Rude Apple Store Worker - My first apple store experience

[ethen]

I'm a big time switcher of Mac, I have 3 PowerMac, and 2 powerbook for myself alone at my home office (Pic can be seen here). I've bought more than 27 powermacs G5 (dual core) in the past 2 months for my office and replaces all my windows machines and 6 powerbooks. I'm not a mac guru, but after buying so many macs, i know a little about mac. and i'm pretty happy with the transition in my company (i'm a small business owner).

So i wanted to buy my wife a macbook pro and also for myself. I went to Willow Bend apple store, it was so hot in texas that day, so i went home, took out my suite and change to basketball wear as i'm planning to go and play basketball after buying the macbook pros. i dont wear my shoes instead i opt out to wear my slippers so i'm pretty much look like a broke guy walking into apple store. Now i dont expect royalties treatment, but when i walk in i know what i want, all i want to say is just please give me 2 macbook pros and this is the model i want. I stood there for 10 minutes and no one approach to help me. and i called one of the worker there his name is "S" (i'm going to use his initial only) and he said i'll be right with you with a pretty rude tone. And then a couple walked into the store looking at the new macbook, and instead of assiting me (i was waiting in front of him) he went to that couple and talk to them about macbooks and ignoring me, so i just wait patiently, and another old man walked in looking at the powermac and he went to that old man after assiting the couple that just walked out buying nothing.

I was pretty upset and felt that i'm not been given any services, until another lady worker came to me and she's very friendly and help me with my 2 macbook pros. So i checked out right away and drop off my macbook pro at home for my wife. she called me 30 mintues later telling me it has dead pixels, so i went home and came back to the apple store, i show them that there is 6 bad pixels on the screen, and i guess it wasnt my luck, the guy that was rude to me came and tell me that it's within apple operating specs, i cant exchage for a new unit. I dont expect to pay for 2600 (with tax) for each machine and an hour later when i turn it on comes with defects. Would you buy a car with small dent on it?

And he was very rude to me when i say i want an exchange or if it's not possible refund, i dont care about the restrocking fees. and finally after calling around Apple, they say i shuld be able to get an exchange in store, so i get a reference number and went back to that Willo Bend apple store to get an exchage.


I'm very very dissapointed at the service level i got on apple store, all my mac was purchased online, and i'm not saying i wont be going to apple store, but i just wont step into Willow bend apple store anymore.

Well, this is my first apple store experience.
Still love OSX, just not that particular store

 

[devilot]

Still love OSX, just not that particular store

That just about sums up how I feel about Apple. I have never received great service from the retail Apple stores.

 

[Blue Velvet]

Why didn't you ask to talk to the manager if you were unhappy with the standard of care that you received?

 

[ethen]

Why didn't you ask to talk to the manager if you were unhappy with the standard of care that you received?

I did and the guy said, i'm one of the manager here.

 

[mkrishnan]

Please write a note in to Apple about this...it's unacceptable, and Apple needs to be able to control the image their stores sends to customers.

 

[Demon Hunter]

The Apple Store... so much hype. In the end, it's just another retail store. I'm very sorry you had that experience. I used to work there... it never would have happened under my watch.

It's interesting how much appearance matters, in social settings.

By the way, that is a SWEET setup.

 

[Chundles]

That just about sums up how I feel about Apple. I have never received great service from the retail Apple stores.

I did, but then all I did there was walk into the one near MIT in Boston and, in my best Steve Irwin, say to the girl at the counter "G'Day! I'd loike to buy Toigah pleahse" I'm not sure if she thought I was serious or not but when she handed the box back to me in that cool draw-string bag I threw in a "Have a go at theese liddle bewdy!" and then did the Harry out of there for I had a bus to catch.

 

[MrFrankly]

it has dead pixels, so i went home and came back to the apple store, i show them that there is 6 bad pixels on the screen, and i guess it wasnt my luck, the guy that was rude to me came and tell me that it's within apple operating specs

The more I read on these forums the more I believe that Apple has been less concerned about quality since they switched to Intel. Nowadays it seems to be about selling as much as possible and trying to keep people from returning their machines. Not by creating great quality machines but by stretching their "operating specs" to the limit. It almost seems like everything is alright as long as no smoke comes out of the machine. Smoke coming from your burning lap is alright, since that's within the operating specs and the manual says it's not a laptop.

6 bad pixels is of course not acceptable for such an expensive machine. Even on a cheap machine it would be unacceptable. I would definitely feel aweful spending so much money on a new computer only to find out that it whine's, get's too hot to handle and on top of that has a crappy screen.

Doesn't Apple have a pixel policy somewhere?

 

[Superdrive]

Apple brick and mortar stores are hit or miss with customer service. I think the Mall of America Apple Store is absolutely terrible. I have had enough bad experiences there that I will not purchase anything there anymore. On the other hand, the Southdale Apple Store has been pretty good with their service. Of course there is the usual Genius deals, etc, but overall the help has been reasonable. I think my next computer will be coming from store.apple.com.

 

[Blue Velvet]

The more I read on these forums the more I believe that Apple has been less concerned about quality since they switched to Intel.

That's because these forums are full of people with problems with their Macs. It's not a representative sample.

 

[Demon Hunter]

The more I read on these forums the more I believe that Apple has been less concerned about quality since they switched to Intel. Nowadays it seems to be about selling as much as possible and trying to keep people from returning their machines. Not by creating great quality machines but by stretching their "operating specs" to the limit. It almost seems like everything is alright as long as no smoke comes out of the machine. Smoke coming from your burning lap is alright, since that's within the operating specs and the manual says it's not a laptop.

6 bad pixels is of course not acceptable for such an expensive machine. Even on a cheap machine it would be unacceptable. I would definitely feel aweful spending so much money on a new computer only to find out that it whine's, get's too hot to handle and on top of that has a crappy screen.

Doesn't Apple have a pixel policy somewhere?

I am sure that 6 pixels warrants a replacement. The employee was stupid.

 

[monke]

By the way, that is a SWEET setup.

I'll second that, nice setup ethen.

That's because these forums are full of people with problems with their Macs. It's not a representative sample.

Exactly, if you were to go to a Windows forum all you would hear is complaints.


Personally I've never had a bad store experience, but that's because I've never bought anything from an Apple Store before, other than the one online.

 

[kugino]

That's because these forums are full of people with problems with their Macs. It's not a representative sample.

word. people tend to post about problems/gripes/bad experiences more than they do about positive ones. some people come to the forums specifically because they have a certain problem and want to know how to fix it...i think apple still ranks in the top of consumer satisfaction and reliability among PC vendors...

 

[drake]

The Apple Store... so much hype. In the end, it's just another retail store. I'm very sorry you had that experience. I used to work there... it never would have happened under my watch.

It's interesting how much appearance matters, in social settings.

By the way, that is a SWEET setup.

Appearance is what macs are all about, no?

 

[MrFrankly]

That's because these forums are full of people with problems with their Macs. It's not a representative sample.

I know, I was comparing this forum before and after the Intel switch...which made not be a fair comparison since we're dealing with a rev A of the MBP, while the Powerbooks had several revisions. But still I'm disappointed how so many obvious problems are dealt with by saying it's within the operational specs while they're obviously problems. My opinion on Apple is high enough to expect better from them.

 

[dejo]

i think apple still ranks in the top of consumer satisfaction and reliability among PC vendors...

The latest Consumer Reports supports that claim.

 

[Blue Velvet]

I know, I was comparing this forum before and after the Intel switch...

If there is a recurring pattern of poor quality shipped product, then I suspect it may have something more to do with volumes rather than any Intel-related issues.

Apple are not going to get to 10% market share without aggressively ramping up their ability to churn the stuff out and that could cause teething problems.

I'm just speculating though.

 

[calebjohnston]

I've never liked Apple's stores, or their customer service. I just get BS'ed off all the time, and my laptops always have problems. I just love OSX and the design of the computers, so I'll continue to deal with their crap.

 

[buffalo]

they don't care about kids...

I'm a 15 y/o guy and the last two times I've been in the Apple Store, I've been ignored. I have been dressed appropritaly and look presentable. I haven't had any specific questions to ask, but I find this very rude. In my family, I am the Mac user and am the one that influenced the purchase of an iMac G5. Even though I'm not the one with the credit card it does seem like they could approach me. It was crowded the last day I was in, but I did see three employes standing appearing to do nothing while I was on an iMac.

 

[CanadaRAM]

I did and the guy said, i'm one of the manager here.

Think to yourself "Ya right, buddy & you're doing a spanking good job of managing, too"... then politely ask him to be escalated to HIS manager. If he refuses, ask him to provide the reason for refusing you in writing. That usually stops them short, because he is then accountable for what he is saying. Up until that time, it is all deniable.

 

[jTreu]

ive never had a problem with apple store employees at the danbury, ct store. they sent out my out of warrenty ibook for repair for free.

 

[jefhatfield]

That just about sums up how I feel about Apple. I have never received great service from the retail Apple stores.

over the years, i have had mixed experiences in stores that sold macs, but mostly good

if you realize that the salespeople are salespeople and not technicians, then things will be fine...but when i have tried to approach a salesperson with a technical problem, they have been terrible...he he...i guess that's why they have a genius bar now

being a tech myself, i know better not to ask salespeople technical questions these days, but one strange observation i have noticed is that the people working the sales areas around pcs have been very knowledgeable over the years and not only know windows and pcs, but tend to be techies and gearheads...never so with mac salespeople but i have met a ton of mac salespeople who are artists or aspiring artists

over my many years of dealings with people who sell windows pcs for me or my pc repair clients, i have never once heard the word "art" or "artist"

 

[devilot]

if you realize that the salespeople are salespeople and not technicians, then things will be fine...

That's just it. I've worked retail and direct sales for a few years and at different places so I "get" the whole sales bit. I'm also quite patient because of my own experiences working retail... but really, the service I've had is bad to non-existent at least at the Valley Fair Apple Store and the Oakridge one (which surprise surprise, are both under the same manager).

 

[jefhatfield]

That's just it. I've worked retail and direct sales for a few years and at different places so I "get" the whole sales bit. I'm also quite patient because of my own experiences working retail... but really, the service I've had is bad to non-existent at least at the Valley Fair Apple Store and the Oakridge one (which surprise surprise, are both under the same manager).

i have gone to the palo alto store in the stanford shopping mall, probably within an hour of you or less, and they seem pretty nice in there...it's in a very upscale shopping mall and the whole "culture" of that mall is to be very polite to customers and never work the hard sale technique

stanford has a huge concentration of rich people, and they dress all different ways, sometimes shabby, and any salesperson in that mall knows that anyone coming into that mall, of any appearance, potentially can buy a quad without even thinning down their wallet...that seems to keep rude salespeople away, so try the stanford apple store in the shopping center

valley fair mall in or near downtown san jose is definitely not as "friendly" and at times, a haven for local gangbangers on the weekends...the whole vibe of that mall is different, but they are still the largest mall in the area and some items can only be found there

 

[devilot]

so try the stanford apple store in the shopping center

Yup. I think I will have to gulp up that extra gas $ and just go there from now on. I've only been in there once or twice before they closed to remodel and haven't been there since. I've also only been to that other Palo Alto location (larger w/ a small theater inside)-- but only once and I only ducked in to find my father. But that one's parking situation is tougher so I guess I'll stick to the Stanford Shopping center location.