makes things especially easier if you go in headfirst expecting to troubleshoot most of your problems yourself. I purchase most of my workstations and portables expecting NEVER to call service no matter what problems occur... unless they send me a dead squirrel instead of a computer.

Justin, one word, "escalate".

If you don't get satisfaction from the front line tech support, escalate. If you don't satisfaction from the supervisor, escalate. If you don't get satisfaction from the manager, escalate.

If you run out of people at the store, turn to the 1-800 line and run the same gamut.

If you get stuck there, ask for someone in Corporate Executive Relations.

If you run out of people there, try investor_relations@apple.com.

Remember that you won't get anywhere being snide, snippy, or rude. So just stick with the facts including how many hoops you've jumped through already to get to wherever you are.

Frankly, when being calm, rational, and reasonable, it's surprising that one makes it out of the store unless the laptop really showed clear signs of accidental damage.

Nevertheless, "escalate".

reinharden

PS: Once you run out of people at investor relations, there's always Steve Jobs' email addresses. ;-)