I've always been kicked around at Apple stores too when I make appoinments. I think they train the genius' to do that in addition to making a half-assed attempt to help.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Bad experience at the Apple Store..
- Thread starter nospleen
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
When did you visit the store? I find it best to avoid the Apple Stores on weekends. If you want the best service then you should try to get there during the day Monday - Friday. You have to see your Dr. during these hours, so why not see the computer doctor during the same hours?
I agree about the whole data backup bit. Its a total scam and a rip off. I have taken in several PowerBooks for the department and everytime they try to sell me the data backup service for an unrelated install I tell them to take a hike. You don't need to mess with the HD to replace a broken display!
I know several people have had issues with the Apple Stores and that they can't please everyone, but at least we have a brick and mortar store to take our computers to that is run by the manufacturer.
I agree about the whole data backup bit. Its a total scam and a rip off. I have taken in several PowerBooks for the department and everytime they try to sell me the data backup service for an unrelated install I tell them to take a hike. You don't need to mess with the HD to replace a broken display!
I know several people have had issues with the Apple Stores and that they can't please everyone, but at least we have a brick and mortar store to take our computers to that is run by the manufacturer.
They asked if I had my data backed up when my display broke too. I said no and they said it was fine.
The customer service in Japan is great. They were really nice to me. The guy at the counter even spoke kantan nihongo (Easy Japanese) Although sometimes I felt like hhe was speaking to me like I was a little kid.
Does Apple make house calls in America? or elsewhere? I'm in Japan and they came to my friends dorm room to look at her ipod.
The customer service in Japan is great. They were really nice to me. The guy at the counter even spoke kantan nihongo (Easy Japanese) Although sometimes I felt like hhe was speaking to me like I was a little kid.
Does Apple make house calls in America? or elsewhere? I'm in Japan and they came to my friends dorm room to look at her ipod.
Hah - the same Apple Service Diagnostic that proclaimed over and over again that my machine was "OK," and then kernel panicked right in front of the tech?
Whatever.
matticus008 said:
Not sure on how Apple works, but at Micro Center where I worked many years ago - the call center had time quotas that we were required to meet. And all sales associates were required to work the stores call center.
In this case they were a little rough on keeping things moving IMO. But try to look at it from the staffs perspective. A customer that wants to "argue" about the "rules" will only make the next appointment late. And that next customer is upset that they were delayed.
Working retail I have a different view than some perhaps. You have a "bad" customer, and have to come back "smiling" for the next is sometimes hard to do. Add to that "unrealistic" corporate expectations, and the stage is set for a downward spiral.
Also in some areas of the country it is harder than in others. In Fairfax County it seems that everyone is more important than the next. At times retail workers are looked down upon by the customer, that we are some flunky that could not find a better job elsewhere.
Maybe it is because I have worked for Micro Center; but I know that when I bring in a computer for service - it standard that any data on a HDD is to be backed-up - regardless of what the repair will in-tale.
What if the Apple Store wanted to simply replace the computer? Should they be responsible on replacing the programs and data on the new drive? Or in the worst case, if the computer is sent out to a repair facility, and that computer was "lost" in transit or in the shop. Don't laugh in the camera field this has happened. There is a reason for requiring back-ups before sending the computer in for repair.
Artful Dodger said:With all this type of behavior I really wish the Managers or co-managers would really learn to "manage" the behaivors of the employees. Just because your behind the bar doesn't mean your good at what you do or a people person (not everyone was an A student). With that said the Genius Bar at the Buffalo AppleStore has been good at going over the time limits but for all the customers, that is why some of us go there, to get things fixed
Good luck and hope the in-home Applecare goes well.
I agree with you on the Buffalo Apple Store. Most of the computer stores around here have good tech shops/help (BestBuy doesn't count, obviously).
I don't own a mac yet, but I have just gone and talked with the 'Geniuses' at the apple store and they're really friendly there. A friend of mine actually had his ibook melt a little bit, so he got hooked up with a new one within 3 days.
Or if you are one of the lucky few you can go to an independent Apple Service center. The customers know your name, and know your work. Thats why I love the independent store I work for! Of course if you have a problem, you will most likely get me for insta counter help, and yes I will spend an hour with you showing you how to use iPhoto and burn a CD.
SC68Cal said:
But that is a sign of the food chain. Those at retail seem to be looked upon less than human in some companies.
working retail I know what its like to have a bad day, and sometimes it just comes out wrong. Some people just come across wrong, a step back and a deep breath usually helps. none of this stuff is really worth getting super heated over. Please and thank you's work well too.
I've had similar bad experiences with support people, though thankfully not from Apple. Actually, my only experience with the people at the Genius Bar was very positive. After thoroughly investigating the problem, which they had never seen before, they explained that because my laptop was outside of warranty (no AppleCare), it would be about $300 to fix the (minor) problem I brought it in for, since it required complete disassembly of my PowerBook. I told them that I couldn't spend that much money, so I'd have to live with it. The Genius then proceeded to tell me how to open my PowerBook so I could fix it myself. He also gave me a tool that they use to disassemble PowerBooks. Anyway, I did as he instructed, and was able to fix my PowerBook myself. At the end of the process, I didn't feel that $300 was an unreasonable price at all!
I think the best way to deal with these types is to make your opinion known without losing your cool. Talk to the manager and let him/her know that you are not pleased with the way you've been treated.
I think the best way to deal with these types is to make your opinion known without losing your cool. Talk to the manager and let him/her know that you are not pleased with the way you've been treated.
Chip NoVaMac said:
Oh I know. I recognize that they have a schedule to keep, but reminding the customer every 30 seconds is an absolutely inappropriate way to handle it--it wastes time and exasperates the customer and that sales associate needs to be disciplined and/or retrained.
nospleen said:But, if the Apple guy pissed both of us off, how many times has he done this? I would like to talk to the manager about it, but I go in the store so much , I do not want to be known as the *****...
I would be surprised if you became known as the "*****." You might become known as, "the guy who finally stepped up and said something ABOUT the *****," though!
Schroedinger said:I've got a story for you folks. Let me preface this by saying I believe that all this hostility and arrogance comes from two factors:
1. I'm sure the Geniuses get a lot of ignorant customers with stupid problems. i remember a lady in front of me once whose ipod wouldn't work. She had left the hold switch on.
2. These guys generally don't have good social skills. That's a generalization but it's true, a lot of these guys remind me of Comic Shop Guy from the Simpsons. It takes a certain nerdy dedication to fix computers for a living.
So, my sister was having problems with her 15" powerbook. It would randomly go to sleep while she was using it. She couldn't figure it out so she sent it to Applecare and they reinstalled the operating system and sent it back. This didn't help at all, and I was a little disappointed in those folks. She took it into a store, but they suggested reinstalling the operating system (huh?). When I went to see her, I examined the laptop, did a little investigation, and discovered that her trackpad temp sensor was giving false overheat signals. Those signals were convincing the powerbook that it was about to melt and so it would go to sleep.
Here's where it gets good. I'm obviously tech savvy. I obviously could be working behind that bar if I wanted to. And the last thing in the world you should do is threaten a geek on their turf with superior geekery. I took the powerbook into the store, explained what I had found, pulled up the logs of the temperature sensor readings. It was there, black and white. The reaction? Well, we can't be sure. You didn't use a certified mac diagnostic tool, so we'll have to check this for ourselves. We're the professionals. (Include appropriate level of smarminess).
I was shocked. I expected a "thanks for doing my job for me since apparently several of us haven't been able to do it." Instead. attitude.
The lesson: Get used to this kind of nonsense. As long as a specific population has control over a set of information, and use this as a basis for self identification and self esteem, us "normal" folks are going to get attitude.
i spent 10 years doing pc repair and dealt with all manner of stupid people with unimaginable problems. "my pc won't turn on." "is it plugged in?" "yes into my ups." "is the laser printer plugged into the ups?" "yes but that doesn't matter, it's my pc that doesn't work." "you can't have your laser printer plugged into your ups, it says that in the instructions and i told you that before you left." "but how will i print when the power is out?!?" "..."
anyway, i was not once disrespectful to a customer nor would i have kept my job if i was. sure i laughed once they were gone, or ranted or whatever. but not in front of them. it's bad customer service, period and rude. honestly there seems to be a sense of superiority with mac users (and their support staff?) that i was wary of before buying my powerbook. i chuckled when the "genius" assured me i would be unable to install my own memory upgrade and should leave it for a few days for them to do it, because they don't know me and don't know my level of expertise (even after being told). but anyway, if i got this kind of treatment i wouldn't care what the staff thought of me, i wouldn't leave til this guy was out of a job. regardless of your lack of social skills or whatever else, there is no reason at all to be rude to customers. these are the people who pay you at the end of the day, not apple. without customers buying things and having problems then you really aren't needed, are you?
so anyway, enough ranting for me, back to living up the good life in os x.
edit: i see the same attitude in the "geek squad" at best buy but i know those guys are worthless, so it doesn't bother me.
Perspective isn't an excuse for rudeness
I live in fairfax county too & I managed a 200+ employee retail chain for 3 years so I completely understand about arrogant, obnoxious customers. But I disagree w/ asking customers to see things from the employee's POV. The employee is @ work. The job & the policies are something employees agree to deal with by accepting terms of employment. And there are rude people everywhere it doesn't matter if you work in retail, service, corporate, or government. Sure restaurants & retail stores deal with these situations more than most other jobs but NOBODY @ any job is permitted the luxury of losing their composure BECAUSE when working they are speaking not just for themselves but as representatives of the company. It isn't possible for an employee to make customers less rude (in most cases) & companies aren't paying employees to retaliate against jerks.
My personal approach to MGMT is this: A huge part of solving problems is letting the customer "get it all out." The biggest challenge is finding out what info the employee can use from the customer's story. But when a customer gets to tell their story it makes them feel that the employee cares about the customer's problem. When they feel that employees care, customers are more cooperative w/ policies and questions the employee might need to ask. When employees try to make the customer fit into company policies of time & efficiency employees actually lose MORE time b/c this tactic irritates most customers and they become uncooperative. Now the employee has to spend even more time explaining WHY the company does things than actually solving the problem.
That said, I would TOTALLY agree that the DC area has more than its share of snobs & people with planet-sized senses of entitlement & I don't think a person has to work in retail or service to make that observation. But if someone doesn't want to deal with LOTS of those people, that individual should not take a job in retail or service. The jerks are out in force, their money is just as green as everybody else's, & the company isn't going to take cash from nice people only.
Chip NoVaMac said:
I live in fairfax county too & I managed a 200+ employee retail chain for 3 years so I completely understand about arrogant, obnoxious customers. But I disagree w/ asking customers to see things from the employee's POV. The employee is @ work. The job & the policies are something employees agree to deal with by accepting terms of employment. And there are rude people everywhere it doesn't matter if you work in retail, service, corporate, or government. Sure restaurants & retail stores deal with these situations more than most other jobs but NOBODY @ any job is permitted the luxury of losing their composure BECAUSE when working they are speaking not just for themselves but as representatives of the company. It isn't possible for an employee to make customers less rude (in most cases) & companies aren't paying employees to retaliate against jerks.
My personal approach to MGMT is this: A huge part of solving problems is letting the customer "get it all out." The biggest challenge is finding out what info the employee can use from the customer's story. But when a customer gets to tell their story it makes them feel that the employee cares about the customer's problem. When they feel that employees care, customers are more cooperative w/ policies and questions the employee might need to ask. When employees try to make the customer fit into company policies of time & efficiency employees actually lose MORE time b/c this tactic irritates most customers and they become uncooperative. Now the employee has to spend even more time explaining WHY the company does things than actually solving the problem.
That said, I would TOTALLY agree that the DC area has more than its share of snobs & people with planet-sized senses of entitlement & I don't think a person has to work in retail or service to make that observation. But if someone doesn't want to deal with LOTS of those people, that individual should not take a job in retail or service. The jerks are out in force, their money is just as green as everybody else's, & the company isn't going to take cash from nice people only.
Boggle said:
I never meant to excuse poor behavior. But it happens whether you are a worker or manager, or work in other industries.
What we don't know is what Apple requires of the Genius Bar as to requirements to keep employment.
I disagree in one respect. One reaps what is sowed. Taking a job in the retail sector should not subject them to "bad attitudes". And some of us are "born" to be retail workers. Others come in for lack of other opportunities.
The shop I work at values customer service. And we are empowered to seek results that make sense for the customer and the company.
Case on point, we had a big sale this past weekend. We had a customer that was given bad rebate info from our very own price sheets.
When a new associate brought to my attention (I am not a manager); I took and hunted down our GM and explained the situation. He agreed with my assessment that we could not "make good" on the rebate offer. He and I both came up with a solution that worked for the company and the customer. What may have made the difference was the attitude of the customer. In the end he was puzzled by the brief delay as I worked the channels; but he was pleased with the results.
I am happy with the result. How would I have responded with a total negative "attitude" - we will never know.
As a retail manger you may or may not ever hire me. But I call it as I see it at times. I agree with your "get it all out." approach. I just hope that your compensation schedule is better than most. To get employee's to "care" you have to give them wages that allow them some self worth. And to be able to live and work in FF County and the DC area. Not to be told that I should look to WV for 'affordable living" as one customer told me.
At almost 48yo, I do look forward to each new day at work. The "good" customers outweigh the "bad". I do try to greet each customer equally. But I am human, so sometimes I fail.