bad service
Some time ago, I went into an Apple store to get help with an iPod that had very poor battery life. The clown who talked to me was very much younger than me and immediately assumed that because there was snow on the mountain that I was computer illiterate. He was very rude in his discussion with me indicating that I was an old fool that couldn't keep up with the times. I am a research engineer, and have been working with computers for more than 40 years.
Strike one.
Today (3/22/13), I went into the Portland store to buy a MacBook Pro. I already knew what I wanted. I stood around for about 15 minutes and no one offered to help. Finally some jerk at the front of the store asked if I needed help, and I said yes. He said that he would have someone to help in 5 minutes. 15 Minutes later, no help. Someone walked in the store and the jerk got the manager to help him immediately. I said that I was there first, and the jerk said that the newcomer just wanted a gift card. My compliant was met very rudely by the jerk. 10 Minutes later, the jerk gets some one to help me, but whispers something to the guy first. I told the "genius" what I wanted. Without checking, he said they didn't have it but they could order it, but couldn't give me my educational discount. I walked out, and as I was walking out, the jerk at the front door took another rude shot at me.
Strike two
Comments
Originally Posted by angry
I stood around for about 15 minutes and no one offered to help. Finally some jerk at the front of the store asked if I needed help, and I said yes.
Should have just, you know, talked to him when you went in. That's why he's there.
Someone walked in the store and the jerk got the manager to help him immediately. I said that I was there first, and the jerk said that the newcomer just wanted a gift card. My compliant was met very rudely by the jerk. 10 Minutes later, the jerk gets some one to help me, but whispers something to the guy first.
Maybe if you weren't just insulting him, he'd be more amicable to your plight.
Without checking, he said they didn't have it but they could order it…
He couldn't possibly have known they were out of whatever you needed. /sarcasm
…but couldn't give me my educational discount.
That's what happens when you don't have any proof on you.
It is always surprising the way folks can comment about an event that they didn't witness.
I did talk to the jerk at the front of the store, and he ignored me. I wasn't complaining about the other customer, but about the jerk who routed him in front of me. As far as knowing that they had or didn't have the particular set up that I wanted, he never looked at anything. The month before at the same store, when we bought my wife's computer, the salesman got all her requirements, and then checked for availability. It was quite obvious to me that the sales guy didn't want to work with me and was just blowing me off. As far as having proof of educational discount, I had it with me and had used it the previous month when we bought my wife's. The salesman wouldn't even look at my university I.D.
I have no idea how accurate the story is but staff should be attentive and pay heed to customers that look like they need assistance. I must admit that sometimes I just mill around waiting for someone to notice me, especially when the staff look busy. Equally, when I walk up to a bar I expect the bar staff to notice who is next in line. I could stand there aggressively waiving fists of cash but I'd rather not.
The OP could have been clearer about the reason for not getting an educational discount.
Personally I have witnessed good customer service in Apple stores and over selling that IMO was tantamount to theft.
All stores have good and bad staff but I guess that if a customer is unhappy then the danger is that they will look elsewhere. If I am happy with service I might tell 2 people, if I am unhappy I will whine about it to 8 people.
Are you sure you weren't at the jerk store?
You should march back in there, tell the jerk you had sex with his wife and then buy your laptop online. That way you'll get the educational discount and not have to deal with the sales people.
If you have a bad encounter with staff in a store, it's very hard to rectify it because you're never going to have an opportunity to fix it. Sometimes it's better to just avoid the store and buy online.