Anyone else feel like the “great customer service” at Apple is almost mythical?

[DaveCPA]

Anyone else feel like the “great customer service” at Apple is almost mythical?

I’ve only interacted with them about three times, but each time has been a nightmare. In the most recent example, I have a power cord with new iPad that isn’t working. After thirty minutes of questions I finally gave up and bought Anker replacements. It’s a power cord, with a new device no less. Just replace the dang thing. Oh, and the new device has AC+, so you’d think they’d be more willing to help.

Previous examples include refusing express replacement on a device covered by AC+ (when I love hours from the closest store), and similar experiences.

Then I hear about folks having random replacements of entire computers and that sort of thing. I’m not being a jerk on these phone calls, because i know customer service is a difficult job to be in. Not to mention one where you have to deal with customers with broken equipment.

 

[eyoungren]

I've been told that customer service can vary based on location. The closest Apple store to me is 30 minutes. There are others but they are slightly farther.

The closest one was fine up until about late 2015. That was almost a year after Angela Ahrendts was hired. She introduced metrics and pushed the Apple geniuses to sell. She left in 2019 I believe, but the metrics and the selling stayed.

So, now you deal with geniuses who are more interested in selling you something because helping you does not contribute to meeting their sales metrics. They are now more salespeople than anything else.

That's the explanation I've been give each time I've complained here about the horrible customer service at my local Apple store.

 

[Nermal]

My personal experience is that if the problem is Apple's fault, then you'll get no service. Since I almost never contact Apple about issues I can fix myself (I use forums and Web searches), I almost always walk away frustrated.

 

[russell_314]

In my experience Apple has the best customer service out of any business I’ve dealt with. Excellent customer service and always getting your way aren’t the same thing though

 

[bousozoku]

I've definitely had mixed experiences.

In Orlando, FL at one of the early stores, they apparently hired a Genius (a friend had worked with him previously) who didn't really know what he was saying. However, someone else at the Genius Bar helped me once I made an audio/video recording with the original iSight to determine the broken fan.

In Cincinnati, OH, they connected me to the internet with an Ethernet cable so I could purchase an Apple software product suite that was quite big.

In the Philadelphia area, employees at the stores were quite friendly.

In Brea, CA, the employee walked away in the middle of my sentence.

In Modesto, CA, the person ahead of me was told that he was three minutes late and would not be helped.

Apple probably has standards but people ignore them because they just don't care.

 

[Technerd108]

I have had good software support even out of warranty including a device that wouldn't charge. Hardware issues are different even with Apple care.

Customer service in the store and genius support is a joke. I know more about the products than the geniuses and the sales people are even worse. It is like they want a look rather than good service so you end up being rushed, told they can't help you or you have to send your device in to be repaired.

Generally if you escalate the situation you can get your issue resolved within limits with Apple and getting an agent is fast.

To be fair I spent two hours with Samsung customer service just trying to get a bootable recovery disc to no avail. Basically if the OS has a problem they want people to send the laptop into Samsung. I said my Hp laptop has HP cloud recovery in which you can download an image of your notebook and it will make a bootable recovery drive on any usb drive you have. I just want that on my Samsung. Eventually I may get it but man it was like I was speaking another language...

On a Mac it is so easy to wipe and reistall MacOS. I do really like that legacy feature and I hope they never get rid of it!

All customer service seems poor these days. The people who do the jobs don't seem to care and the companies don't seem to care if they upset you as long as the bottom line is profitable for them. So they always have a line where they just say too bad. It used to be, a repeat customer was gold and as long as you weren't unreasonable they did what it took to keep your business and now it doesn't seem to matter? Maybe I am just old?

 

[zkap]

I had direct contact with Apple once, over the phone, and they were extremely polite. I talked to three different people and they were all very polite and professional, it's the most polite interaction I've ever had with any customer service.

That said, you're obviously going to have different experiences depending on location and what kind of day someone is having. However, the tales of people getting replacement devices for free out of warranty stick out to me and I always thought these were PR stunts and that's how Apple gets its reputation for this mystical customer service. You can be a great employee and always look to help out the best you can, but you can't just give devices away when you feel like it, that's insane. So I always thought this was a PR strategy that Apple used, they will sometimes be very generous with a customer despite no warranty/AC, as they know these stories will spread and that's how you get such a great reputation. Build it into the price and on occasion give someone a free replacement when they shouldn't get one and you're guaranteed to get extra points.

 

[AlmightyKang]

I've never had any problems other than trying to find someone to pay for something in the Apple Store.

On two occasions when I've had hardware problems I walked out of the store with a new device.

 

[bob_zz123]

I think, bearing in mind my understanding of the term "customer service" is that Apple's is pretty good. Every interaction I've had has been quick, polite, and thoughtful, even in cases where there would be a cost for the resolution or the resolution would just be "buy a new one". Options are always presented to me.

Some people think that "customer service" is only good where they get exactly what they want, even in cases where they really shouldn't. For example, out of warranty devices getting fixed for free (I might be old school but I fundamentally disagree with this - surely the rules are here for a reason so that people don't get unequal treatment? And it undermines the people who have made an investment in AppleCare).

 

[Jackbequickly]

At one time Apple had the best customer service of any product. I suspect that due to money and the costs it was tightened up and not as good. Many took advantage and Apple had to change things. It is still awesome as I sold a used Ultra via Crag’s list and the guy took it to the Apple Store to see if he could exchange the unused band and they gave him a brand new watch with the band of his choice.

 

[ForkHandles]

It can be a lottery!

One time I went into our local store to see some no-mark berating Apple staff over their ‘rights’ for their iPhone. The staff treated them calmly and professionally and by the book.

So we went in, complemented the nice woman on her nails, remained calm, nice and inquisitive. Got a replacement there and then.

Who’d of thought?

 

[RichHI]

I have found the service and reception at my local store in Honolulu is awesome. The only time I have visited an overseas store with an issue (in London England) they were not at all helpful.

 

[wib]

I have mixed experiences too. In my previous dealings with Apple they were great! When I bought my 7+ they congratulated me on managing to find a Jet Black one.

A few years later when I got the battery replaced, they were amazing again. I also took a very disorganized friend there to get his done and he was completely unprepared, and they had to do his back-up for him, and it took a long, long time. They were really patient and polite.

But, when I went to pick up my 15 ProMax, I was horrified by the lack of service. I'd never used face id before and would have appreciated some help/advice. Basically, the person brought the box, showed me the label and sent me on my way. They didn't ask if I needed any help/had any questions/would like to check if it was in good condition...

My local electrical shop has substantially better service (and I wrote that in my feedback about my customer experience) and the staff are helpful, give lots of advice, and are very knowledgeable.

The Apple Shop was being refurbished at the time so it was very busy, but I still felt the service to be lacking and impersonal.

I think I'll buy my new iPad (when they're released) at the electrical shop instead.

 

[applepotato666]

It's great if the issue is related to software. With hardware it really varies, even if it's a widespread problem people are reporting. Rarely does Apple take accountability for their own engineering problems, and in my experience has tried to blame me for faults with products - regardless of their widespread reporting. You're left with no other option than to swallow the cost which can be almost as much as buying a new device. Service has always been excellent with the people you talk with on the phone. My first iPhone 15 was defective so they ran all the needed diagnostics to tell me the secure element was malfunctioning and that's why Apple Pay didn't work. Usually waiting times are below 15 minutes, and they are all extremely kind and literally always do their best. Often times they're either not made aware of the hardware issues or imo just told not to acknowledge them.

 

[Alpha Centauri]

My experience has been between countries. I've only had very positive experiences in Australia , generous return windows and stories of friends that had devices straight out replaced, rather than repaired within the 3 year warranty.

Then there's Germany (where I'm located now), where you must battle for absolute everything and good will is simple a mythological creature. Anecdotally there's a term coined in German for this prevalent lack lustre customer service. "Servicewüste Deutschland" (service-desert).

My first experience with this was bringing a MBP over whose logic board had failed within the original AC warranty (10+yrs ago), I did have a small corner dent and the internal fluid markers showed moisture but this was due to travel to airports with high humidity outside and AC inside. There was no dialog possible, no possibility for partial payment, nothing. After many emails back and forth they said had either the dent OR moisture markers not been existent, then they would have honoured the AC repair. But off course there was little point even saying that.

 

[RichHI]

iPhones are a tad different. I have had a few real problems when upgrading iPhones and they were all relating to the telco (Verizon) making errors with the e-sim. One took them 6 months to resolve as their servers had rolled back and removed my overseas access. I am hoping that my upgrade to new Pro Max at Christmas will go smoothly.

 

[Red_Bran_Porridge]

I’ve only had good experiences with Apple employees so far. I know that the job can be difficult. I think it’s best to remember they’re also human, and probably also disagree with Apple’s controversial decisions.

 

[antiprotest]

Apple used to offer excellent customer service, much like Amazon and T-Mobile. People made a point of saying how good they were. Now all three have declined in customer service. Apple is the most noticeable to me. The quality of the retail staff has also sharply declined in terms of their politeness and knowledge. The times I have interacted with them, even I knew more about Apple's products, features, settings, and service offerings than they did. It's disappointing and absurd.

 

[TracerAnalog]

Anyone else feel like the “great customer service” at Apple is almost mythical?

I’ve only interacted with them about three times, but each time has been a nightmare. In the most recent example, I have a power cord with new iPad that isn’t working. After thirty minutes of questions I finally gave up and bought Anker replacements. It’s a power cord, with a new device no less. Just replace the dang thing. Oh, and the new device has AC+, so you’d think they’d be more willing to help.

Previous examples include refusing express replacement on a device covered by AC+ (when I love hours from the closest store), and similar experiences.

Then I hear about folks having random replacements of entire computers and that sort of thing. I’m not being a jerk on these phone calls, because i know customer service is a difficult job to be in. Not to mention one where you have to deal with customers with broken equipment.

My experiences are good. I sometimes have to insist, but Apple always comes through and solves the issue. It does usually take a lot of time on the phone, and sometimes I have to make a few of those phone calls.

If you’re in a hurry it can be frustrating😅.

BTW try fixing a Samsung device! Horrible…

Best service in the past was HP. They had a program where you could get your device exchanged the next day for a fixed fee, no questions asked!

 

[jlc1978]

It can be a lottery!

One time I went into our local store to see some no-mark berating Apple staff over their ‘rights’ for their iPhone. The staff treated them calmly and professionally and by the book.

So we went in, complemented the nice woman on her nails, remained calm, nice and inquisitive. Got a replacement there and then.

Who’d of thought?

Amazing how a little kindness goes a long way. I am always amused by people who yell and scream to try to get their way and then get frustrated when they don't. I travel a lot and when I see someone berating a gate agent I can't help but wonder why you'd do that to the one person who can do almost anything to get you on a plane.

The problem wasn't created by the person you are dealing with, but they probably can fix it by going beyond the "rules" - if they want to.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

I’ve always had good experiences with Apple, never had issues with them trying to fix a problem.
But at the end of the day, people need to remember that Apple itself is not this mythical thing.
Going back to the original question, Anyone else feel like the “great customer service” at Apple is almost mythical?
Of course it is, and it always has been.
Apple, at the end of the day, is just a very, very large collection of human beings.
And no matter how much training, how much discipline, how much expectations is put on these human beings, at the end of the day they are just human beings.
They have good and bad days just like you.
Not that it’s excusing anything, but always remember that if you had a bad experience with an employee, just think of the people that *they* have to deal with on the daily.
Think of how many entitled angry customers come in every day with a barely taken care of product that they expect Apple to replace for free no questions asked, and if they don’t, then the customer will throw a big stink.
Guarantee you, as much as you think it happens… It probably happens twice as often.

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

You should be able to swap included cables for iDevices yourself via mysupport. They mail a replacement, you put the defective part back into their envelope, remove the top label, and mail it back. I’ve done this hundreds of times for lightning cables (no USB-C yet) without speaking to anybody. You do have to chat for Mac accessories.

 

[Warped9]

I have never dealt directly with an Apple store, but I have been in and out of retail for over thirty-five years. I’m presently in.

You can be aware of metrics, but you can’t let it drive your sales. At least I don’t. If you are too focused on metrics you’re not thinking of the customer (collectively) who is your bread and butter. And unless you’re killing it in all metrics you often if not always feel you’re failing in some measure. That leads to poor morale.

I prefer to approach interactions with customers as a total experience and as a win-win situation. If they get what they needed/wanted and I make a sale (be it $20 or $3000) then we both win. I often use humour to help break any possible tension or nervousness. You also need to be sincere, forthright and don’t bs them. Treat them like intelligent adults rather than marks or sheep to be fleeced. Try to see what you offer as a customer benefit rather than merely goods or services. Value is in the benefit the customer is looking for.

Focusing on metrics can damage morale. Focusing on customer needs and experience can boost staff morale. And a more positive mindset usually results in positive results including improved metrics.

If a customer leaves with a positive experience they’re far more likely to return as well as recommend you to their friends, relatives and others they know. Again, win-win.

 

[neuropsychguy]

I've had only very positive customer service experiences with Apple. They've replaced at least one device of mine (out of warranty) at no cost to me.

"My personal experience is that if the problem is Apple's fault, then you'll get no service."

I've never had that problem. The device replacement that I got for free was because something was "Apple's fault". Apple was quick to make it right.

 

[Deine Mudda]

Anyone else feel like the “great customer service” at Apple is almost mythical?

I’ve only interacted with them about three times, but each time has been a nightmare. In the most recent example, I have a power cord with new iPad that isn’t working. After thirty minutes of questions I finally gave up and bought Anker replacements. It’s a power cord, with a new device no less. Just replace the dang thing. Oh, and the new device has AC+, so you’d think they’d be more willing to help.

Previous examples include refusing express replacement on a device covered by AC+ (when I love hours from the closest store), and similar experiences.

Then I hear about folks having random replacements of entire computers and that sort of thing. I’m not being a jerk on these phone calls, because i know customer service is a difficult job to be in. Not to mention one where you have to deal with customers with broken equipment.

I don’t really know, what kind of problems you have with Apple support.
They are the nicest and most helpful people in any of the customer supports.
Not even once was I ever disappointed with anything that happened to me at the Genius Bar. Apple is, by a mile, the best company when it comes to customer support.