Remember the fiasco Apple and its customers experienced with the roll-out of MobileMe last year?
First it was the "we're sorry" here's 30 free days.
Then it was the "we're sorry again" granting an additional 60 days.
Well today I received an email from Apple stating that my account was about to renew and that my credit card had expired. I fired up chat support to determine why the expiration date was so soon.
The first agent said my account was up for renewal in August. I told him my account had ben extended, twice. He told me I was not eligible for the 60 day extension, that my account had never been extended. More frustrating was that I remember seeing that my account had not been extended into Nov 2009. But now that it was up for renewal the extended date was no longer there! Luckily I had the email Apple sent. I cut and paste the text into the chat. the agent said that he was familiar with the email because he had received one but that I had not. What??!! I offered to email him the email. The agent told me that wouldn't be necessary and that he would give me 60 days... as "a courtesy." A courtesy? WHAT? I produced evidence that Apple had agreed to extend my account.
I then asked about the original 30 day extension. He said I was not eligible because I had not been a .mac account holder and he could not help me. I told him that was unacceptable. He transferred me to a "specialist." The specialist stated that the original 30 days was only given to a small number of people and I was not eligible. He sent me the link from an Apple support page. Apparently he did not even read the link he sent me! The link stated that one eligibility criteria was being a .mac account holder... OR... "you are a new MobileMe member who created your account on or before July 15, 2008 at 7:00 PM Pacific Daylight Time." According to another email I had my account was created on July 10th. Mr Chat Agent, when did I create my account? Duh. My account was then credited. And I chose the option to have the chat transcript sent to me!
To summarize, I had two Apple chat agents tell me that I was wrong... actually based on the tone of the chat they both called me a liar. i had to jump through hoops to show them how to do their jobs and make Apple live up to its commitments to its customers. To this date I have always thought of Apple products and services as premium offerings. Not any longer.
BEWARE... watch your account carefully... and keep all email correspondence.
First it was the "we're sorry" here's 30 free days.
Then it was the "we're sorry again" granting an additional 60 days.
Well today I received an email from Apple stating that my account was about to renew and that my credit card had expired. I fired up chat support to determine why the expiration date was so soon.
The first agent said my account was up for renewal in August. I told him my account had ben extended, twice. He told me I was not eligible for the 60 day extension, that my account had never been extended. More frustrating was that I remember seeing that my account had not been extended into Nov 2009. But now that it was up for renewal the extended date was no longer there! Luckily I had the email Apple sent. I cut and paste the text into the chat. the agent said that he was familiar with the email because he had received one but that I had not. What??!! I offered to email him the email. The agent told me that wouldn't be necessary and that he would give me 60 days... as "a courtesy." A courtesy? WHAT? I produced evidence that Apple had agreed to extend my account.
I then asked about the original 30 day extension. He said I was not eligible because I had not been a .mac account holder and he could not help me. I told him that was unacceptable. He transferred me to a "specialist." The specialist stated that the original 30 days was only given to a small number of people and I was not eligible. He sent me the link from an Apple support page. Apparently he did not even read the link he sent me! The link stated that one eligibility criteria was being a .mac account holder... OR... "you are a new MobileMe member who created your account on or before July 15, 2008 at 7:00 PM Pacific Daylight Time." According to another email I had my account was created on July 10th. Mr Chat Agent, when did I create my account? Duh. My account was then credited. And I chose the option to have the chat transcript sent to me!
To summarize, I had two Apple chat agents tell me that I was wrong... actually based on the tone of the chat they both called me a liar. i had to jump through hoops to show them how to do their jobs and make Apple live up to its commitments to its customers. To this date I have always thought of Apple products and services as premium offerings. Not any longer.
BEWARE... watch your account carefully... and keep all email correspondence.
