How to make a formal complaint against apple support?

[ray_jay]

Does anyone know how I would go about making a formal complaint against apple support?

I have been a long-time fan of apple and have received great support in the past but I believe the situation I have experienced in the past few months should be brought to someone attention.

I have an Early 2011 MacBook Pro that started acting up a few months ago. I talked to apple chat support on December 28, 2016 about the problem I was having and they informed me that my MacBook qualified for the MacBook repair program for video issues, and that my issue might be due to a hardware problem that would be covered under the program. They also walked me through a few troubleshooting steps which seemed to have fixed the issue at the time being. Since the program expired on December 31, 2016, I was worried that I wouldn't be covered if the problem restarted and specifically asked the support person if I would still be covered under the program if the issues continued after the expiry date and they informed me that yes, WOULD be eligible for the free repair if needed. Looking back now wish I had simply brought it in before the expiry but my laptop was running fine at the time and I had no reason not to trust the information given to me by apple support.

The hardware issues have restarted to the point where my computer is now unusable. I went to the apple retail store and spoke to a senior support person on the phone about getting the repair done but they have told me that since the repair program has expired there's nothing they can do to fix the issue and that the parts needed for the repair aren't available so there's nothing else they can do to help me, which mean that my only option is to buy a new computer.

I have been an Apple customer for many years and have had great support in the past which is why I trusted the information I received from chat support. All that needed to be said back in December was that the program would not be available after the expiry date and I would've made the arrangements to bring my computer in for a free repair but instead I got false information that will now cost me thousands of dollars for a new computer.

 

[jharvey71884]

That sucks, I hope it works out for you. That being said, I can't stop thinking - if his was a PC brand, and you had a computer nearly 6 years old, what they would say?

From reading here over he years, if you stay on Apple enough, they will likely help you out.

 

[Hieveryone]

Does anyone know how I would go about making a formal complaint against apple support?

I have been a long-time fan of apple and have received great support in the past but I believe the situation I have experienced in the past few months should be brought to someone attention.

I have an Early 2011 MacBook Pro that started acting up a few months ago. I talked to apple chat support on December 28, 2016 about the problem I was having and they informed me that my MacBook qualified for the MacBook repair program for video issues, and that my issue might be due to a hardware problem that would be covered under the program. They also walked me through a few troubleshooting steps which seemed to have fixed the issue at the time being. Since the program expired on December 31, 2016, I was worried that I wouldn't be covered if the problem restarted and specifically asked the support person if I would still be covered under the program if the issues continued after the expiry date and they informed me that yes, WOULD be eligible for the free repair if needed. Looking back now wish I had simply brought it in before the expiry but my laptop was running fine at the time and I had no reason not to trust the information given to me by apple support.

The hardware issues have restarted to the point where my computer is now unusable. I went to the apple retail store and spoke to a senior support person on the phone about getting the repair done but they have told me that since the repair program has expired there's nothing they can do to fix the issue and that the parts needed for the repair aren't available so there's nothing else they can do to help me, which mean that my only option is to buy a new computer.

I have been an Apple customer for many years and have had great support in the past which is why I trusted the information I received from chat support. All that needed to be said back in December was that the program would not be available after the expiry date and I would've made the arrangements to bring my computer in for a free repair but instead I got false information that will now cost me thousands of dollars for a new computer.

Email Tim Cook. His email is on google I think. Explain. Be nice.

 

[Marshall73]

Does anyone know how I would go about making a formal complaint against apple support?

I have been a long-time fan of apple and have received great support in the past but I believe the situation I have experienced in the past few months should be brought to someone attention.

I have an Early 2011 MacBook Pro that started acting up a few months ago. I talked to apple chat support on December 28, 2016 about the problem I was having and they informed me that my MacBook qualified for the MacBook repair program for video issues, and that my issue might be due to a hardware problem that would be covered under the program. They also walked me through a few troubleshooting steps which seemed to have fixed the issue at the time being. Since the program expired on December 31, 2016, I was worried that I wouldn't be covered if the problem restarted and specifically asked the support person if I would still be covered under the program if the issues continued after the expiry date and they informed me that yes, WOULD be eligible for the free repair if needed. Looking back now wish I had simply brought it in before the expiry but my laptop was running fine at the time and I had no reason not to trust the information given to me by apple support.

The hardware issues have restarted to the point where my computer is now unusable. I went to the apple retail store and spoke to a senior support person on the phone about getting the repair done but they have told me that since the repair program has expired there's nothing they can do to fix the issue and that the parts needed for the repair aren't available so there's nothing else they can do to help me, which mean that my only option is to buy a new computer.

I have been an Apple customer for many years and have had great support in the past which is why I trusted the information I received from chat support. All that needed to be said back in December was that the program would not be available after the expiry date and I would've made the arrangements to bring my computer in for a free repair but instead I got false information that will now cost me thousands of dollars for a new computer.

Did you keep a copy of the support chat? If so then this will help your case.

 

[ray_jay]

Email Tim Cook. His email is on google I think. Explain. Be nice.

I sent an email to Tim Cook two weeks ago as a final resort because I didn't know where else to go but I still haven't got a response.
[doublepost=1489615128][/doublepost]

Did you keep a copy of the support chat? If so then this will help your case.

I do have a copy, and apple has it on record too. Every support person I have talked to has read it.

 

[Marshall73]

I sent an email to Tim Cook two weeks ago as a final resort because I didn't know where else to go but I still haven't got a response.
[doublepost=1489615128][/doublepost]
I do have a copy, and apple has it on record too. Every support person I have talked to has read it.

Perfect, then email Tim Cook and be nice
tcook@apple.com
He gets loads of emails and I'm sure that his staff wade through them so it may take a while for a response. In the meantime ask for your case to be escalated, you normally end up speaking with support staff in Austin Texas. Once you get to that point they generally sort you out.

 

[Hieveryone]

I sent an email to Tim Cook two weeks ago as a final resort because I didn't know where else to go but I still haven't got a response.
[doublepost=1489615128][/doublepost]
I do have a copy, and apple has it on record too. Every support person I have talked to has read it.

Man that sucks! I'm not sure what to tell you bud :/

 

[puckhead193]

I'd email Tim Cook , it actually works. I was having major issues with FCP X crashing on my new Mac Pro. I emailed Tim Cook, a few days later I got an email from some higher up FCP developer and worked out the issue and it was fixed with a software update.

 

[Hieveryone]

I'd email Tim Cook , it actually works. I was having major issues with FCP X crashing on my new Mac Pro. I emailed Tim Cook, a few days later I got an email from some higher up FCP developer and worked out the issue and it was fixed with a software update.

he tried already i think

 

[puckhead193]

he tried already i think

give it time it took over a week to get a response.

 

[capathy21]

Just keep on them. Keep calling, email Tim Cook, etc. All you need is the correct supervisor to see the copy of the chat where you were informed that it would be repaired. If they are now telling you that the person in the chat misinformed you, then you should firmly tell them that it's not your fault that the person in the chat wasn't properly trained. They will eventually help you.

 

[l.a.rossmann]

Does anyone know how I would go about making a formal complaint against apple support?

Yes; never buy their products again. Tell everyone you know to do the same when asked.

Don't get me wrong; if you've had a pleasant experience with Apple, please ignore this advice! I believe in giving companies money based on the experience you have with them. Sometimes, it is a rocky road to a fair resolution, but as long as you get some fair resolution, feel free to ignore this advice.

I bought Thinkpads for as long as I bought my own laptops. They destroyed the trackpoint interface, were charging almost $1000 for TN 1366x768 screens with terrible black levels & color. I stopped buying. I told everyone I know to do the same. They brought back trackpoint and I bought one. Same with Samsung: I had an S5, they took away sdcard slot, I ignored it until the S7. I can't imagine doing anything different, I don't have it in me to reward bad decisions with money.

One trend I've noticed over the past eight years is that regardless of how poorly someone is treated by Apple, they keep going back. If someone is treated well, I am not surprised if they continue doing business with the company. Yet, when someone is treated poorly time and time again, I don't understand what compels them to keep going back.

I had one customer who had the 2008 A1226 with a GPU defect. She was turned away because they couldn't run the test on her machine - part of her GPU defect(and hundreds of thousands of others) was that it would not POST, so she had to get a new machine, as she cursed Apple for gifting her a $2700 paperweight. She buys a new 2011, which lasts for two years prior to doing what yours did. She goes to Apple(pre-recall), hears the $650+ quote, figures she has another lemon. She can't afford this - she needs it for work, so she buys an early 2013 retina.

Two weeks ago she came in with the late 2013 retina, randomly blackscreening and turning off. Alas, Apple ended their extended warranty on this one as well, December 31st 2016. Another case of bad luck and poor timing.

She's been a loyal customer with every machine over the past eight years, I know what is causing this issue and how to permanently repair it, so I fix it at no cost under one condition. She'd hold their feet to the fire and stop buying this junk. She laughs, gets back the retina post-repair, no GPU issues, and goes on with her day.

But the sad part is, I know she'll buy another one. When it dies again, she'll buy another one. How will Apple ever know that they have F'd up if their consumerbase continues to give them money regardless of how they are treated? How will they ever be motivated to change if there is never a dent in their revenue?

The best formal complaint you can make against Apple support is to their bank account. Give money to companies that manufacture products that last and stand behind them, and stop giving money to companies that don't! The intern reading Tim Cook's email is probably laughing at you as they copy and paste the same reply to you and everyone else that they know, realistically, will spend $1800 on the new touchbar machine a week after being declined warranty service. Don't do it!

 

[bartvk]

Yes; never buy their products again.

Louis, is that really your account here? Keep up the excellent work on YouTube! Love it.
[doublepost=1489650730][/doublepost]

I have been an Apple customer for many years and have had great support in the past which is why I trusted the information I received from chat support.

Did you document this? I.e. do you have screenshots and/or logs?

As an aside, how much energy do you want to put into a 6 year old laptop?

 

[Queen6]

Yes; never buy their products again. Tell everyone you know to do the same when asked.

Don't get me wrong; if you've had a pleasant experience with Apple, please ignore this advice! I believe in giving companies money based on the experience you have with them. Sometimes, it is a rocky road to a fair resolution, but as long as you get some fair resolution, feel free to ignore this advice.

I bought Thinkpads for as long as I bought my own laptops. They destroyed the trackpoint interface, were charging almost $1000 for TN 1366x768 screens with terrible black levels & color. I stopped buying. I told everyone I know to do the same. They brought back trackpoint and I bought one. Same with Samsung: I had an S5, they took away sdcard slot, I ignored it until the S7. I can't imagine doing anything different, I don't have it in me to reward bad decisions with money.

One trend I've noticed over the past eight years is that regardless of how poorly someone is treated by Apple, they keep going back. If someone is treated well, I am not surprised if they continue doing business with the company. Yet, when someone is treated poorly time and time again, I don't understand what compels them to keep going back.

I had one customer who had the 2008 A1226 with a GPU defect. She was turned away because they couldn't run the test on her machine - part of her GPU defect(and hundreds of thousands of others) was that it would not POST, so she had to get a new machine, as she cursed Apple for gifting her a $2700 paperweight. She buys a new 2011, which lasts for two years prior to doing what yours did. She goes to Apple(pre-recall), hears the $650+ quote, figures she has another lemon. She can't afford this - she needs it for work, so she buys an early 2013 retina.

Two weeks ago she came in with the late 2013 retina, randomly blackscreening and turning off. Alas, Apple ended their extended warranty on this one as well, December 31st 2016. Another case of bad luck and poor timing.

She's been a loyal customer with every machine over the past eight years, I know what is causing this issue and how to permanently repair it, so I fix it at no cost under one condition. She'd hold their feet to the fire and stop buying this junk. She laughs, gets back the retina post-repair, no GPU issues, and goes on with her day.

But the sad part is, I know she'll buy another one. When it dies again, she'll buy another one. How will Apple ever know that they have F'd up if their consumerbase continues to give them money regardless of how they are treated? How will they ever be motivated to change if there is never a dent in their revenue?

The best formal complaint you can make against Apple support is to their bank account. Give money to companies that manufacture products that last and stand behind them, and stop giving money to companies that don't! The intern reading Tim Cook's email is probably laughing at you as they copy and paste the same reply to you and everyone else that they know, realistically, will spend $1800 on the new touchbar machine a week after being declined warranty service. Don't do it!

Well said, once Apple produces worthy hardware, Apple will see my money until then there are better options. Absolutely agree vote with your wallet as that's all they understand...

Q-6

 

[adabe]

I purchased a MacBook Pro laptop in May 2019 and I paid about 4k for it. From the beginning, the laptop had a huge problem: the battery is draining very fast and I'm not able to do my work without keeping it plugged.

I had a few calls with Apple support and I was at Apple Genius 3 times. Every time, they run a few tests and they formatted the HDD saying it's a software issue. At one point, they replaced the battery, but this still didn't fix the problem.

Today I had my 5th appointment with the Genius team to solve this issue and as usual, they were ready to run the tests, but they were preparing me for the excuse: "it's a software issue". During the 10-15 minutes I was in the store, the laptop battery dropped from 98% to 81% with just one software active (Microsoft Visual Code Studio) and us looking at it (not doing any work).

I asked the Apple technician to keep the laptop as much as they need and not to send it back unless the issue is fixed. The technician was trying to tell me they will run the tests and send the laptop back with the results and if it's a software issue, they will not be able to identify it.

I tried to explain to her that I have multiple MacBook Pro in the house and in the office and all of them are working fine with Microsoft Visual Code Studio, except the one I was in service for. She wasn't able to explain, why they will not replace this particular laptop (which is still under warranty) if the battery does not last 1-2 hours.

If there is any incompatibility between Microsoft Visual Code Studio and the Apple MacBook Pro I asked her to send me an email or a letter describing this, but she refused to do this.

I asked to speak with a manager and I told her I need a solution as I need to use Microsoft Visual Code Studio, to write the code I'm writing for a living. The only solution the manager was able to offer was to run the tests again (after doing this a few times during the last years) and that's it.

When I explained to her that if I'll not get the laptop fixed or replaced, so I can do my work, I'll have to file a complaint against Apple, she REFUSED to service the laptop anymore and asked me to leave the store.

She handed me a card with the Apple Customer Support number and I called them immediately after I left the store. I asked them to provide the contact details of their legal team as I need to file a complaint. I don't think it's acceptable to pay so much for a laptop and the Apple team can't do anything else except running "tests".

They informed me the call is recorded and I said I have no issue with that as I'm planning to record it as well. They asked me to STOP the recording and when I refused, they just hang up. They have not even provided the contact details of their legal team but sent an email with the company address and they CLOSED my case.

I posted these facts on the Apple Support website and after a few minutes, they deleted the post and sent me an email saying: "We've removed your post Apple is refusing to repair a MacBook Pro under warranty because it contained either feedback or a feature request that was not constructive."

I'm not sure why Apple is so scared to take responsibility and solve the issues of their hardware even when I paid extra to have Apple Care on it. I paid extra, so they can turn their back on me and refuse to fix the issue?

The laptop is under warranty till 2022.

I'm very disappointed with the way Apple Support understands the way to service its products and it's very difficult for me to move away from the Apple ecosystem, but I'll have to sell all my Apple products and make sure my business and household will never rely on Apple Support help.

 

[smoking monkey]

I purchased a MacBook Pro laptop in May 2019 and I paid about 4k for it. From the beginning, the laptop had a huge problem: the battery is draining very fast and I'm not able to do my work without keeping it plugged.

The laptop is under warranty till 2022.

I'm very disappointed with the way Apple Support understands the way to service its products and it's very difficult for me to move away from the Apple ecosystem, but I'll have to sell all my Apple products and make sure my business and household will never rely on Apple Support help.

I feel for you, yet at the same time I feel like you're making it difficult for yourself.

If you've been having this issue and you can't pinpoint it, what you need to do to show that it's not the MS prog is to wipe the computer and ONLY install the MS program on it. THEN, if it still happens it means that it's a hardware issue. Then, Apple won't be able to deny your claim.

At this point Apple will have done diagnostics and they will have all come back as clear. So there isn't much they can do due to user configurations causing this and that could be absolutely anything.

Have you reset the pram etc? check out all those things on the net.

 

[nicksaid99]

I have an issue with Apple and a brand new Macbook Pro M1 which packed up after a few weeks. The Apple repair centre said it was water damage which is crap. It's barely been out of the box I emailed Tim Cook and he has got an executive in the UK to take on my problem. He's awesome. He actually read my email. Don't know how many companies would do that. I got extremely angry at Apple support, I was explaining the same problem to them over and over again. Send Tim an email. You never know. I never in a million years thought I'd get a reply or any further help. I've had Apple care with my previous Macbook and their support and customer service was outstanding.

 

[Madhatter32]

I think you would be better off writting a letter to Steve Jobs than Tim Cook.

 

[Chevysales]

reviving 4 year old threads is a thing now as opposed to starting your own?
then again emailing people dead for 10 years is about as good of a solution...
good luck

 

[Macbookprodude]

The Apple of today is no friend to the consumer - all part of the global reset to come. Customers are nothing to these gigantic corporations - only your $$$ is what they want. The days of customer service and support are long gone. i remember years back during the PPC era when I got a Sawtooth Mac and it had a bad firewire port - they were very eager to help me with it and the result was a brand new Mac in less than 1 day. Gone are those days too, and gone are the days of simple internet.