Where do I file a complaint against someone at an Apple Store?
I had a bad experience in an Apple store this evening. I won't go into the whole story but the employee was very rude to me and then at the end of it he says "I know I'm snippy today but it's been a busy day for us" but he was very arrogant. When I asked him a question about something I knew he was wrong about he flat out said "I don't need to check with anyone else. I'm the manager. I know everything" Of course the story is much longer than this but I have never had an employee be this rude to me anywhere. I'm not the type to complain but would like to know how I can file a complaint with Apple. I looked at the contact us section on the Apple web site but can't find anything. Any idea how I can do this?
Comments
My sales person tried to politely explain all the procedures and policies etc that stay this must be the way this has to be done, and I will have to call one of the credit agencies to find out how to change my mystery contact number (which by the way they couldn't tell me which number they were even trying to call - by law again). WHAT?? - that makes NO SENSE whatsoever - am I being punked?. I'm standing there with her on the phone with my sales guy and could answer any kind of security/personal question she could possibly ask me BUT NO, she has to call some mystery number (which i'm not sure where she even got to begin with) to talk to me?
Not to mention, I have 5 IMacs, 1 MacBook, 4 IPODs, one ITOUCH, and an apple TV, not to mention the tons of accessories and software, and printers i have bought at this same store. I have a platinum American Express (it has no limit because my credit is so good). My point is, there HAS to be a better way of checking credit, like maybe calling the stupid credit card company you are using - like every other store does???
STILL, i am trying to be nice, but kept saying i just couldn't understand why i had waited in line all this time and spent 5 hours in the mall to get this ridiculous procedure holding this up. So i ask for the manager to let him know my extreme disappointment at the policy and procedures and get a better explanation of this craziness that I have never heard of before and REALLY to try to find out what i need to do or change to be able to come back and get the phone. The guy was such a coward, he sent my poor 18 yr old sales guy back out to tell me he wouldn't come talk to me because "he couldn't make an exception" for me. WHICH I NEVER ASKED FOR. What a coward. I was a PC girl through and through that HAD completely changed my mind and gone whole heartedly Apple. Loved every bit until today. And now I want to return all of it, i have a such a bad taste in my mouth.
Bottom line, there has GOT to be a better way. I have had tons of cell phones and electronic equipment and things much more expensive than this phone and I have NEVER run into this ridiculousness before. What a bummer. Please find a better way instead of waiting people wait all day just to find out some silly procedure made them wait for nothing. And fire that manager at the Green Hills store - the poor 18 yr old sales person was much more poised and at least tried to explain things to me, instead of hiding in the back storeroom. And I'm very polite and reserved. Hmm... Maybe I should have started yelling and throwing a tantrum?
I waited in line for an new Apple Iphone today at Green Hills Mall in Nashville TN. Mind you i didn't mind waiting, i get the hype. I even used to work for Nick Forlenza, one of the developers of the darn thing. Got my "card" at around 11:30 that insured i had a phone that day. Milled around mall, kept coming back,, line not moving. So finally locked in my place in line around 2:00. I finally got to front around 4:30. Gave all my info and was ready to go. But OH no, upon calling in to the "credit checker", i was told I could not get the phone, because I was not at the phone line listed on my credit report (i"m guessing home phone) to verify who i was. WHAT??? How can I be home when I am standing in the store???? I have PERFECT credit. I have never even carried a balance over from month to month in 15 years. I pay in full every month.
My sales person tried to politely explain all the procedures and policies etc that stay this must be the way this has to be done, and I will have to call one of the credit agencies to find out how to change my mystery contact number (which by the way they couldn't tell me which number they were even trying to call - by law again). WHAT?? - that makes NO SENSE whatsoever - am I being punked?. I'm standing there with her on the phone with my sales guy and could answer any kind of security/personal question she could possibly ask me BUT NO, she has to call some mystery number (which i'm not sure where she even got to begin with) to talk to me?
Not to mention, I have 5 IMacs, 1 MacBook, 4 IPODs, one ITOUCH, and an apple TV, not to mention the tons of accessories and software, and printers i have bought at this same store. I have a platinum American Express (it has no limit because my credit is so good). My point is, there HAS to be a better way of checking credit, like maybe calling the stupid credit card company you are using - like every other store does???
STILL, i am trying to be nice, but kept saying i just couldn't understand why i had waited in line all this time and spent 5 hours in the mall to get this ridiculous procedure holding this up. So i ask for the manager to let him know my extreme disappointment at the policy and procedures and get a better explanation of this craziness that I have never heard of before and REALLY to try to find out what i need to do or change to be able to come back and get the phone. The guy was such a coward, he sent my poor 18 yr old sales guy back out to tell me he wouldn't come talk to me because "he couldn't make an exception" for me. WHICH I NEVER ASKED FOR. What a coward. I was a PC girl through and through that HAD completely changed my mind and gone whole heartedly Apple. Loved every bit until today. And now I want to return all of it, i have a such a bad taste in my mouth.
Bottom line, there has GOT to be a better way. I have had tons of cell phones and electronic equipment and things much more expensive than this phone and I have NEVER run into this ridiculousness before. What a bummer. Please find a better way instead of waiting people wait all day just to find out some silly procedure made them wait for nothing. And fire that manager at the Green Hills store - the poor 18 yr old sales person was much more poised and at least tried to explain things to me, instead of hiding in the back storeroom. And I'm very polite and reserved. Hmm... Maybe I should have started yelling and throwing a tantrum?
The above is a real "hissy fit", folks.
Apple Store is tricky because most of the time, everything is great.
There are the oddballs here and there that get a bit too full of themselves.
At the London Regent Street Store I had to tell of one of the guys that wanted to reboot the computers, he had no tag and was not wearing any shirt, and I had to be firm with him.
The next few days later on at night camping out for the iPhone 3G launch, this guy was around while they were setting up stuff. I saw him having a rant at some other dude, even pointing his finger in the way of saying something like "I'm only going to tell you this once..."
However, even managers report to the overall store manager. And they report to...
Everyone is human, even those at the Apple Store, particularly with wildly popular Mac and iPhone 3G stuff going off the charts.
As you know, during the first few days of iPhone 3G launch and activation, many customers and staff went nuts and so on...
You can follow up with your local city and state retail/ consumer rights associations if they are any good.
Yes, letting things go and forgiving things are good, but speaking to the next person in charge is important, if they are the next person in charge, then some letter writing and emailing is due.
Just be objective.
As consumers or retailers, we are collaborators in retail solutions and obtaining goods and services.
I find wherever there is a good collaborative atmosphere, then both sides are happy. On Oxford Street London today I bought a watch from Fossil (Starck), and the store staff were awesome. A class above. Before that, the Swatch store staff were somewhat agitated, I had a bad look from a Cafe Nero guy when I had to say, "Is that decaf?"...
However in today's world I still feel consumer and worker's rights are important. Follow up, be firm but not an a**hole. Do what you have to do, like in life, I imagine, if you have to say your opinion and be firm with someone, well, you gotta do it.
In London, UK right now, the best city shopping experience I have had is the Apple Stores and this today at Fossil.
I wonder why... Could it be that they do not get personal commissions? It can make a frickin' huge difference.
Imagine... Low pay (as per retail) and on top of that no comissions... Why are these people happy? What is the retail secret behind this?
The above is a real "hissy fit", folks.
I wouldn't be so flippant. What with karma and all...
I waited in line for an new Apple Iphone today at Green Hills Mall in Nashville TN. ...Bottom line, there has GOT to be a better way... And fire that manager at the Green Hills store - the poor 18 yr old sales person was much more poised and at least tried to explain things to me, instead of hiding in the back storeroom. And I'm very polite and reserved. Hmm... Maybe I should have started yelling and throwing a tantrum?
Sassie, your experience is a very common one at Apple Stores regarding the iPhone 3G. It happens all over the world.
There are a few issues:
1. The young staff they choose as Specialists generally are very on the ball, polite, relaxed, and just happy to be working in a line they are interested in for reasonable pay.
2. The managers are a little different story sometimes. Some are great, some can be a little odd. Not sure why.
3. Apple with the iPhone 3G got into bed with the big telcos. And Apple swallowed hard as well. This is a fact we must all face.
4. What this means is that whatever Apple procedures and experience, is now "tainted", "subsumed", by the telecom/ mobile phone shop procedures and experience. This = fail and Apple is definitely aware of this. Just compare your average mobile phone shop and the Apple Retail Store.
Where do we go from here? I don't know. I was first in line at Apple Store London Regent Street for the iPhone 3G launch. I waited 24 hours. Then my credit check failed. This was with the network called O2, a huge European company, massive. The O2 servers had been failing for days before, hours during the launch, and today, the activation process is still quite long, and the biggest Apple Store in the world, London, had at least 1/4 of the top floor, a significant chunk, cordoned off just for staff and customers getting the iPhone 3G.
So yes. Where do we go from here?
I had a bad experience in an Apple store this evening. I won't go into the whole story but the employee was very rude to me and then at the end of it he says "I know I'm snippy today but it's been a busy day for us" but he was very arrogant. When I asked him a question about something I knew he was wrong about he flat out said "I don't need to check with anyone else. I'm the manager. I know everything" Of course the story is much longer than this but I have never had an employee be this rude to me anywhere. I'm not the type to complain but would like to know how I can file a complaint with Apple. I looked at the contact us section on the Apple web site but can't find anything. Any idea how I can do this?
As for the manager that is in charge of the whole store. Not just a section, or team leader, or tech, or whatever. *The* Store Manager.
I wouldn't be so flippant. What with karma and all...
Sassie, your experience is a very common one at Apple Stores regarding the iPhone 3G. It happens all over the world.
There are a few issues:
1. The young staff they choose as Specialists generally are very on the ball, polite, relaxed, and just happy to be working in a line they are interested in for reasonable pay.
2. The managers are a little different story sometimes. Some are great, some can be a little odd. Not sure why.
3. Apple with the iPhone 3G got into bed with the big telcos. And Apple swallowed hard as well. This is a fact we must all face.
4. What this means is that whatever Apple procedures and experience, is now "tainted", "subsumed", by the telecom/ mobile phone shop procedures and experience. This = fail and Apple is definitely aware of this. Just compare your average mobile phone shop and the Apple Retail Store.
Where do we go from here? I don't know. I was first in line at Apple Store London Regent Street for the iPhone 3G launch. I waited 24 hours. Then my credit check failed. This was with the network called O2, a huge European company, massive. The O2 servers had been failing for days before, hours during the launch, and today, the activation process is still quite long, and the biggest Apple Store in the world, London, had at least 1/4 of the top floor, a significant chunk, cordoned off just for staff and customers getting the iPhone 3G.
So yes. Where do we go from here?
You can believe in Karma, sonny, I'll put my faith in my .45 hollow points.
The point, which quite apparently completely escaped you, in your zest to be an intermediary, is that this is notnless in your short history you've become the public spokesman/problem solver, for Apple.
She had a hissy fit in the wrong place. NOBODY here, including you, can remedy her experience. So, get over it.
As for the manager that is in charge of the whole store. Not just a section, or team leader, or tech, or whatever. *The* Store Manager.
Evidently you didn't read her comments prior to posting this inappropriate reply.
"I don't need to check with anyone else. I'm the manager. I know everything"
No you don't, if you knew shit you wouldn't work in a freakin retail store.
I work in a business where I talk to people every day and you just have to put on a professional face and deal with it as best you can without losing your cool
Everyone has bad days but it doesn't excuse terrible service
I work in a business where I talk to people every day and you just have to put on a professional face and deal with it as best you can without losing your cool
I quite agree, but, the solution is not to seek redress from an non-related internet forum.
He forgot to take more information from me (password, further issues) and called me back three days later for the password. Two days after his call I called back and told them my password ( I had been on a trip so there was a delay) and asked if they needed any more info. They said ,"no". Three days later, they called me and asked for more information. No one knew I had the 300 dollar apple service plan, nor did it seem like they cared. I emailed [email protected] the on Sunday afternoon (after reading this forum). The next morning at 830 am, Jean -the store manager of the Apple store in the Mall of America- asked if I had time to talk. I said I would call her back
At 12 30 am, that same day, I called her back and was put straight through to her. She said she had pulled her top mechanic to start working on my computer. She told me that apple had mistreated me, that her team was missing some training, and there were no excuses for what happened. She told me that she had talked to Dan in Edina and she would have my computer ready by the next day.
She then told me that my computer had been refitted with a new case (top and bottom), a new hard drive (upgraded from 120gb to 200gb), my computer had been backed up, and they were going to install boot camp for me (my hard drive just wasn't working with windows for some reason, that's what I had mentioned to Dan who told me to restore and try again, DUH! Tried that three times in February Dan).
Anyway, I'm a huge fan after my conversation with Jean yesterday. She'll be personally meeting with me on Wednesday morning as I sit down with a Genius and receive my half-new Macbook Pro with it's 80gb upgrade. Now I can finally forgive my little brother for dropping it and denting the top slightly after the first when I had purchased it.
What I'm saying is, email [email protected] if you have a complaint!!! You never know what you might get. I heard someone say that Steve personally called them after they emailed.
I live in Minnesota and I took my Mbook Pro to the Edina store where I met Dan (who I later found was the store manager). He was terrible and very unhelpful, wouldn't even reallly look at my hard drive. A few weeks later I stupidly dropped my macbook and made a huge dent in the bottom case. I went to the Mall of America store where some random Genius took care of me and took my computer in to look at the damage. I told him I didn't want to have to pay the 900 dollars quoted to me to fix the cosmetic issues.
He forgot to take more information from me (password, further issues) and called me back three days later for the password. Two days after his call I called back and told them my password ( I had been on a trip so there was a delay) and asked if they needed any more info. They said ,"no". Three days later, they called me and asked for more information. No one knew I had the 300 dollar apple service plan, nor did it seem like they cared. I emailed [email protected] the on Sunday afternoon (after reading this forum). The next morning at 830 am, Jean -the store manager of the Apple store in the Mall of America- asked if I had time to talk. I said I would call her back
At 12 30 am, that same day, I called her back and was put straight through to her. She said she had pulled her top mechanic to start working on my computer. She told me that apple had mistreated me, that her team was missing some training, and there were no excuses for what happened. She told me that she had talked to Dan in Edina and she would have my computer ready by the next day.
She then told me that my computer had been refitted with a new case (top and bottom), a new hard drive (upgraded from 120gb to 200gb), my computer had been backed up, and they were going to install boot camp for me (my hard drive just wasn't working with windows for some reason, that's what I had mentioned to Dan who told me to restore and try again, DUH! Tried that three times in February Dan).
Anyway, I'm a huge fan after my conversation with Jean yesterday. She'll be personally meeting with me on Wednesday morning as I sit down with a Genius and receive my half-new Macbook Pro with it's 80gb upgrade. Now I can finally forgive my little brother for dropping it and denting the top slightly after the first when I had purchased it.
What I'm saying is, email [email protected] if you have a complaint!!! You never know what you might get. I heard someone say that Steve personally called them after they emailed.
"No one knew I had the 300 dollar apple service plan"
Not so, they had the serial number, and from there they can determine whether or not you had AppleCare. Consider yourself very lucky to have had cosmetic issues covered under AppleCare, which specifically does NOT cover them.
I'm not sure that I believe all that you said. I've NEVER had Apple backup a hard drive, EVER!
...you've become the public spokesman/problem solver, for Apple...
Oh, I've definitely been that for a few years now...