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POLL: Apple ProCare

Poll: your vote

  • Total voters
    24
Chip NoVaMac

Chip NoVaMac

macrumors G3
Original poster
Dec 25, 2003
8,888
31
Northern Virginia
With the issues I faced with my iMac rev B, I am tired of the folks at the Apple Store stressing that my time bringing in my machine could be better spent if I had the ProPlan.

I wanted to see how MR members felt about the ProPlan. I realize that there are like 52 hours of training available. But the quality of the training that I witnessed (from a distance) seems to be geared towards the "newbie", not someone like myself that has a good foundation in OS's and app's.

If Apple wants me to spend extra money for ProCare, these are the things i would like to see:

I want an Apple Genus to able to intelligently walk me through making the most of Aperture, as a user that is quite familiar with iPhoto, Adobe PS and Lightroom, and many other programs.

To intelligently talk to me about using Automation to do back-ups of my important data. Just not repeating what is available in the Help Files. But to give me step by step advice.

To acknowledge that there are third-party apps that we as Mac users use on a regular basis. Onyx and CCC are not some cheap programers attempt at making a name for themselves.

Maybe iGary and I share a common ground. I don't see a reason that if i paid for AppleCare, that I need to spend more for ProCare in order save time if there is an honest repair needed.

Maybe the camera shop I work for could do the same - NOT! Service/customer service should not be based on the ability or willingness to pay an extra fee. An exemption could/should be if one has an AppleCare agreement.

This third level seems to be just pure greed IMO.
 
Ithink you forgot to make the poll :rolleyes:



But in my opinion if you read the benefits, it is more or less worthless. The geniuses do not seem to know much more out the bounds of Apple products. So if you ask them something about the Adobe suite, they can simply say they dont know and thats the end of that. However this is just speculation, based upon their job description and objectives listed on the Apple website.

If you really need to know if they can help you, you might want to just call them up and ask if they would know about whatever you need to know and base your purchase off of that.

As for everything else ProCare offers, I think it is totally a waste of 100 dollars. Able to make an appointment a week ahead? Not needed for me. Able for them to repair my system quickly in store? I actually perfer for them to send it off to be repaired by a company that hopefully has highly trained technicians, rather than a person in the store who might have been hired a week ago be touching my system and screwing things up. Also in store repairs, might save you time, but if that in store repair requires parts, or something far more complicated than what the store can do, they probably still have to send it off. That 100 dollars sure doesnt seem to be too tempting for me.


EDIT: AH! Theres that poll!
 
wako said:
I actually perfer for them to send it off to be repaired by a company that hopefully has highly trained technicians, rather than a person in the store who might have been hired a week ago be touching my system and screwing things up. Also in store repairs, might save you time, but if that in store repair requires parts, or something far more complicated than what the store can do, they probably still have to send it off. That 100 dollars sure doesnt seem to be too tempting for me.


EDIT: AH! Theres that poll!
Click to expand...

Actually, Geniuses ARE highly trained technicians. They are required to pass the certification exams for hardware and OS support as well as spend nearly a month in Cupertino for intense hands on repair and service training. The Geniuses in my store were pros, they frequently successfully and beautifully repair Powerbooks and other hard-to-get-into machines in record times.
 
they could easily walk you through aperture, and adobe products.

Apple's one on one training doesnt cover every app because they can not staff/learn them all.

so basicly big apps yes. and yes they are knowledgeable.

if you own a business and your work computer goes down the fast return will help you a lot. (as well as students in crunch time)

anyways it is only a great deal if you actually utilize everything it has to offer.
 
MovieCutter said:
Actually, Geniuses ARE highly trained technicians. They are required to pass the certification exams for hardware and OS support as well as spend nearly a month in Cupertino for intense hands on repair and service training. The Geniuses in my store were pros, they frequently successfully and beautifully repair Powerbooks and other hard-to-get-into machines in record times.
Click to expand...


technicly yes, software no.

the software pros are called creatives.
 
Pistol Pete said:
technicly yes, software no.

the software pros are called creatives.
Click to expand...

The software pros ARE called creatives, but back in the day before there were Creatives (6 months ago for MANY stores) the Geniuses (at least in my store) were frequently able to answer questions about both Adobe and Apple products. Now, Creatives manage the One on One training sessions that cover iLife and any Pro Apps that Creative may be certified in.

Back on topic, if you utilize those very Creatives, the ProCare is very valuable. For instance, my consulting fee to train and consult in Final Cut Pro, Shake, Motion, and DVD Studio is upwards of $50-100/hr. If you want one on one Final Cut training, and have a Creative that is certified in Final Cut, it's a STEAL if you actually utilize those one on one sessions.
 
I got a year of Procare when I got my Regent St lucky bag.

The only thing it was good for was making Genius appointments and initially, jumping to the front of the queue when you got there; so if your appointment was 11, it really was 11 and not after midday. But that perk stopped and after the day that I sat there for nearly an hour waiting for someone - just to exchange a set of headphones - while people walking in off the street were seen, I decided not to pay out to renew it.

The Procare seminars in London were held in the normal theatre so anyone could watch them in any case - and the expedited repair only held if you'd bought the product in an Apple store and, naturally, if it was still under Applecare.

In London, they also have The Studio where, in theory, you can take creative projects you are having problems with and they will help you 'fix' them. It's always packed and I've never tried asking for help here although there do often look to be quite intense conversations going on.
 
wako said:
Ithink you forgot to make the poll :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

You may have ben in the "window" of the post verses the poll. Saw this earlier in another post/poll.

As for everything else ProCare offers, I think it is totally a waste of 100 dollars. Able to make an appointment a week ahead? Not needed for me. Able for them to repair my system quickly in store? I actually perfer for them to send it off to be repaired by a company that hopefully has highly trained technicians, rather than a person in the store who might have been hired a week ago be touching my system and screwing things up. Also in store repairs, might save you time, but if that in store repair requires parts, or something far more complicated than what the store can do, they probably still have to send it off. That 100 dollars sure doesnt seem to be too tempting for me.


EDIT: AH! Theres that poll!
Click to expand...

I agree with your view on the value of ProCare.
 
MovieCutter said:
Actually, Geniuses ARE highly trained technicians. They are required to pass the certification exams for hardware and OS support as well as spend nearly a month in Cupertino for intense hands on repair and service training. The Geniuses in my store were pros, they frequently successfully and beautifully repair Powerbooks and other hard-to-get-into machines in record times.
Click to expand...


Yes, very true, but how much EXPERIENCE do they have compared to people who service macs all day, everyday? Probably not as much. You might be able to recieve training for something but still suck at it.
 
Procare might be more useful if they split it out - or at least the Genius Bar - so you had one for Macs and one for iPods.

Surely the training for an iPod Genius is far less complex for that of a Mac Genius since it tends to consist of showing morons how to work it properly or replacing genuinely faulty ones which virtually any long-time staffer could handle.

The Mac Genius needs more skills, could have a better pay banding and presumably a little more job satisfaction knowing they got all their certifications to do more than fill out paperwork about replacement iPods.
That might actually get the Genius Bar back to what it was originally intended to be, make Pro Care more useful and mean that those without it could actually get an appointment!
 
I think ProCare is a big rip-off. Having AppleCare should be enough to move you to the front of the line. I've never seen anyone tout ProCare as a good value except wdlove. (and he needed a mod to be able to change his avatar for contests)
 
rdowns said:
I think ProCare is a big rip-off. Having AppleCare should be enough to move you to the front of the line. I've never seen anyone tout ProCare as a good value except wdlove. (and he needed a mod to be able to change his avatar for contests)
Click to expand...

i'm pretty sure apple only sells it to make a buck
 
wako said:
Yes, very true, but how much EXPERIENCE do they have compared to people who service macs all day, everyday? Probably not as much. You might be able to recieve training for something but still suck at it.
Click to expand...

Um, these guys DO service Macs all day. They are usually on rotation. There is almost always one Genius per day working on JUST repairs in the back and not helping customers. Every Genius does this. Apple invests a LOT of money in each individual Genius and they are usually very thorough when it comes to making sure they can do what they are supposed to do. Trust me, some of my closest friends are Geniuses, and they are VERY good at what they do. I've seen them handle anything an ordinary technician would ON TOP of dealing with irrate customers. That's not to say that there aren't some crappy Geniuses, but lets not lump them all together in the "not REALLY a Mac technician" category.
 
MovieCutter said:
Um, these guys DO service Macs all day. They are usually on rotation. There is almost always one Genius per day working on JUST repairs in the back and not helping customers. Every Genius does this. Apple invests a LOT of money in each individual Genius and they are usually very thorough when it comes to making sure they can do what they are supposed to do. Trust me, some of my closest friends are Geniuses, and they are VERY good at what they do. I've seen them handle anything an ordinary technician would ON TOP of dealing with irrate customers. That's not to say that there aren't some crappy Geniuses, but lets not lump them all together in the "not REALLY a Mac technician" category.
Click to expand...

Working retail, I have respect for all that work in retail or serving the public. I have an issue with the depth of knowledge. I attended a special night featuring Aperture. It was portrayed as a "professional" approach. What I saw was more of a web overview.
 
Chip NoVaMac said:
Working retail, I have respect for all that work in retail or serving the public. I have an issue with the depth of knowledge. I attended a special night featuring Aperture. It was portrayed as a "professional" approach. What I saw was more of a web overview.
Click to expand...

I'll start off by saying all stores are different. Aperture demo, however, isn't in the Genius jurisdiction. That's usually reserved for the resident photography guru on staff or the Creative who volunteered to learn Aperture for the "special event". Geniuses are basically technicians who deal with customers and do in store repairs.
 
"The only thing it was good for was making Genius appointments and initially, jumping to the front of the queue when you got there; so if your appointment was 11, it really was 11 and not after midday. But that perk stopped and after the day that I sat there for nearly an hour waiting for someone - just to exchange a set of headphones - while people walking in off the street were seen, I decided not to pay out to renew it."

I am the sucker who bought it. I misunderstood the part about "flash your card to get a quick question answered..." Tried flahing my card and he said "get in line". Really, procare would be worth paying for if you could cut in line. Like if they reserved 1 slot an hour for procare customer walk-in support. I need the ability to get an appoinemtnt in one hour, not 6 days ahead.

I have not yet tried the training, but I will drag my dying iMacG4 in there with my new MacBook to get some help trying to move over iPhotos. If they help with that, it will be well spent.
 
i was talking to an employee who i talked about my "future" setup and how i want to get in to FCS. He said to get procare. you can get trained on it (from someone who knows what their doing) So i'm sure you can get training on aperture.
 
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