Comments on: Apple Customer Support Fiasco http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2009/08/27/apple-customer-support-fiasco/ Improving the human experience one day at a time Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:24:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Manny http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2009/08/27/apple-customer-support-fiasco/comment-page-1/#comment-8293 Manny Thu, 03 Nov 2011 04:42:30 +0000 http://whitneyhess.com/blog/?p=2452#comment-8293 Don't give up on Apple, you'll be sorry in the long run. Think for a second, have you ever messed up? Why wouldn't you give a company as large as Apple a second chance? Buy a PC, see what happens... Don’t give up on Apple, you’ll be sorry in the long run. Think for a second, have you ever messed up? Why wouldn’t you give a company as large as Apple a second chance?
Buy a PC, see what happens…

]]> By: Mike http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2009/08/27/apple-customer-support-fiasco/comment-page-1/#comment-5757 Mike Tue, 07 Dec 2010 05:17:50 +0000 http://whitneyhess.com/blog/?p=2452#comment-5757 I've been fighting for a week with apple about an ipod that they shipped to the wrong address. I've spent more than 8 hours on 6 phone calls and the only result is that they have shipped another ipod to the same wrong address, and charged me again for it. They are incredibly incompetent and pathetic. Like most of you I am a long time mac user with almost 20 years and over 100k spent. Plus my entire company runs on macs. But I am reconsidering after this horrible experience. It has been absolutely the WORST customer service I have ever experienced anywhere without exception. You have my sympathy! I’ve been fighting for a week with apple about an ipod that they shipped to the wrong address. I’ve spent more than 8 hours on 6 phone calls and the only result is that they have shipped another ipod to the same wrong address, and charged me again for it. They are incredibly incompetent and pathetic. Like most of you I am a long time mac user with almost 20 years and over 100k spent. Plus my entire company runs on macs. But I am reconsidering after this horrible experience. It has been absolutely the WORST customer service I have ever experienced anywhere without exception. You have my sympathy!

]]> By: Brian http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2009/08/27/apple-customer-support-fiasco/comment-page-1/#comment-5417 Brian Sat, 04 Sep 2010 00:57:26 +0000 http://whitneyhess.com/blog/?p=2452#comment-5417 I had the same experience when I had a Mac out of the box not turn on... I had spent 5 hours on the phone with Apple at 1-800-676-2775. I did talk with at least 6 diffrent people and at least 4 different departments. I still have a mac that I took out of the box 3 weeks ago. I finally just emailed my Apple sales person and they are looking into it for me. I give apple product a B grade. I give Apple customer service a big F. I give DELL computer customer service an A+ They love to give you the run around. If you want a lot of RED tape to got through then go with Apple Computers. I am also sorry you had to deal with it to... I had the same experience when I had a Mac out of the box not turn on… I had spent 5 hours on the phone with Apple at 1-800-676-2775. I did talk with at least 6 diffrent people and at least 4 different departments. I still have a mac that I took out of the box 3 weeks ago. I finally just emailed my Apple sales person and they are looking into it for me. I give apple product a B grade. I give Apple customer service a big F.

I give DELL computer customer service an A+

They love to give you the run around.

If you want a lot of RED tape to got through then go with Apple Computers.

I am also sorry you had to deal with it to…

]]> By: Upbids http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2009/08/27/apple-customer-support-fiasco/comment-page-1/#comment-5343 Upbids Wed, 11 Aug 2010 21:43:44 +0000 http://whitneyhess.com/blog/?p=2452#comment-5343 Ive had a similar experience with apple, but i guess it depends on the customer service rep. Ive had a similar experience with apple, but i guess it depends on the customer service rep.

]]> By: jazstar http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2009/08/27/apple-customer-support-fiasco/comment-page-1/#comment-4951 jazstar Fri, 28 May 2010 07:56:29 +0000 http://whitneyhess.com/blog/?p=2452#comment-4951 I have been having the same problem as you with not being able to log into <a href="http://me.com" rel="nofollow">me.com</a> and not being able to retrieve my Apple ID because the system is totally flawed. I am going to have to go and sit in the Apple Store while some sales person who just thinks I don't understand computers (I am a web producer) takes me through the whole process and watches the system try and reset my password a million times without actually retrieving the Apple ID. There are other ways to find this Apple ID (although this should be very easy - every other website can manage it), but I've done that and it still doesn't let me log in.<br><br>I am now going to have to try and get a refund for a product I have not been able to use because of such poor UX/site development, which surprises and disappoints me of Apple. And I am very surprised that when then are forums full of people having the same problem, it has not been addressed. Irritatingly, all the comments from Apple tell people to go to the Apple ID forgot page which does not do the job! Perhaps they should actually try what some people are outlining is happening and see for themselves instead of just assuming they are idiots. I have been having the same problem as you with not being able to log into me.com and not being able to retrieve my Apple ID because the system is totally flawed. I am going to have to go and sit in the Apple Store while some sales person who just thinks I don't understand computers (I am a web producer) takes me through the whole process and watches the system try and reset my password a million times without actually retrieving the Apple ID. There are other ways to find this Apple ID (although this should be very easy – every other website can manage it), but I've done that and it still doesn't let me log in.

I am now going to have to try and get a refund for a product I have not been able to use because of such poor UX/site development, which surprises and disappoints me of Apple. And I am very surprised that when then are forums full of people having the same problem, it has not been addressed. Irritatingly, all the comments from Apple tell people to go to the Apple ID forgot page which does not do the job! Perhaps they should actually try what some people are outlining is happening and see for themselves instead of just assuming they are idiots.

]]> By: davidinbrasil http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2009/08/27/apple-customer-support-fiasco/comment-page-1/#comment-4869 davidinbrasil Tue, 30 Mar 2010 13:30:47 +0000 http://whitneyhess.com/blog/?p=2452#comment-4869 I'm glad you've had good experiences with Apple - it seems a lot of people have. My experiences, however are 180 degrees opposite of yours - I've purchased two Apple products (laptop and iPhone) and have had horrible experiences with them both.<br><br>The laptop (PowerBook G3 Wallstreet) crashed more often than the Wright Bros. It crashed or froze 3 times a day. It would say "you've experienced an error of -3" or some such cryptic message. I mail ordered this thing and lived in E. TX, so there was no local support at all. I was stupid, I guess, and never thought that Apple would actually help me with this (remember, I had mail ordered it and didn't know anyone else who owned an Apple), so I did not call them about it - I just thought that this is how they work. After putting up with this garbage for 6 months, I shelved the computer, bought an IBM and never looked back.<br><br>After 10 years of muttering bad things about Apple, I decided to try again. I bought an iPhone. Because I now live in Brasil, where iPhones cost >$1000, I purchased a second-hand one thru eBay in the US. It came with a defective battery - it lasts about 30 minutes on a full charge. Now, the fact that I purchased a phone with a bad battery isn't Apple's fault, but the fact that I can't replace the one consumable part in a phone is! $200 later, I have a working phone. It's a big Okeedoke, in my opinion; my friend's Droid works better. PLUS, the iPhone is the one phone that doesn't like to be moved from one place to the next. Every time I update the firmware thru iTunes, it re-locks itself to AT&T. I called Apple's "award winning support" (their phrase) and was told that unlocking it was the only thing I could do, but of course, they couldn't help me do that.<br><br>So, no, I can't imagine ever buying another Apple product again. Sure, a lot of people have good experiences with them,but I'm now 0 for 2 and about $3500 down, and not willing to gamble that I'll be one of the lucky ones this time.<br><br>David Sundin<br>davidsundin at yahoodotcom I'm glad you've had good experiences with Apple – it seems a lot of people have. My experiences, however are 180 degrees opposite of yours – I've purchased two Apple products (laptop and iPhone) and have had horrible experiences with them both.

The laptop (PowerBook G3 Wallstreet) crashed more often than the Wright Bros. It crashed or froze 3 times a day. It would say “you've experienced an error of -3″ or some such cryptic message. I mail ordered this thing and lived in E. TX, so there was no local support at all. I was stupid, I guess, and never thought that Apple would actually help me with this (remember, I had mail ordered it and didn't know anyone else who owned an Apple), so I did not call them about it – I just thought that this is how they work. After putting up with this garbage for 6 months, I shelved the computer, bought an IBM and never looked back.

After 10 years of muttering bad things about Apple, I decided to try again. I bought an iPhone. Because I now live in Brasil, where iPhones cost >$1000, I purchased a second-hand one thru eBay in the US. It came with a defective battery – it lasts about 30 minutes on a full charge. Now, the fact that I purchased a phone with a bad battery isn't Apple's fault, but the fact that I can't replace the one consumable part in a phone is! $200 later, I have a working phone. It's a big Okeedoke, in my opinion; my friend's Droid works better. PLUS, the iPhone is the one phone that doesn't like to be moved from one place to the next. Every time I update the firmware thru iTunes, it re-locks itself to AT&T. I called Apple's “award winning support” (their phrase) and was told that unlocking it was the only thing I could do, but of course, they couldn't help me do that.

So, no, I can't imagine ever buying another Apple product again. Sure, a lot of people have good experiences with them,but I'm now 0 for 2 and about $3500 down, and not willing to gamble that I'll be one of the lucky ones this time.

David Sundin
davidsundin at yahoodotcom

]]> By: dailyrev http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2009/08/27/apple-customer-support-fiasco/comment-page-1/#comment-4580 dailyrev Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:51:20 +0000 http://whitneyhess.com/blog/?p=2452#comment-4580 Apple's an empire now. Same story here, <a href="http://dailyrevolution.net/?p=8538" rel="nofollow">same disappointment and disillusionment.</a> Apple's an empire now. Same story here, same disappointment and disillusionment.

]]> By: Dual Sim Mobile http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2009/08/27/apple-customer-support-fiasco/comment-page-1/#comment-4480 Dual Sim Mobile Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:36:08 +0000 http://whitneyhess.com/blog/?p=2452#comment-4480 nice nice

]]> By: David Hamill http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2009/08/27/apple-customer-support-fiasco/comment-page-1/#comment-4289 David Hamill Thu, 03 Sep 2009 06:59:28 +0000 http://whitneyhess.com/blog/?p=2452#comment-4289 This is a great post. I felt your pain, we've all been there with one company or another.<br><br>This illustrates the point that music and software vendors are not only competing with piracy on price. Very often its a user experience issue. If you make it as easy to do this stuff legally as illegally then you'll find that a lot of people actually want to take the legal approach. This is a great post. I felt your pain, we've all been there with one company or another.

This illustrates the point that music and software vendors are not only competing with piracy on price. Very often its a user experience issue. If you make it as easy to do this stuff legally as illegally then you'll find that a lot of people actually want to take the legal approach.

]]> By: Ian Fenn http://whitneyhess.com/blog/2009/08/27/apple-customer-support-fiasco/comment-page-1/#comment-4287 Ian Fenn Wed, 02 Sep 2009 22:17:49 +0000 http://whitneyhess.com/blog/?p=2452#comment-4287 Hey, it's easy to bypass that link as it's not on the drop-down menu you get if you click 'Account'. Plus, your blog post referred to checking only the order details, which is a different link?<br><br>Another thing to check is that you're logged into the right store just in case something funny has happened. My key isn't shown if I log into the main US store, but only if I log into the UK one. There it's shown directly under the listing for 'Quicktime 7 Pro for Mac OS X'.<br><br>If that's not the issue, I wonder if Apple has pulled the sale of Quicktime Pro due to the introduction of Snow Leopard (which has a new Quicktime and no Quicktime Pro) and you got caught up in the transition. Frustrating. Hey, it's easy to bypass that link as it's not on the drop-down menu you get if you click 'Account'. Plus, your blog post referred to checking only the order details, which is a different link?

Another thing to check is that you're logged into the right store just in case something funny has happened. My key isn't shown if I log into the main US store, but only if I log into the UK one. There it's shown directly under the listing for 'Quicktime 7 Pro for Mac OS X'.

If that's not the issue, I wonder if Apple has pulled the sale of Quicktime Pro due to the introduction of Snow Leopard (which has a new Quicktime and no Quicktime Pro) and you got caught up in the transition. Frustrating.

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