OT: Apple service [was [clue-tech] Qwest DSL download speedreduced]

[Jack Parker]

Kevin,

Well spoken.  I wish you both the best in resolving the issue.

j.
(former HP type)

-----Original Message-----
From: clue-tech-bounces at cluedenver.org
[mailto:clue-tech-bounces at cluedenver.org]On Behalf Of Kevin Cullis
Sent: Saturday, May 27, 2006 6:37 PM
To: CLUE tech
Subject: Re: OT: Apple service [was [clue-tech] Qwest DSL download
speedreduced]



On May 27, 2006, at 12:03 PM, Nate Duehr wrote:

> David L. Anselmi wrote:
>> Nate Duehr wrote:
>> [...]
>>> "Consumers" aren't as dumb as most corporate support systems make  
>>> them out to be.  My recent example of Apple requiring an  
>>> appointment at the so-called "Genius Bar" to tell me my 4 day old  
>>> laptop wouldn't even POWER ON [ http://www.natetech.com/?p=203 ]  
>>> is a good example of corporate customer "service" policy gone  
>>> insane.
>>

You know Nate, for every "one" bad service, there are 10 behind you  
that talk about how great things are. There are some out there that  
you could give them things for free and they'd still complain. Then  
there are the "abused" computer users that think EVERY incident is  
going to be abusive.

>> I find it tempting (being in the market for a laptop) to look at  
>> the MacBook.  But I won't because I won't run Mac OS on it and I  
>> can't bear the thought of paying for proprietary software and then  
>> throwing it away (maybe I can get one without OS?)  I wonder how  
>> well the hardware works with Linux?
> As mentioned above, I have no problem with the software tax.  I  
> even loaded a copy of WinXP on it with Apple Bootcamp.  Sometimes  
> you just need all your tools... whatever they are.

A man after my own style, whatever tools work the best whether FOSS  
or not.

> I agonized for a week over giving Apple my money (again) because I  
> truly despise organizational "stuff" that causes poor customer  
> service... I fight that tooth and nail, even at my job, trying to  
> make sure my customers get the best service I can give them, even  
> if the "rules" say we're not supposed to do something a certain  
> way.  Of course, you have to pick and choose your battles in that  
> arena carefully and with tact.
>
> We'll see how it goes.  Had the new MacBook less than 24 hours and  
> it's already running two OS's... soon more.  ;-)  Linux is next in  
> line.

Nate, and I agonized over whether I should respond to your experience  
because I work for Apple here in town, but in the end I'll try and do  
the right thing here either in explanation or for future reference in  
both for customer's and Apple's guidance. And while you may "despise  
organizational stuff that results in poor customer service" you'd be  
surprised my side of the stories. While your DOA computer experience  
is rare, it is not unusual (I once sold 10 HP computers of one model  
in a row that were ALL DOA).

First, I read your post on your blog and I don't blame you for being  
upset/angry/determined/etc for a laptop that "just DOESN'T work." As  
would anyone would be spending their hard earned money. And I also  
don't blame you for trying to resolve your issue in a stern manner  
with whoever you were working with. But on the other hand Apple  
thinks and does things differently, hence the appointments to see the  
genius bar technicians. Once most of our customers see how this works  
they like it much more than other places BECAUSE we devote exclusive  
FREE time to troubleshoot their problems, including giving them FREE  
training to boot! The purpose for seeing the Genius bar is to have  
the technician confirm that it was defective, not to say what you  
were experiencing was wrong and we weren't going to take care a  
defective computer. Most people blame Apple for things THEY do and  
seeing the Genius bar is only to confirm the problem, and not to  
exchange known good products for another good product, this costs us  
and the customer time and money because they may not know how to use  
it correctly.

However, you are a unique individual in that you are more experienced  
and knowledgeable than most of Apple's customers that walk in the  
door. I'm the only one that is TRI-OS (Linux, Mac, and Windows). Most  
of the other Mac specialists are creative types, not UNIX grey beards  
(although I did have one individual that came in that "does PERL"  
scripting and I mentioned that I thought we had PERL, Python, and, I  
think, Ruby on Rails installed and his 9 year old son stated "nope,  
it's not installed" as he was typing in Terminal). In fact, the more  
geeky they are, the more apt they are to play "stump the Mac  
Specialist" and then treat them like dogs for not knowing all 23,000  
products and all of the peculiarities of each problem. But wait,  
there's more:

1. The customer that says "my daughter's iPod is broken, are you  
seeing more defective iPods because if you are you've got a bad  
product" not knowing that while selling more iPods does see and  
increase in the number of iPods that are defective, it's still the  
same percentage.
2. The customer that complains that wants to exchange a product  
because "it is defective" and bitterly complains of "poor customer  
service" when we want to confirm it's defective and not operator  
error (as is most of the cases with abused Windows users). In this  
case it was operator error and I tried to make sure I was going to  
have a better experience than he had previously, but he refused to  
listen to what I was trying to help him with.
3. The Genius Bar deals with hundreds (yes, hundreds) of customers a  
day and you try and remember what you did with a customer's computer  
two weeks ago.
4. Or the customer that slams a computer at the Genius Bar in front  
of 15 people waiting for their appointment and he wants service  
NOW!!! Do I favor this disgruntled customer and take care of the  
issue, yet could possibly anger 15 more customers?
5. Or the customer that yells in front of a crowd of eager Mac  
switchers  "you can't say that, that's illegal" about using a Student/ 
Teach Edition of MS Office for home when their mother had not  
explained if she would be qualified or not, i.e. I usually give a one  
short sentence and let them decide if they are qualified or not for  
the full or S/T edition.

Just as you, I try and to live by the golden rule when it comes to  
customer service, "Do unto others as you would have them do to you."  
I know you may have had a bad experience with what Apple is trying to  
do, but yours is few and far between.

So, since I know you via CLUE's list, contact me directly and I'll  
work things out for you BECAUSE I know your level of experience and  
can at least make it more pleasant for you and others in the future.  
But whatever you, please don't expect what I received this week. An  
agent for a major league player called and wanted us to give a free  
MacBook Pro to them for doing an autograph signing at our store as  
"customer service." Yea, right ;-)

HTH

Kevin

P.S. A LOT of Linux users I know are buying Macs for the very reason  
you stated above:

> I see the Mac right now as the "platform that will do it all"...  
> Free, Non-Free, all of it.


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