Been buying Apple stuff for nearly 30 years. But I’m so disappointed recently with Apple support, specifically AppleCare. My wife’s 2019 MBP, still covered by AppleCare, had a malfunctioning display - bright lines all over the display. Weeks back I made the hour trip to the closest store. Rep in the store happily helped and said the turnaround time for the repair would be 2 days. This is an essential tool for my wife’s business, so I was very pleased (thank God in retrospect I ended up having a spare MacBook Air that she has been using now).
So now 3 weeks have passed, and of course, still waiting on the device to be returned. I’ve made multiple calls to AppleCare since and they insist there is no time estimate for the repair, as other customers are still waiting on the same parts for the same repair for several months. I do realize there are supply chain issues, but they promised two days.
I nicely inquired if they could replace the device with a comparable device as the delivery windows on those devices, even a refurbished device are much sooner. The categorical answer was a prompt no and that repair is the only option. Waiting months for a covered product by AppleCare is completely unacceptable. During the last phonecall with the closest store, I pressed harder for a replacement product. The rep at the store become agitated, refused to help, and finally said “You can buy a new one if you want!” I can’t imagine that Apple condones this type of reply. Can’t Apple provide a better remedy to this situation? Shame on you Apple Store, Park City Mall, Lancaster, Pennsylvania!
Your experience does sound highly frustrating. If the news is to be believed, there are reasons beyond Apple’s control that are responsible.
When I took my 2018 MacBook Pro in for warranty repair under AppleCare, I bought a replacement on the spot and counted myself lucky that they had a model with the specs I needed in stock.
In that case I would take advantage of their 14-day return policy to give yourself the loaner you are morally entitled to and that they won’t give you.
This is really terrible service. I wonder if there is a way to escalate this case to someone higher up the food chain?
At the very least they should provide an extension to your AppleCare when you do finally get this machine back, given that you have been without the use of your computer for some time.
I understand of course that supply chain issues are affecting everyone, and Apple cannot overcome some things, but a flippant reply such as the one you received is terrible customer service.
As suggested, you could buy a new computer, use it for 13 days, return it, and buy another for the next 13 days and so forth, but aside from some degree of satisfaction that might give you, it doesn’t solve the problem compared to the use of the MBAir you fortunately had available, and it’s actually a worse solution since every 14 days you have to configure a new computer. In then end you suffer more than Apple so what’s the point?
I would suggest calling AppleCare and asking for a manager / supervisor and tell your story. Perhaps they would be in a position to do something to help you.
And it potentially causes a new one. This may or may not apply to Apple, but companies now are using centralized databases to track returns and abuse of the product return system. Of course “abuse” is highly subjective, but frequently returning high-ticket items is a huge red flag.
Even if Apple doesn’t use that specific database, I would imagine Apple would get Very Cranky if you did this too many times.
Thx. I was hoping to find an email at Apple that I might continue to make my case for a replacement product, but I discovered that Apple seems not to entertain concerns by email. Sounds like everything is handled by phone at customer support or AppleCare. I’ve discovered that timcook@apple.com is not a real mailbox
I may try an additional phone call to reach a supervisor, but I should probably educate myself a bit more to look at the fine print in the AppleCare agreement to see if there is anything I can leverage there to improve this situation.
I would be surprised if there is anything in the AppleCare agreement that will help, but if you find something please let us know!
I am sure that agreement has been vetted by Apple’s legal team to ensure that there isn’t any language to help you here, with stipulations that no specific turn around time is guaranteed and Apple is not responsible for delays arising from supply chain issues, natural catastrophes, acts of the deity of your choice, etc. Even though such language makes sense from the business standpoint, it can be frustrating when you are the one with a nonfunctional computer and a contract for service that you thought was going to help you out.
I would try to get to someone in a position to make policy exceptions. Often people in that position will respond when you have been treated poorly, eg by the store personnel who were flippant and dismissive.
Unfortunately, Apple’s support team is diverse in terms of ability and knowledge just like everywhere else. I ran into this myself some months ago when my attempts to use store credit for a new purpose went awry based on instructions I was given on the phone by Apple Support. It took about two weeks, 7 phone calls, and finally getting through to someone who was able to figure out how to fix the problem, but they did finally get it done. Much more difficult than it should have been, and entirely due to the way Apple has structured its internal divisions for online sales, store sales, credits, Apple Pay, etc. The days of emailing “steve@apple.com” and getting a problem fixed are long gone.
You can send a letter (that stuff we used within the last century) to:
Tim Cook, One Apple Park Way, Cupertino, CA 95014
Or you can give tcook@apple.com a try.
Thx. tcook@apple.com did not bounce back, seems like a deliverable address. I think there is usually someone that legitimately monitors a CEO email address. Hopefully.
Call AppleCare and ask for a Tier 2 support person. Explain that you understand that you were originally quoted 2 days for this repair. Let them know you realize that “supply chain issues” are a real thing in the world currently. Ask them as calmly and politely as possible if there was a way to “escalate this repair” or if a replacement unit could be option since it has been 3 weeks. If they are unable to help, perhaps reaching out to the store manager for help might prove useful.
In my past career as a Mac Genius, Apple would prefer your computer be in your hands. There are more options to those with AppleCare coverage, then to those without it. I hope this helps.
Thanks. Was just getting ready to make the additional call to AppleCare to request a Tier 2 support person, but my phone rang first. In response to my email to the Tim Cook address, I received a call from an advocate in Apple’s customer relations department. We talked for awhile (he was so nice). He is working on getting the approval to replace the product with a new comparable model, but he said that even though the build would still take about a month (since the broken item had a 2 Tb SSD), it would still probably be faster than continuing to wait for the part to become available in the supply chain. He is going to continue to work out some details on his end and said that he would call me back on Monday.
Logistics is always interesting, isn’t it? They can build a whole new one, which by definition includes the part you’d need to fix yours, faster than they can get a part to fix yours.
I realize the reasons why, but I still find it bizarre sometimes.
A number of years ago, I had the same result by emailing Tim Cook. It is a clever way to personalize an interaction. I felt pretty good about it. Like someone actually cared.
Since this computer is for your wife’s business, you might try talking to the business rep at the store. There are different perks for business accounts when you purchase, and there isn’t much of a barrier to having a business account (at least, there wasn’t when I signed up). The business reps know that businesses cannot be without a working computer, so there are ways to get legitimate loaner machines (other than buying and returning). Yes, you will have to pay for a loaner, and it may not be the same model, but it makes me suspect that reaching out to the business rep might help.
FWIW, I’ve had much better luck getting what I needed at the store by going there in person. They just aren’t set up to handle phone calls well (though that may be different now in these pandemic times).
Regardless of the outcome of all of this, I would still be willing to purchase AppleCare on all new products. Without AppleCare in this case, I don’t think they would be listening to me at all.
I was really surprised how personalized the phone call was from the executive relations rep. He specifically said “I’m your advocate.” He followed up with an email to me including his direct dial phone number and extension as well.
I look at it the other way. The only reason that somebody would email that address, typically, is because something has gone horribly wrong at an earlier stage of the process. And the fact that the method of appeal was found on an Internet forum rather than from Apple themselves illustrates a fundamental failure of the system.
When your customers have to do research and become experts regarding how to get support, rather than your support people being experts at helping customers get support, there are rather obviously significant areas for improvement.
Reporting back on the resolution of my dilemma. Within about 24 hours of posting here and on the TWIT forum, in additional to my “Tim Cook” email, my wife’s MBP was suddenly repaired and returned to us by FedEx. I can only speculate if the public discussion and email prompted the fast repair and return of the item.
