Apple don't want help!

[markcres]

I have bought a couple of Apple computers at a discount price over the last 3 years. I can get this discount people when I log into the UK Apple store and click on 'Education => HE' it detects my IP address as one on a UK University campus.. lets me select my institution and then shows me reduced prices on the store page.

Recently, they changed these pages (face-lifted - looked just cosmetic)... but the link to click and select my institution no longer works: says I am unauthorized to view.

Thinking I would be nice and let Apple know, I emailed them and gave URL, date, time and my IP etc... no reply !

Today was first day of term with new students arriving - I normally tell them to go to Apple's site and buy themselves a MacBook... so I decided to Phone Apple to let them know their HE education site was still broken.

Not only was the guy rather rude.. he kept inturrupting me and saying "It's YOUR fault.. you must speak to YOUR IT department" and basically don't bother Apple with this crap again !!

Now I have not been able (nor am I inclined) to recommend to nearly 200 students across my science faculty that they should go and buy Apple.

 

[aristobrat]

Not only was the guy rather rude.. he kept inturrupting me and saying "It's YOUR fault.. you must speak to YOUR IT department" and basically don't bother Apple with this crap again !!

So did you? I thought that the HE website was only available from certain IP addresses. Perhaps something at your school has changed.

Now I have not been able (nor am I inclined) to recommend to nearly 200 students across my science faculty that they should go and buy Apple.

Right, they should definitely buy and use a PC for the next few years because of this transitory issue with the website.

 

[kkat69]

This definitely sounds like an impulsive, uninvestigated behavior. If you were discouraging me based on your above mentioned experience, I would have brought up the questions:

Did you check with IT?
Did you try it on other computers connected to the campus? Possibly a campus owned machine?
Did you try talking to a different Apple rep?

and probably end up saying "well I'll take my chances because it sounds like something with your connection."

I've had the same issue with my Coorprate discount with ATT. One day I could connect, next day nothing. HOWEVER the difference here is I didn't bother ATT with the issue I went straight to our IT dept and talked to them, immediately they told me "yah we know, we changed some of our network settings, bla bla bla and it broke the connection to the coorprate att portal"

The thing is ATT wouldn't have any clue and would have told me the same thing Apple told you. If they say it's up and working, then more than likely it HAS to be on the campus end. A campus or coorporation can change ISP's, Settings, etc all kinds of stuff and you wouldn't know about it nor would they even have any reason to send out a memo to warn you and Apple could care less and I don't blame them. If the registration information says "HE = Comcast IP range XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX through XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX" then that's what they'll go by, if the campus needs to update that then it's not Apple's fault.

NOW on the flip side, something on Apple can be corrupted and that can certainly happen. Which brings to point one of the other questions, did you try to talk to another rep?

 

[markcres]

So did you? I thought that the HE website was only available from certain IP addresses. Perhaps something at your school has changed.


Right, they should definitely buy and use a PC for the next few years because of this transitory issue with the website.

You are right - it is based on your IP address. All my campus IP addresses are static... even stamped on the sockets the machines are plugged into!

Your second comment sounds like sarcasm. I didn't suggest students buy PC because of a problem with a website... rather the students *cannot order an Apple* because the site is broken... if they fix it next week it will be too late. They get their money this week and will buy a machine anyway.. so if they can't buy one easily from Apple they will just go to PC World and buy a Toshiba !!

 

[Sun Baked]

You get a customer service rep who is annoying, so you decide to be pissy and angry at Apple in return.

 

[markcres]

This definitely sounds like an impulsive, uninvestigated behavior. If you were discouraging me based on your above mentioned experience, I would have brought up the questions:

Did you check with IT?
Did you try it on other computers connected to the campus? Possibly a campus owned machine?
Did you try talking to a different Apple rep?

and probably end up saying "well I'll take my chances because it sounds like something with your connection."

I've had the same issue with my Coorprate discount with ATT. One day I could connect, next day nothing. HOWEVER the difference here is I didn't bother ATT with the issue I went straight to our IT dept and talked to them, immediately they told me "yah we know, we changed some of our network settings, bla bla bla and it broke the connection to the coorprate att portal"

The thing is ATT wouldn't have any clue and would have told me the same thing Apple told you. If they say it's up and working, then more than likely it HAS to be on the campus end. A campus or coorporation can change ISP's, Settings, etc all kinds of stuff and you wouldn't know about it nor would they even have any reason to send out a memo to warn you and Apple could care less and I don't blame them. If the registration information says "HE = Comcast IP range XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX through XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX" then that's what they'll go by, if the campus needs to update that then it's not Apple's fault.

NOW on the flip side, something on Apple can be corrupted and that can certainly happen. Which brings to point one of the other questions, did you try to talk to another rep?

Apple get very good business from our students - one of the biggest Universities in Europe. I can walk into a lecture theatre and spot dozens of little Apple logos lit up from the Macbooks there !!

The Apple tech guy asked me to go to my IT dept and sort out Apple's problem for them!!

If Apple want continued custom they should contact my University IT dept themselves rather than asking a non-IT staff member to do it for them. I don't work for Apple or get any kickbacks from them.

What pi$$ed me off was the guys attitude... why would I want to speak with another Apple rep?? I have better things to do.

I posted here in the hope there may be one or two Apple people listening in who might take the intitiative to sort the problem out for themselves.

 

[bstreiff]

Try deleting all cookies for store.apple.com; I know it tries to save your college setting, and there might be some sort of mismatch between what the cookie has and what the server wants to see.

It didn't autodetect my Uni for me, I had to select it by hand; now whenever I browse to the Edu store, it comes up... even though I'm not on a campus IP.

(Alternatively, it could indeed be some problem with the setup at your campus-- don't be so quick to rule that out.)

 

[markcres]

You get a customer service rep who is annoying, so you decide to be pissy and angry at Apple in return.

Was I ?

What is your evidence for that???

Actually I was very polite and offered to help if asked - gave my phone number and email if they wanted to drop me a line to help test their web-page after giving him my IP address.

How is that "pissy and angry" ?????

 

[aristobrat]

How is that "pissy and angry" ?????

Now I have not been able (nor am I inclined) to recommend to nearly 200 students across my science faculty that they should go and buy Apple.

IMO, it's the "(nor am I inclined)" part that comes across pissy/angry.

 

[markcres]

IMO, it's the "(nor am I inclined)" part that comes across pissy/angry.

I didn't feel inclined because I had already emailed Apple two weeks ago, confirmed my faculty's IP addresses had not changed, telephoned Apple and offered my help to them twice... and they still didn't seem interested !

Maybe it is an English language thing... but to 'not be inclined' simply means 'can't be bothered anymore' ... it has never meant 'pissy/angry'.. If I was really pissy/angry I would have asked to speak with the guys line manager and lodge a complaint. I was more dissapointed than angry.

Remember that when I phoned them today I was busy talking to my students all day and therefore had little time to go sorting Apple's tech problems out for them.

 

[herr_neumann]

Maybe it is an English language thing... but to 'not be inclined' simply means 'can't be bothered anymore' ... it has never meant 'pissy/angry'.. If I was really pissy/angry I would have asked to speak with the guys line manager and lodge a complaint. I was more dissapointed than angry.

It is a British / American English thing. Having a substantial number of British friends, I see this quite frequently.

Ignore the fanboy's intolerance for anything that might resemble a slight against Apple. You did more than what most people would have considered attempting.

 

[aristobrat]

Maybe it is an English language thing... but to 'not be inclined' simply means 'can't be bothered anymore' ... it has never meant 'pissy/angry'.

OK, so that changes your statement from:

"[Nor] am I inclined to recommend to nearly 200 students across my science faculty that they should go and buy Apple."

to:

"[I can't be bothered anymore] to recommend to nearly 200 students across my science faculty that they should go and buy Apple".

Why can't you be bothered with recommending to the students across your science facility that they should go and buy Apple (assuming Apple is the best choice for them)?

Can't you simply add a "the HE website is buggered at the moment, so try telesales or visiting an Apple Retail Store" to your recommendation?

Your inability to recommend Apple as a viable solution to your students because of the website issue is what comes across as pissy/angry.

 

[Topher15]

What's the difference between the two links in the Educational store home page?

One link states:

"I am a university student, lecturer or other staff member at a UK university.

Note: You can only use the above link when connected to your university's network. If you are off campus you can still order by calling 0800 039 1010."

The link below it states:

"I am a school student over 18, school teacher or other education professional."

This links allows you to shop on any network.

Is there a difference in the discount?