Apple Store Hell

[midouglas]

A story about trying to buy an expensive laptop without the service to justify it, getting bumped, repeating myself and being neglected for an hour by staff as they enjoy their lunch...

Today I visited my local Apple Store with the intention to purchase a new MacBook at 11:15. I was given the customary hello from staff near the front door and continued to the back of the store to the Mac hardware. After a 10-15 minute wait where I was intially bumped behind a “suit” that came to browse after me, in a store that had more staff than customers.

After signalling a staff member over, I explained that I wanted to order a custom MacBook and wanted to use two payment methods and that I was told by the online team to do it in store. He said go online. I laughed and said well as I’ve said, if you look, you can’t do that. He panicked, signalled another staff member over to help. The complicate matters I wanted to use UniDays and the college I teach in wasn’t listed; and you can’t log in as a teacher as simple as a student. So they pretty much handed the Mac over to me and said try to find a way around it and left...

I contacted the online support on the laptop as I knew they can skip the log in, but I know I’m back to square one, I can’t buy online as I’ve two payment methods. I stood there for almost an hour, no one approached me. The store wasn’t even busy. Finally, my brother called over a staff member from earlier and he said “where did you go?” He said the other member had taken his lunch and was wondering why we weren’t aware.

After going through all the questions before. He explained to me from here I could top up a store card and use it as a payment method. Unfortunately I didn’t have time to even contemplate considering the risk with the service already given.

Apple 0/10

“they simply don’t want to sell you anything”

 

[MBAir2010]

The soulless person who sold me my last Apple product evah insisted that I get Apple care for an iPad, which I profoundly refused.
He was kinda upset I did not get the pro with pencil for an extra 500 bucks, I told him the 32gb ipad 5 was perfect for my cartooning needs. This was April 2017: no regrets!
They are carefully selected, mindless drones who think they are saving the planet one piece of overpriced globs of tech at a time.

 

[Closingracer]

A story about trying to buy an expensive laptop without the service to justify it, getting bumped, repeating myself and being neglected for an hour by staff as they enjoy their lunch...

Today I visited my local Apple Store with the intention to purchase a new MacBook at 11:15. I was given the customary hello from staff near the front door and continued to the back of the store to the Mac hardware. After a 10-15 minute wait where I was intially bumped behind a “suit” that came to browse after me, in a store that had more staff than customers.

After signalling a staff member over, I explained that I wanted to order a custom MacBook and wanted to use two payment methods and that I was told by the online team to do it in store. He said go online. I laughed and said well as I’ve said, if you look, you can’t do that. He panicked, signalled another staff member over to help. The complicate matters I wanted to use UniDays and the college I teach in wasn’t listed; and you can’t log in as a teacher as simple as a student. So they pretty much handed the Mac over to me and said try to find a way around it and left...

I contacted the online support on the laptop as I knew they can skip the log in, but I know I’m back to square one, I can’t buy online as I’ve two payment methods. I stood there for almost an hour, no one approached me. The store wasn’t even busy. Finally, my brother called over a staff member from earlier and he said “where did you go?” He said the other member had taken his lunch and was wondering why we weren’t aware.

After going through all the questions before. He explained to me from here I could top up a store card and use it as a payment method. Unfortunately I didn’t have time to even contemplate considering the risk with the service already given.

Apple 0/10

“they simply don’t want to sell you anything”

This reads more of a hit and run post more then anything else. I never seen this happen before ever. Plus there is no risk involved in buying a gift card with payment A and then using B

The soulless person who sold me my last Apple product evah insisted that I get Apple care for an iPad, which I profoundly refused.
He was kinda upset I did not get the pro with pencil for an extra 500 bucks, I told him the 32gb ipad 5 was perfect for my cartooning needs. This was April 2017: no regrets!
They are mindless drones who think they are saving the planet one piece of overpriced globs of tech at a time.

That’s not true. Some maybe but the ones I’ve met are nice. One guy even said he preferred Android over iOS

 

[AppleHaterLover]

Well, he gave you a solution - use your two payment methods to buy yourself a gift card, which becomes one payment method, then use that to buy the Mac online.

If that doesn't work, you can use one payment method to buy a red iPhone with a funky case and AirPods and jam to the soothing sounds of whatever's bombing on Apple Music today.

 

[midouglas]

Well, he gave you a solution - use your two payment methods to buy yourself a gift card, which becomes one payment method, then use that to buy the Mac online.

If that doesn't work, you can use one payment method to buy a red iPhone with a funky case and AirPods and jam to the soothing sounds of whatever's bombing on Apple Music today.

It took three members of staff, over an hour, to come up with that solution.

 

[MBAir2010]

That’s not true. Some maybe but the ones I’ve met are nice. One guy even said he preferred Android over iOS

I’ve only been to 3 so I should not condemn all stores and staff members.
That was my experience dealing with these stores which I notice the behavioral change since 2015.

 

[Closingracer]

It took three members of staff, over an hour, to come up with that solution.

Sorry I don’t believe that

 

[midouglas]

This reads more of a hit and run post more then anything else. I never seen this happen before ever. Plus there is no risk involved in buying a gift card with payment A and then using B

Definitely no risks with it. Just felt the time I spent there and the staff I went though was a bit of a joke.

 

[AppleHaterLover]

It took three members of staff, over an hour, to come up with that solution.

Well it's a solution isn't it?

 

[Closingracer]

I’ve only been to 3 so I should not condemn all stores and staff members.
That was my experience dealing with these stores which I notice the behavioral change since 2015.

I’ve been going to them off and on since the iPod mini days. Never had any issues like that and been to various ones in NYC, Greater Boston area , DC, Miami and Orlando . Their customer service is one of the major reasons why I buy Apple products.

 

[midouglas]

Sorry I don’t believe that

Sadly, true. I left the store at around half 1. Staff member A took his lunch after consulting with staff member B who also left; staff member C came into save the day...
[doublepost=1532383327][/doublepost]

Well it's a solution isn't it?

Aye, but let’s be realistic. Leaving a customer for an hour while you take your lunch is ********?

 

[Closingracer]

Sadly, true. I left the store at around half 1. Staff member A took his lunch after consulting with staff member B who also left; staff member C came into save the day...

Well according to your bio you’re in Northern Ireland so I can’t comment on their practices but in the US they are great . Apple also prides themselves in customer service.

 

[AppleHaterLover]

Well according to your bio you’re in Northern Ireland so I can’t comment on their practices but in the US they are great . Apple also prides themselves in customer service.

Apple used to* pride themselves in customer service.

Ever waited 1 hour and a half AFTER your appointment at the Genius Bar?

I have !!!! More than once.

 

[44267547]

Apple used to* pride themselves in customer service.

Ever waited 1 hour and a half AFTER your appointment at the Genius Bar?

I have !!!! More than once.

They still do. Your opinion is _not_ reflective of every Apple store. I have three Apple Stores with in reach and I never had a negative experience. Apples customer service is unmatched beyond most tech manufacturers, where they will go beyond and make exceptions for the customer when they didn’t
Have too.

 

[midouglas]

Well according to your bio you’re in Northern Ireland so I can’t comment on their practices but in the US they are great . Apple also prides themselves in customer service.

I would tend to agree that Apple’s customer service is the pride and joy of the company, hence the welcoming hello on entry etc. But this visit was frustrating, especially as a paying customer. You never leave a customer, it’s retail 101. You should be doing everything in your means to serve the customer so they go away happy with the experience and sale.

 

[Closingracer]

They still do. Your opinion is _not_ reflective of every Apple store. I have three Apple Stores with in reach and I never had a negative experience. Apples customer service is unmatched beyond most tech manufacturers, where they will go beyond and make exceptions for the customer when they didn’t
Have too.

Samsung stores are pretty cool tho. I think I like it better . Different though. At least at the one in nyc they have chill vibe to it

 

[Closingracer]

I would tend to agree that Apple’s customer service is the pride and joy of the company, hence the welcoming hello on entry etc. But this visit was frustrating, especially as a paying customer. You never leave a customer, it’s retail 101. You should be doing everything in your means to serve the customer so they go away happy with the experience and sale.

Trust me I know. Currently working at Wendy’s and whenever I do the register I just smile at everybody lol.

 

[chscag]

Our local Apple Store is one of the busiest in all of the DFW area and every time I've been in there whether to buy something or visit the genius bar, I have always been treated with courtesy. If they were unusually busy, they would give me the name of the next service rep in line. And he/she would always respond as quickly as they could. I compare that to some of our local car dealers that I have had the unfortunate experience to having done business with.

Enough said. Apple is the best!

 

[midouglas]

Our local Apple Store is one of the busiest in all of the DFW area and every time I've been in there whether to buy something or visit the genius bar, I have always been treated with courtesy. If they were unusually busy, they would give me the name of the next service rep in line. And he/she would always respond as quickly as they could. I compare that to some of our local car dealers that I have had the unfortunate experience to having done business with.

Enough said. Apple is the best!

I’ve had similar experiences, but today wasn’t one of them!

 

[cwanja]

I’ve had similar experiences, but today wasn’t one of them!

So all in all, it is really just one bad experience - albeit, a really bad one - and you think Apple has forever lost their touch of customer service? The team members could have been new or truly could not have known. I will give you, taking your lunch when trying to help someone is messed up.

But understand that most of their schedules are blocked off and if one person misses their lunch, it throws the coverage off completely. And instead of one pissed off customer, you now have an infinite amount of customers pissed off and not being helped. They should have definitely handed you off though.

 

[MBAir2010]

Seems to me Apple employees cannot trouble shoot anything.
Since I live close to a store and this year asked questions they did not know how to solve such as
does Apple TV have reset cache
My apps are not showing on the iPad, why?
High Sierra Bluetooth keyboard issues
Other high Sierra issues
Other iPad how to issues.
These were not answered.

They seemed shallow or afraid on new Mac items and most do not use MacBooks.

I just won’t go back into those store again, really no need to.

I hope everyone here is kept satisfied going to these store tho.

 

[Starship67]

Apple used to* pride themselves in customer service.

Ever waited 1 hour and a half AFTER your appointment at the Genius Bar?

I have !!!! More than once.

I have not and it's not the norm. I never even make an appointment. I always go walk in, and have never even waited an hour to be seen. I also live in a very large metro area.

 

[MBAir2010]

I also live in a very large metro area.

We know, the Death Star

 

[acksurf]

Well according to your bio you’re in Northern Ireland so I can’t comment on their practices but in the US they are great . Apple also prides themselves in customer service.

Not in my experience. In Burlington, MA I simply wanted to purchase an Ipad. I knew exactly what I wanted. I told 2 Apple Store people this and waited around for 15 minutes while they dealt with people answering questions on something they might purchase. I went next door to the Best Buy and bought what I was looking for in 2 minutes. In Orlando, FL, they refused to replace a battery due to a very slight bend in my old iphone 6 - over 1 hour to come to this conclusion with some back and forth. Again I went to a nearby 3rd party vendor and they happily replaced the battery in 20 minutes.

 

[Absrnd]

it's a little suspicous when all negative comments are only from very new accounts