Black MacBook (1st Gen) - Complete hard drive failure after 18-months (I missed the AppleCare deadline) and the trackpad button has stopped working as well. It took Apple almost two weeks of my repeated calls and requests to escalate to supervisors before they finally agreed to replace the hard drive for me (because the could "see my repeat customer history"), but added that I had to pay for labour.
The impression I get is that Apple's customer service in America is much better than it is in other countries. Apple is still highly U.S.-centric and it'll be nice to see them put a bit more effort into international markets.
I'm sorry it can't help you in this instance, but for future reference, there's usually no need to involve Apple when an HDD fails. HDD warranties are quite long nowadays (5+ years), and in most cases you can simply return the drive direct to the manufacturer for replacement under their warranty, even if the computer's is over.
Personally, my recent history with Apple customer service has been extremely positive:
Problem: G5 iMac would randomly turn off
Result: Was just out of AppleCare, but Apple replaced the power supply anyways
Problem: 1st gen MacBook Pro battery would get to 80% or so, then the computer would shut off
Result: Apple replaced the battery
Problem: 1st gen MacBook Pro whining noise
Result: Apple replaced the motherboard
Problem: MBP battery problem again
Result: Over 1 year out of AppleCare, but Apple still replaced the battery for me
The very last one was really a bonus. I wasn't expecting them to give me a battery for free, but the guy at the genius bar took a look at the low number of battery cycles, spoke with the store manager about it, and did it because (in his words): "it's the right thing to do".
So while I've had my share of problems with Apple products, I'm very happy with how they've responded to those problems. So this article isn't a surprise to me.
Aforementioned little brother coming in to slap someone upside the head... don't mind me...
Quote:
Originally Posted by VertiGoGo
G3 PowerBook - My first Mac and my first hard drive failure ever.
Moving parts do break down. Seriously. I've seen them do it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by VertiGoGo
eMac - Screen issues. Apple refused to help and wouldn't even acknowledge the issue.
Note the curious lack of time information on both this and the above; I'm guessing out of warranty.
Quote:
Originally Posted by VertiGoGo
iMac G5 - Power and logic board defect. Apple repaired it under warranty. Several months later the same problem and defect happened again. Apple didn't want to repair it for me at first. After arguing my case for a couple weeks, they agreed to fix it. The exact same problem happened again, for a third time, a few months after the second repair. I asked for a new system at this point because it is unacceptable to have to keep repairing the same unit over and over. Apple refused.
I'll call bullshit on the refused repairs because I had the same problem and received three separate logic boards before settling on the one that worked until the PSU blew and I bought an aluminum iMac. And why should they give you an entirely new computer? Your logic amuses me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by VertiGoGo
Airport Express (1st gen) - Was faulty out of the box and had to be replaced.
They replaced it. Your point?
Quote:
Originally Posted by VertiGoGo
Black MacBook (1st Gen) - Complete hard drive failure after 18-months (I missed the AppleCare deadline) and the trackpad button has stopped working as well. It took Apple almost two weeks of my repeated calls and requests to escalate to supervisors before they finally agreed to replace the hard drive for me (because the could "see my repeat customer history"), but added that I had to pay for labour. I am also still waiting on them to let me know if they will replace the button for my trackpad. Sigh...
And this, genius, is why you buy AppleCare to extend your warranty BEFORE it expires. You get a year. I get three. Which one of us ends up better off now?
Now, for my track record in the Era of OS X:
Late 2001 iBook G3: What was the serious recall on that, the logic board or the GPU? Whatever the problem was, they fixed it with no problem. Then they damaged the sensor inside that controls the sleep function when you closed the lid... fixed that with no problem. I had it in my backpack with a can of soda that exploded, dying it orange and giving it a horrible smell. They replaced the entire outer shell and keyboard, so there's two orange-tinted pieces on the inside but the laptop is mostly normal-looking. It finally died of a damaged DC-In board that I later repaired myself and it's still working for my sister's friend seven years after I purchased it.
First gen iMac G5: Three logic board repairs. That was under the recall, during all of which had no problems with the service apart from a bit of a wait because *gasp* other people had problems too and I had to wait in line for available logic boards. Apple serving us in the order we arrive rather than worshiping me, what a mind-blowing concept, I know. PSU blew just after my three years of AppleCare. Upgraded to a new iMac.
iMac (2007): No problems yet although it has graphical issues with Windows XP in Boot Camp. The nice man on AppleCare set up a case number and when I take it in to my local Genius Bar, they're going to strip out the logic board/GPU and replace. Did I mention I got complimentary ProCare when I purchased this, along with a student discount despite not being a student?
MacBook (Oct. 2007/Santa Rosa): No problems whatsover despite being dropped twice, once from four or five feet onto hardwood.
Oops, and I suppose my wifey's counts too:
MacBook (May 2007): She dropped a heavy metal object onto the screen and cracked it. Despite the user-inflicted damage, it was repaired under her AppleCare. It's still got a bit of display damage that they're going to fix when she has a vacation period at the end of this month and can afford the downtime of a few days.
And this doesn't even include my 4Gen iPod, my new iPod, my mom's Shuffle, or the wife's iPod Nano. Nothing but positive, quick service.
The very last one was really a bonus. I wasn't expecting them to give me a battery for free, but the guy at the genius bar took a look at the low number of battery cycles, spoke with the store manager about it, and did it because (in his words): "it's the right thing to do".
Apple was replacing batteries with charge issues up to 2 years after you bought it as standard procedure since there were so many bad batteries coming out.
I had one friend take his MB (first Mac) into an Apple Store to get a new battery. He was told it was out of warranty and would have to buy a new one. I knew this wasn't right so I called AppleCare and got him a new battery shipped to him within 2 days. Perhaps that was a fluke at the store or they were trying to up sell, which does happen. I did report this to the CSR when talking to AppleCare who asked me what store that was. So one point for AppleCare, one strike for Apple Store.
Amen brother melgross, but I got a personal one that beats this all to hell. My four year old Dual 2.5 G5 (liquid cooled) Power Mac developed a leak in the cooling system. This machine is one full year out of warranty! Apple repaired it without charge! New cooling system w/processors, new power supply and Apple covered it all. Did I mention it was one full year out of Applecare. Yes, I did.
Amen brother melgross, but I got a personal one that beats this all to hell. My four year old Dual 2.5 G5 (liquid cooled) Power Mac developed a leak in the cooling system. This machine is one full year out of warranty! Apple repaired it without charge! New cooling system w/processors, new power supply and Apple covered it all. Did I mention it was one full year out of Applecare. Yes, I did.
That's right. Once they know there's an issue, they will do the right thing for everyone.
On the other hand, when someone does something really stupid, they won't always respond.
Case in point. A friend bought the original iMac. He was a PC person before.
About a month before the warrantee ended, his little boy stuffed a peanut butter sandwich into the CD slot. Naturally, this stopped the use of CDs.
But, he waited almost a full month AFTER the warrantee was over before taking it in. Apple told him (on the phone, of course), that that was something not covered by the warantee, but if he had brought it in within the warantee, they would have fixed it for free anyway, but now, he would have to pay for repairs.
He was pissed. I told him it was his fault. Somehow, he thought that Dell would have done something different. I doubt it.
Apple was replacing batteries with charge issues up to 2 years after you bought it as standard procedure since there were so many bad batteries coming out.
This was actually closer to 2.5 years after I bought it.
Quote:
So one point for AppleCare, one strike for Apple Store.
My experience has been the reverse. I've found that Apple phone/email support won't even spend time on my issue if the product is out of warranty and not covered by AppleCare without wanting to charge me for it. Strictly by the book.
Whereas if I take the issue to the Genius Bar, they'll at least hear me out before making a decision on whether they'll cover it or not. So my first reaction now to a problem is to just book an appointment at the Genius Bar. Once they can see that I'm not the type of person who just takes things in on a whim (I usually know about as much as the tech does about the problem by the time I've taken it in) and who expects Apple to spend time and money supporting a product for free for as long as I own it, then they're a bit more receptive to doing "the right thing".
Consumer satisfaction does only measure whether a company has had problems or not. It also measures how well companies handled problems when they occur and leave the consumer feeling the problem was properly resolved.
Hmmm...
- I've been waiting several months for Apple Customer Relations to return a call
- the purpose of the call is to get info to write to Steve Jobs; they are aware of this... that's why?
- I have spoken to several Apple sales reps about the above call, but no call
- MacBookAir #1 died, #2 had a titled screen and was replaced (#3 is OK)
- #2 had been checked by the service center and passed before being given to me
- iPod nano bought last year has a tilted screen; Apple said this was normal
- the Call Center in Japan does not know if a product is an Apple product
- they also read from the Help menu... they don't even use Macs
Yes, I am now very happy with my MBA, and, after 2.0.1, with my iPhone ( as is my wife). However, there are plenty of problems that simply should not be happening, and some are not dealt with well at all. Apple often refuses to admit that there is a problem, possibly in an attempt to increase its satisfaction rating it seems, not to mention sales. If Apple were to slow down just little and be a little more careful when they move, they would have great products that actually work right, the first time, right out of the box. They seem too eager recently to go for the glory and it is really slapping them hard, at least this past month.
Just got another extension on my Mobile Me account. Whoopdy-do. They should give a year's free; only 100 bucks a customer for them, but some customers have lost that much or more with down time, frustration, etc. Their customers are not on the same income bracket and yes, 100 bucks is often a lot of money.
- I've been waiting several months for Apple Customer Relations to return a call
- the purpose of the call is to get info to write to Steve Jobs; they are aware of this... that's why?
- I have spoken to several Apple sales reps about the above call, but no call
They won't let you harass the man who employs them for what's undoubtedly a ridiculous reason... do you want my surprised look or my really surprised look?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bergermeister
If Apple were to slow down just little and be a little more careful when they move, they would have great products that actually work right, the first time, right out of the box. They seem too eager recently to go for the glory and it is really slapping them hard, at least this past month.
As opposed to the wonderful people at Microsoft? They took seven YEARS to put out a product where the upgrade path is:
Buy Vista
Upgrade to Vista
Downgrade to XP due to massive amounts of problems with Vista
Microsoft announces support and activation availability for XP will be cut off to force you to upgrade to Vista again
This past weekend I called my local Apple Store in Huntsville, AL and asked about a specific piece of software. The specialist asked me to hold and then came back and told me she had the software in stock. When I arrived I was surprised to find that the software I needed was not on the shelf. The specialist at the store said, "It may be in the back, let me check." He went to the back and came back with nothing However, what he did at this point made all the difference. He said "this is totally our fault; the person on the phone must not have looked to verify the software was in stock." Then, he gave me a 10% off coupon for anything in the store which I plan on using when I buy my new iMac in a few months
So this survey was conducted before the MobileMe and iPhone 3G problems? Right?
That's an impressive score, but given Apple's problems it suggests to me that the consumers just have really low expectations of consumer electronics these days
Besides the fact that customer satisfaction includes how companies respond to product and service problems, you have to have some perspective here.
What I would really like to know is what percentage of the users experience 3G connectivity issues have actually compared their iPhone 3G performance to that of at least one other 3G phone, preferably in multiple areas? It appears fairly obvious that there may indeed be some real issues, but I certainly don't have a lot of confidence in your average cellphone user to understand the intricacies of cellphone connections.
How many users that are complaining are just living/working in an area with poor (or non-existent) AT&T 3G coverage?
More generally, how many users are experiencing connection issues, call dropouts, poor reception, etc that is a natural results of the carrier network and not the iPhone hardware itself? How many users are actually comparing the iPhone 3G's 3G connection to that of another AT&T 3G phone in order to determine this?
How many users are possibly incorrectly 'comparing' the iPhone 3G UMTS coverage to a 3G phone running on Verizon's/Sprint's 3G EV-DO network?
Even if you said a generous 5% of people believe they are having legitimate issues, I would wager at least 50% of them are just experiencing crappy 3G service coverage from AT&T. Assuming they've sold 3.5 million iPhone 3G units, Even a tiny 1/2 of 1% experiencing issues would equal 17,500 users! Even if just 1/3 of those commented online, that would easily overwhelm the official forums and top fan sites with complaints!
Yes, I am now very happy with my MBA, and, after 2.0.1, with my iPhone ( as is my wife). However, there are plenty of problems that simply should not be happening, and some are not dealt with well at all. Apple often refuses to admit that there is a problem, possibly in an attempt to increase its satisfaction rating it seems, not to mention sales. If Apple were to slow down just little and be a little more careful when they move, they would have great products that actually work right, the first time, right out of the box. They seem too eager recently to go for the glory and it is really slapping them hard, at least this past month.
You really think ignoring problems increase Apple's satisfactory rating? I would say ignoring problems would decrease Apple's satisfactory rating.
The complaint that Apple should slow down contradicts the opposite complaints that Apple should deliver more features right away. There were complaints for years that .Mac needed an improvement. The iPhone was bemoaned from the very beginning that it did not have an SDK for 3rd party apps.
Quote:
Just got another extension on my Mobile Me account. Whoopdy-do. They should give a year's free; only 100 bucks a customer for them, but some customers have lost that much or more with down time, frustration, etc. Their customers are not on the same income bracket and yes, 100 bucks is often a lot of money.
I think the point is that Apple is attempting to make up the time they believe Mobile Me will not function as advertised. I doubt they plan for that to be a year.
More generally, how many users are experiencing connection issues, call dropouts, poor reception, etc that is a natural results of the carrier network and not the iPhone hardware itself? How many users are actually comparing the iPhone 3G's 3G connection to that of another AT&T 3G phone in order to determine this?
At least one pundit, I think Pogue, drove around NYC with two 3G cellphones from AT&T and had the iPhone dropping in and out while the other handset was fine. I'll try to dig it up, but it's hard with so much coverage of the iPhone.
Going with what you are saying about not trusting the average consumer to make a call as to the quality, I wonder how many are using the using the rationale that " since 3G is better than 2G and the signal is dropping out more the iPhone must be faulty." Not considering that AT&T's 3G is extremely better than a year ago, but still has a way to go. (speculation)
They won't let you harass the man who employs them for what's undoubtedly a ridiculous reason... do you want my surprised look or my really surprised look?As opposed to the wonderful people at Microsoft? They took seven YEARS to put out a product where the upgrade path is:
Buy Vista
Upgrade to Vista
Downgrade to XP due to massive amounts of problems with Vista
Microsoft announces support and activation availability for XP will be cut off to force you to upgrade to Vista again
The reason I wished to write to Steve (back in March) was to ask about quality control (or lack there-of) and support, not harassing topics, as shown by the recent month's troubles.
I have my reasons to write, and was actually told to write by Apple Care in the USA.
They (the Japan Call Center and Customer Relations) don't want me to write because there would be problems for them if I do.
Don't worry, my local Apple Sales reps, the assistant manager of an Apple Store, the manager of an electronics shop and the salespeople all agree with the US Apple Call Center that I should write.
Apple is not selling a commodity but it is being compared to them. Dell, IBM, HP are all selling about the same thing. No disrespect they have a plan and an audience. Apple is charging MORE for their product but what do you know they are giving us back a better experiences both when the product is in use and often times when the product breaks down. I called apple with a iPhone ear bud that was not working. they seemed genuinely sorry and made it right (as in I had new buds the next day!)
Pay more get more.. kind of simple
Bryan
Pay more.....
Not really that much more expensive.
Apple Macbook 2.4ghz - $1,299
Similarly specc'd Dell XPS M1330 - $1,223
Alpine White
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo 2.4GHz
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition SP1
Standard Display with 2.0 Megapixel Webcam
2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM
160GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW Drive)
Intel® Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
It was mentioned that some people ALWAYS have problems with their Macs/PCs....whatever. Seriously, I have found that to be true, that it is the person in front of the machine... AND that it's "sometimes" not their fault (or an apparent, fixable user failure).
My 2 best buds are Apple Authorized Resellers and NT-network specialists for over 20 years now. I help sometimes with program usage problems like CS3, etc. It's funny that with upwards of 1000+ users, in multiple companies, the same people are always having 70% of the problems for them. We've even witnessed this first hand, sitting the people in front of different machines, or delivering a perfectly running system.... only to have them on the phone in literally hours, complaining of a BSOD-Winblows or a "Beachball Party"-Mac. True Story: we watched one secretary BSOD a perfectly running PC by typing a few words in an email!
I do believe that it has something to do with the negative (or positive? 2 positives also make a negative in physics) Karma or biorythomic aura of some individuals... and I'm not talking about electrical charges or jewelry, watches, etc. either (we check that
In all things in life, I believe a good portion of your experience(s) can be traced back to your demeaner and attitude. In sports... witness Michael Phelps. Positive mental preparation and belief had a LOT to do with his success... even he admits this. Same goes with computers in regards to this post. Also, people that are afraid of their systems... or on the other polar opposite, that take their own knowledge (or lack there of!) far too seriously (so-called "Know-IT-Alls")... tend to have more problems than the average. Logical "thinking" people rarely experience massive failures IMX.
I personally have NEVER had ANY serious problem with a Mac... or PC, that wasn't my own fault... or just plain having a "negative i.e. bad day". Sh-IT Happens!
Comments
Black MacBook (1st Gen) - Complete hard drive failure after 18-months (I missed the AppleCare deadline) and the trackpad button has stopped working as well. It took Apple almost two weeks of my repeated calls and requests to escalate to supervisors before they finally agreed to replace the hard drive for me (because the could "see my repeat customer history"), but added that I had to pay for labour.
The impression I get is that Apple's customer service in America is much better than it is in other countries. Apple is still highly U.S.-centric and it'll be nice to see them put a bit more effort into international markets.
I'm sorry it can't help you in this instance, but for future reference, there's usually no need to involve Apple when an HDD fails. HDD warranties are quite long nowadays (5+ years), and in most cases you can simply return the drive direct to the manufacturer for replacement under their warranty, even if the computer's is over.
http://arstechnica.com/journals/appl...ll-be-replaced
Problem: G5 iMac would randomly turn off
Result: Was just out of AppleCare, but Apple replaced the power supply anyways
Problem: 1st gen MacBook Pro battery would get to 80% or so, then the computer would shut off
Result: Apple replaced the battery
Problem: 1st gen MacBook Pro whining noise
Result: Apple replaced the motherboard
Problem: MBP battery problem again
Result: Over 1 year out of AppleCare, but Apple still replaced the battery for me
The very last one was really a bonus. I wasn't expecting them to give me a battery for free, but the guy at the genius bar took a look at the low number of battery cycles, spoke with the store manager about it, and did it because (in his words): "it's the right thing to do".
So while I've had my share of problems with Apple products, I'm very happy with how they've responded to those problems. So this article isn't a surprise to me.
G3 PowerBook - My first Mac and my first hard drive failure ever.
Moving parts do break down. Seriously. I've seen them do it.
eMac - Screen issues. Apple refused to help and wouldn't even acknowledge the issue.
Note the curious lack of time information on both this and the above; I'm guessing out of warranty.
iMac G5 - Power and logic board defect. Apple repaired it under warranty. Several months later the same problem and defect happened again. Apple didn't want to repair it for me at first. After arguing my case for a couple weeks, they agreed to fix it. The exact same problem happened again, for a third time, a few months after the second repair. I asked for a new system at this point because it is unacceptable to have to keep repairing the same unit over and over. Apple refused.
I'll call bullshit on the refused repairs because I had the same problem and received three separate logic boards before settling on the one that worked until the PSU blew and I bought an aluminum iMac. And why should they give you an entirely new computer? Your logic amuses me.
Airport Express (1st gen) - Was faulty out of the box and had to be replaced.
They replaced it. Your point?
Black MacBook (1st Gen) - Complete hard drive failure after 18-months (I missed the AppleCare deadline) and the trackpad button has stopped working as well. It took Apple almost two weeks of my repeated calls and requests to escalate to supervisors before they finally agreed to replace the hard drive for me (because the could "see my repeat customer history"), but added that I had to pay for labour. I am also still waiting on them to let me know if they will replace the button for my trackpad. Sigh...
And this, genius, is why you buy AppleCare to extend your warranty BEFORE it expires. You get a year. I get three. Which one of us ends up better off now?
Now, for my track record in the Era of OS X:
Late 2001 iBook G3: What was the serious recall on that, the logic board or the GPU? Whatever the problem was, they fixed it with no problem. Then they damaged the sensor inside that controls the sleep function when you closed the lid... fixed that with no problem. I had it in my backpack with a can of soda that exploded, dying it orange and giving it a horrible smell. They replaced the entire outer shell and keyboard, so there's two orange-tinted pieces on the inside but the laptop is mostly normal-looking. It finally died of a damaged DC-In board that I later repaired myself and it's still working for my sister's friend seven years after I purchased it.
First gen iMac G5: Three logic board repairs. That was under the recall, during all of which had no problems with the service apart from a bit of a wait because *gasp* other people had problems too and I had to wait in line for available logic boards. Apple serving us in the order we arrive rather than worshiping me, what a mind-blowing concept, I know. PSU blew just after my three years of AppleCare. Upgraded to a new iMac.
iMac (2007): No problems yet although it has graphical issues with Windows XP in Boot Camp. The nice man on AppleCare set up a case number and when I take it in to my local Genius Bar, they're going to strip out the logic board/GPU and replace. Did I mention I got complimentary ProCare when I purchased this, along with a student discount despite not being a student?
MacBook (Oct. 2007/Santa Rosa): No problems whatsover despite being dropped twice, once from four or five feet onto hardwood.
Oops, and I suppose my wifey's counts too:
MacBook (May 2007): She dropped a heavy metal object onto the screen and cracked it. Despite the user-inflicted damage, it was repaired under her AppleCare. It's still got a bit of display damage that they're going to fix when she has a vacation period at the end of this month and can afford the downtime of a few days.
And this doesn't even include my 4Gen iPod, my new iPod, my mom's Shuffle, or the wife's iPod Nano. Nothing but positive, quick service.
The very last one was really a bonus. I wasn't expecting them to give me a battery for free, but the guy at the genius bar took a look at the low number of battery cycles, spoke with the store manager about it, and did it because (in his words): "it's the right thing to do".
Apple was replacing batteries with charge issues up to 2 years after you bought it as standard procedure since there were so many bad batteries coming out.
I had one friend take his MB (first Mac) into an Apple Store to get a new battery. He was told it was out of warranty and would have to buy a new one. I knew this wasn't right so I called AppleCare and got him a new battery shipped to him within 2 days. Perhaps that was a fluke at the store or they were trying to up sell, which does happen. I did report this to the CSR when talking to AppleCare who asked me what store that was. So one point for AppleCare, one strike for Apple Store.
This is the kind of customer service I'm more familiar with from Apple.
http://arstechnica.com/journals/appl...ll-be-replaced
Amen brother melgross, but I got a personal one that beats this all to hell. My four year old Dual 2.5 G5 (liquid cooled) Power Mac developed a leak in the cooling system. This machine is one full year out of warranty! Apple repaired it without charge! New cooling system w/processors, new power supply and Apple covered it all. Did I mention it was one full year out of Applecare. Yes, I did.
Amen brother melgross, but I got a personal one that beats this all to hell. My four year old Dual 2.5 G5 (liquid cooled) Power Mac developed a leak in the cooling system. This machine is one full year out of warranty! Apple repaired it without charge! New cooling system w/processors, new power supply and Apple covered it all. Did I mention it was one full year out of Applecare. Yes, I did.
That's right. Once they know there's an issue, they will do the right thing for everyone.
On the other hand, when someone does something really stupid, they won't always respond.
Case in point. A friend bought the original iMac. He was a PC person before.
About a month before the warrantee ended, his little boy stuffed a peanut butter sandwich into the CD slot. Naturally, this stopped the use of CDs.
But, he waited almost a full month AFTER the warrantee was over before taking it in. Apple told him (on the phone, of course), that that was something not covered by the warantee, but if he had brought it in within the warantee, they would have fixed it for free anyway, but now, he would have to pay for repairs.
He was pissed. I told him it was his fault. Somehow, he thought that Dell would have done something different. I doubt it.
Apple was replacing batteries with charge issues up to 2 years after you bought it as standard procedure since there were so many bad batteries coming out.
This was actually closer to 2.5 years after I bought it.
So one point for AppleCare, one strike for Apple Store.
My experience has been the reverse. I've found that Apple phone/email support won't even spend time on my issue if the product is out of warranty and not covered by AppleCare without wanting to charge me for it. Strictly by the book.
Whereas if I take the issue to the Genius Bar, they'll at least hear me out before making a decision on whether they'll cover it or not. So my first reaction now to a problem is to just book an appointment at the Genius Bar. Once they can see that I'm not the type of person who just takes things in on a whim (I usually know about as much as the tech does about the problem by the time I've taken it in) and who expects Apple to spend time and money supporting a product for free for as long as I own it, then they're a bit more receptive to doing "the right thing".
Consumer satisfaction does only measure whether a company has had problems or not. It also measures how well companies handled problems when they occur and leave the consumer feeling the problem was properly resolved.
Hmmm...
- I've been waiting several months for Apple Customer Relations to return a call
- the purpose of the call is to get info to write to Steve Jobs; they are aware of this... that's why?
- I have spoken to several Apple sales reps about the above call, but no call
- MacBookAir #1 died, #2 had a titled screen and was replaced (#3 is OK)
- #2 had been checked by the service center and passed before being given to me
- iPod nano bought last year has a tilted screen; Apple said this was normal
- the Call Center in Japan does not know if a product is an Apple product
- they also read from the Help menu... they don't even use Macs
Yes, I am now very happy with my MBA, and, after 2.0.1, with my iPhone ( as is my wife). However, there are plenty of problems that simply should not be happening, and some are not dealt with well at all. Apple often refuses to admit that there is a problem, possibly in an attempt to increase its satisfaction rating it seems, not to mention sales. If Apple were to slow down just little and be a little more careful when they move, they would have great products that actually work right, the first time, right out of the box. They seem too eager recently to go for the glory and it is really slapping them hard, at least this past month.
Just got another extension on my Mobile Me account. Whoopdy-do. They should give a year's free; only 100 bucks a customer for them, but some customers have lost that much or more with down time, frustration, etc. Their customers are not on the same income bracket and yes, 100 bucks is often a lot of money.
Hmmm...
- I've been waiting several months for Apple Customer Relations to return a call
- the purpose of the call is to get info to write to Steve Jobs; they are aware of this... that's why?
- I have spoken to several Apple sales reps about the above call, but no call
They won't let you harass the man who employs them for what's undoubtedly a ridiculous reason... do you want my surprised look or my really surprised look?
If Apple were to slow down just little and be a little more careful when they move, they would have great products that actually work right, the first time, right out of the box. They seem too eager recently to go for the glory and it is really slapping them hard, at least this past month.
As opposed to the wonderful people at Microsoft? They took seven YEARS to put out a product where the upgrade path is:
Buy Vista
Upgrade to Vista
Downgrade to XP due to massive amounts of problems with Vista
Microsoft announces support and activation availability for XP will be cut off to force you to upgrade to Vista again
I LOVE APPLE!
.......If I got a person of Hindi nationality, I sure as hell .......
Hindi is not a nationality, but rather, a language.
I think you mean 'Indian' nationality.
So this survey was conducted before the MobileMe and iPhone 3G problems? Right?
That's an impressive score, but given Apple's problems it suggests to me that the consumers just have really low expectations of consumer electronics these days
Besides the fact that customer satisfaction includes how companies respond to product and service problems, you have to have some perspective here.
What I would really like to know is what percentage of the users experience 3G connectivity issues have actually compared their iPhone 3G performance to that of at least one other 3G phone, preferably in multiple areas? It appears fairly obvious that there may indeed be some real issues, but I certainly don't have a lot of confidence in your average cellphone user to understand the intricacies of cellphone connections.
- How many users that are complaining are just living/working in an area with poor (or non-existent) AT&T 3G coverage?
- More generally, how many users are experiencing connection issues, call dropouts, poor reception, etc that is a natural results of the carrier network and not the iPhone hardware itself? How many users are actually comparing the iPhone 3G's 3G connection to that of another AT&T 3G phone in order to determine this?
- How many users are possibly incorrectly 'comparing' the iPhone 3G UMTS coverage to a 3G phone running on Verizon's/Sprint's 3G EV-DO network?
Even if you said a generous 5% of people believe they are having legitimate issues, I would wager at least 50% of them are just experiencing crappy 3G service coverage from AT&T. Assuming they've sold 3.5 million iPhone 3G units, Even a tiny 1/2 of 1% experiencing issues would equal 17,500 users! Even if just 1/3 of those commented online, that would easily overwhelm the official forums and top fan sites with complaints!If I got a person of Hindi nationality, I sure as hell didn't hear an accent.
Not to be an ass, but seriously WTF?
Hmmm...
Yes, I am now very happy with my MBA, and, after 2.0.1, with my iPhone ( as is my wife). However, there are plenty of problems that simply should not be happening, and some are not dealt with well at all. Apple often refuses to admit that there is a problem, possibly in an attempt to increase its satisfaction rating it seems, not to mention sales. If Apple were to slow down just little and be a little more careful when they move, they would have great products that actually work right, the first time, right out of the box. They seem too eager recently to go for the glory and it is really slapping them hard, at least this past month.
You really think ignoring problems increase Apple's satisfactory rating? I would say ignoring problems would decrease Apple's satisfactory rating.
The complaint that Apple should slow down contradicts the opposite complaints that Apple should deliver more features right away. There were complaints for years that .Mac needed an improvement. The iPhone was bemoaned from the very beginning that it did not have an SDK for 3rd party apps.
Just got another extension on my Mobile Me account. Whoopdy-do. They should give a year's free; only 100 bucks a customer for them, but some customers have lost that much or more with down time, frustration, etc. Their customers are not on the same income bracket and yes, 100 bucks is often a lot of money.
I think the point is that Apple is attempting to make up the time they believe Mobile Me will not function as advertised. I doubt they plan for that to be a year.
More generally, how many users are experiencing connection issues, call dropouts, poor reception, etc that is a natural results of the carrier network and not the iPhone hardware itself? How many users are actually comparing the iPhone 3G's 3G connection to that of another AT&T 3G phone in order to determine this?
At least one pundit, I think Pogue, drove around NYC with two 3G cellphones from AT&T and had the iPhone dropping in and out while the other handset was fine. I'll try to dig it up, but it's hard with so much coverage of the iPhone.
Going with what you are saying about not trusting the average consumer to make a call as to the quality, I wonder how many are using the using the rationale that " since 3G is better than 2G and the signal is dropping out more the iPhone must be faulty." Not considering that AT&T's 3G is extremely better than a year ago, but still has a way to go. (speculation)
They won't let you harass the man who employs them for what's undoubtedly a ridiculous reason... do you want my surprised look or my really surprised look?As opposed to the wonderful people at Microsoft? They took seven YEARS to put out a product where the upgrade path is:
Buy Vista
Upgrade to Vista
Downgrade to XP due to massive amounts of problems with Vista
Microsoft announces support and activation availability for XP will be cut off to force you to upgrade to Vista again
The reason I wished to write to Steve (back in March) was to ask about quality control (or lack there-of) and support, not harassing topics, as shown by the recent month's troubles.
I have my reasons to write, and was actually told to write by Apple Care in the USA.
They (the Japan Call Center and Customer Relations) don't want me to write because there would be problems for them if I do.
Don't worry, my local Apple Sales reps, the assistant manager of an Apple Store, the manager of an electronics shop and the salespeople all agree with the US Apple Call Center that I should write.
Ridiculous? Not exactly.
Apple is not selling a commodity but it is being compared to them. Dell, IBM, HP are all selling about the same thing. No disrespect they have a plan and an audience. Apple is charging MORE for their product but what do you know they are giving us back a better experiences both when the product is in use and often times when the product breaks down. I called apple with a iPhone ear bud that was not working. they seemed genuinely sorry and made it right (as in I had new buds the next day!)
Pay more get more.. kind of simple
Bryan
Pay more.....
Not really that much more expensive.
Apple Macbook 2.4ghz - $1,299
Similarly specc'd Dell XPS M1330 - $1,223
Alpine White
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo 2.4GHz
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition SP1
Standard Display with 2.0 Megapixel Webcam
2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM
160GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW Drive)
Intel® Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
Dell Wireless 1505 Wireless-N Mini-card
Built-in Bluetooth capability (2.0 EDR)
56Whr Lithium Ion Battery (6 cell)
High Definition Audio 2.0
Biometric Fingerprint Reader
Or how about the Dell XPS One
20 " Display
2.33ghz C2D CPU
2GB ram
Radeon HD 2400
320GB HDD
DVD Burner
All for $1349
Apple iMac
20" LCD
2.4ghz C2D
2GB Ram
320GB HDD
Radeon HD 2400 XT
DVD Burner
All for ......... $1349
My 2 best buds are Apple Authorized Resellers and NT-network specialists for over 20 years now. I help sometimes with program usage problems like CS3, etc. It's funny that with upwards of 1000+ users, in multiple companies, the same people are always having 70% of the problems for them. We've even witnessed this first hand, sitting the people in front of different machines, or delivering a perfectly running system.... only to have them on the phone in literally hours, complaining of a BSOD-Winblows or a "Beachball Party"-Mac. True Story: we watched one secretary BSOD a perfectly running PC by typing a few words in an email!
I do believe that it has something to do with the negative (or positive? 2 positives also make a negative in physics) Karma or biorythomic aura of some individuals... and I'm not talking about electrical charges or jewelry, watches, etc. either (we check that
In all things in life, I believe a good portion of your experience(s) can be traced back to your demeaner and attitude. In sports... witness Michael Phelps. Positive mental preparation and belief had a LOT to do with his success... even he admits this. Same goes with computers in regards to this post. Also, people that are afraid of their systems... or on the other polar opposite, that take their own knowledge (or lack there of!) far too seriously (so-called "Know-IT-Alls")... tend to have more problems than the average. Logical "thinking" people rarely experience massive failures IMX.
I personally have NEVER had ANY serious problem with a Mac... or PC, that wasn't my own fault... or just plain having a "negative i.e. bad day". Sh-IT Happens!