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Complaint : Apple Store Genius Bar / Quality

post #1 of 49
7/9/06 at 3:43pm
Thread Starter 
Hi All...

Well, this weekend I find out that the hard drive in my 12" PB is dying....clicks/clacks/spinup/down/etc. I called AppleCare last week and they said, "There's a good chance that it is going to die soon, so back up your data and take it to your local store or AASP". AppleCare was very friendly and helpful (after all, they're Canadian! )

After a great lunch w/ my girlfriend, we took the PB to the AppleStore at South Coast Plaza (Costa Mesa, CA). I walk over to the computer, trying to get a "reservation" to see someone about it.

There was 4 ppl w/ ipods and two "Geni" behind the bar. With Case ID# from AppleCare in hand, I walk over to the Genius Bar and am told to "...make an appointment...", so I do. The computer tells me, "No more reservations today!" It's 4pm in the afternoon, they don't close until 9pm...what gives?! So I walk back over to the bar and said, "The system doesn't seem to be letting me make an appointment, I was sent over here by AppleCare".

Genius (Matthew) : "::sigh:: You need to make an appointment"

Me: "I know, but it's not letting me...it says there are no more appointments today... can you please help me? I have a case number from AppleCare"

Genius (Matthew) : "Well, if we're booked...then we're booked... "

Me: "There's no-one else here though... I just need to get my computer repaired".

Genius (Matthew) : <typing> "<silence>"

Finally I got ahold of a manager and he gave me this spiel that "...those ppl on the screen are already signed in for appointments and it wouldn't be fair to them to help you."

I said, "Really? where are they?"

Manger said, "Oh, I don't know...they'll be here shortly... ipods are helped differently than other Macs.."

Me: "Great, can I go get my ipod so I can get help?"

Mgr : "Well no, but I'll help you with your powerbook...what's the problem?"

I gave him the run-down on the whole thing, case number and all. Finally he agreed, "Yes we should send this in." I said, "THANK YOU...that's what I was trying to tell you, even that I have a case number showing it... what's the problem?"

My girlfriend stepped in and said, "That guy was really rude to us when we came in (the genius, Matthew) and told us to basically leave because 'we're booked'...I would never buy a Mac because of how rude you all have been..."

The manager apologized (like they always do) and said I should have the computer in about a week...he had another Genius send it away for me but that's it.

This is my 3rd Powerbook in 2 1/2 years....Apple has replaced them twice...this one, the one I have now, was given to me by that store last February because when they replaced the logic board, the fan wouldn't work and it would've been in for repair for a total of 3 weeks.

We're not white trash for anything...I don't beat up my computer(s)...I take really good care of it. My g/f and I both work in education (she's a teacher and I work in admissions)...we take really good care of our things. Her Sony Vaio has been put-puttin' along for almost 4yrs now and not a single problem...she bought another one two years ago, still no problems...

My HP ZV6000 that I've had for a year has had more 'action' than the PB and it's never had a problem. I know HDDs go out but after 3 powerbooks, you'd think you'd get a winner.

All 12" Powerbooks...

First one, bought August '03)

-- Bad hinges (first week I had it...they ended up replacing the LCD, bezel, and lid).
-- Screws falling out of display bezel (ever since they replaced the LCD, sent in *twice* for repair for this very issue)
-- No Bluetooth (from previous repair also...)
-- Battery (beat up from previous repair...Apple replaced it)
-- Dead logic board (spontenous...replaced)
-- Dead logic board (Apple replaced w/ Rev. B)

Second one, received November '03)

-- Display lid seperating... (replaced display bezel)
-- White spots (6mo later...replaced LCD)
-- Airport cable (don't know if it was caused by prev. repair but they had to replace the antenna in the display...missing screws when I got it back)
-- replaced logic board (new logic board, top case, bottom case, and hard drive...caused by previous repair apparently..)
-- replaced logic board (dead audio port)
-- fan (died less than 1 day after previous repair).
-- Apple replaced when I brought it back to the store...

Third one, received February '06)

-- Hard drive dying... (attitude from genius...sent in for repair...using my PC or now...no problems w/ PC after having for 1yr)


Sorry for the gripe but just had to share.... I love(ed) Apple but after "3" 12" Powerbooks, I don't know.... my 3 iPods (10GB 3rd gen, 40GB photo, and 1GB shuffle) have never had any problems...

Cheers...
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post #2 of 49
7/9/06 at 5:12pm
yea. this sounds about right. sux in your position for sure. but i guess if they are booked, they are booked nothing you can do

see if theyll just give you a HD todo yourself?
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post #3 of 49
7/9/06 at 6:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DarthCheney
Hi All... Sorry for the gripe but just had to share.... I love(ed) Apple but after "3" 12" Powerbooks, I don't know.... my 3 iPods (10GB 3rd gen, 40GB photo, and 1GB shuffle) have never had any problems... Cheers...
sorry to hear about your problems at the store. it reminds me of almost any number of customer service people from all sorts of stores/services/products. many times i just call and cross my fingers to get someone who gives a rat's ass. it makes all the difference in the world. one person will listen sparingly to your issue and then just say "i'm sorry, them's the rules, so i can't help you." as opposed to basically saying "well these are our rules but if i just take take a second, i can run it by my supervisor and get approval." (they don't often tell u that the rules typically allow for exceptions if various steps are taken). in any case i do feel good for you in the fact that someone was there to balance out the moron who treated u as if his head would implode if he helped you out of order. i've had experiences w/ phone support (for non-apple related stuff) that just left my blood boiling for the night, and the next day i go in to talk to someone in person and they work things out, which left me even more pissed at the phone support people. often times i've found in customer support situations it's not a matter of who "can" help you according to the rules, but the people who WILL help you in light of the rules. more than once i've made the comment that i believe the issue isn't that that they can't help me, but that they are choosing not to, at which point circuits start popping in their heads as the logic of it settles in and they then go find their supervisor. but yeah...that sucks about your PB(s). it seems wildly out of order to get that many lemons in a row. if it's of any reassurance, i've had mine for over a year and half w/ no problems. in any case, i hope your future luck w/ apple computers is better.
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post #4 of 49
7/9/06 at 6:42pm
Thread Starter 
Hey guys...thx for the posts...

Yeah it was a realy eye-opener yesterday... My luck w/ Apple has been two opposite ends of the spectrum; sometimes really good, others not... I don't know... I'm glad to see others have had good luck w/ them, but in the last 3 years I've "switched" it's been nothing but problem after problem.

If this is the last problem I have for a while, I'll be happy as long as it gets me through college, but I'm afraid it may be my last Mac.
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post #5 of 49
7/9/06 at 6:44pm
Funny that you should mention the Apple geniuses. When I just went in to buy my macbook I first talked to the manager who was sitting doing nothing. I say "I would like to buy that base model white macbook over there" he says "See that guy over there? Hes a mac genius he will help you get what you need" I say "O I already know what I want I am ready to buy it as it is" he says "Ok then just wait here and he will help you in a minute." 10 minutes later the "genius" walks up and I have to stifle a laugh. I fully understand that these days half of the young people working in stores are probably high but this guy was absolutely hilarious. He hadn't even bothered with the visine and could no concentrate on me for more than like 10 seconds at a time. I kept telling him that I just wanted him to go in the back, grab the box and bring it to me. 15 more minutes later, after he had wandered around and helped a few other customers he finally returned with the laptop. He handed it to some other lady and she sold it to me in like 10 seconds flat. I really didn't mind that the "genius" was high, thats cool and all (although I would probably recommend being a little less obvious) hell I don't mind a little dance with mary jane but the part that realy cracked me up was that the manager relied so heavily on this guy. Either way I got my macbook and I love it.
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post #6 of 49
7/9/06 at 6:46pm
Thread Starter 
Just out of curiousity, what store was this at?
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post #7 of 49
7/9/06 at 7:00pm
This was at the Santa Rosa Plaza Apple store in Santa Rosa, CA. I will give that store another try if I ever actually have a problem with this thing, I wasn't really looking for support, just to buy the thing so we will see how that works out.
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post #8 of 49
7/9/06 at 7:03pm
Thread Starter 
I've been to three Apple Stores...

Fashion Island...about two years ago, the store manager there gave me a $50 gift card because the Genius (Kevin) was so rude at the counter. I had brought it in to get the screws put back in since I lack an allen wrench and they fell out of the display again. The Genius, not looking up from his terminal, told me that I should call Apple, or buy the tool. ("WTF?"). I asked why he couldn't send it in or get new screws and he snapped at me and said, "We don't do that...you'll have to call Apple". I asked, "Excuse me but isn't this Apple?". He snapped at me and said "We're busy..." and was about to say something else but other customers heard it and the place got a little quiet. I asked to speak to the store manager and that was the end of it....the store manager came out and apologized profusely. I said, "How embarassing... the screws are falling out of my computer and I get yelled at by your staff?"

Brea Mall was ok...been there once but never brought my computer there to get it fixed though...plus it's really out of my way.
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post #9 of 49
7/9/06 at 7:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by SHNAKE
Funny that you should mention the Apple geniuses. When I just went in to buy my macbook I first talked to the manager who was sitting doing nothing. I say "I would like to buy that base model white macbook over there" he says "See that guy over there? Hes a mac genius he will help you get what you need" I say "O I already know what I want I am ready to buy it as it is" he says "Ok then just wait here and he will help you in a minute." 10 minutes later the "genius" walks up and I have to stifle a laugh. I fully understand that these days half of the young people working in stores are probably high but this guy was absolutely hilarious. He hadn't even bothered with the visine and could no concentrate on me for more than like 10 seconds at a time. I kept telling him that I just wanted him to go in the back, grab the box and bring it to me. 15 more minutes later, after he had wandered around and helped a few other customers he finally returned with the laptop. He handed it to some other lady and she sold it to me in like 10 seconds flat. I really didn't mind that the "genius" was high, thats cool and all (although I would probably recommend being a little less obvious) hell I don't mind a little dance with mary jane but the part that realy cracked me up was that the manager relied so heavily on this guy. Either way I got my macbook and I love it.


i woulda flashed the cash, and left.
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post #10 of 49
7/9/06 at 7:30pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by bmwrob
Damn, I love Apple products and would hate to give them up, but if I were treated like that I believe I'd have to return to Windows.

It was pretty disillusioning... I used the gift card to pick up a new bag for the laptop and used the rest for an iTunes gift card. Was nice of him to do, but still...

lol... well, Windows and I have always managed to get along ok... I've only had maybe 2-3 viruses in the last 10 years <knock on wood> and rarely ever get any spyware. I'm leary of Vista at least until the first service pack.

On my HP, I've only installed Windows XP once and that was about a month after I got it... Norton has a tendency to screw with things and I decided to do a clean install. Right now I run ca/eTrust anti virus in the background and once a month run AdAware...so far nothing has been picked up and it's been running fine... my only gripe is that since it's a 15" w/ a desktop processor in it, the battery life is only 2hrs whereas my PB was nearly 5!
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post #11 of 49
7/10/06 at 7:36pm
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post #12 of 49
7/11/06 at 12:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by JrsyMan
haha did you make that? funny stuff man
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post #13 of 49
7/11/06 at 2:50am
I heard somewhere that she's going to be in a movie.
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post #14 of 49
7/11/06 at 7:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SHNAKE
haha did you make that? funny stuff man

No, I found it online. Just wanted to bring a little levity to this thread..
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post #15 of 49
7/11/06 at 11:31am
The Mac "geniuses" at the Apple store here in my area are friendly. Although there was this one dude who was helping me out once when I was researching the Macbook Pro, and he was sweating like crazy eventhough the AC in the store was in full blast. It was quite gross. I couldn't even pay attention to what he was saying, since his pit sweat stains distracted me to the point of throwing up.
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post #16 of 49
7/11/06 at 12:14pm
thats nasty. someone has a gland problem it sounds, not you.

ive had a very nic eoverall experience with the mac techs. no problems here. I do assume everyone has a "bad day" every once in a while.
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post #17 of 49
7/11/06 at 4:27pm
Hey, Ellen Feiss is cool. Hard to believe this is the same girl in the movie "Bed & Breakfast"

http://www.bnb-movie.com/news/article/3/les-acteurs



When she did that Apple commercial she was taking her allergy meds, which took its toll, especially when she was called in not even expecting to do a commercial at 10 PM in the evening. Cut the girl some slack!

I would sure love to see her in an American film, but I guess because of her undeserved rep, she won't.
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post #18 of 49
7/11/06 at 7:36pm
Heh, look at her pupils...she still looks stoned out of her mind!
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post #19 of 49
7/11/06 at 10:01pm
I KNEW YOU WOULD SAY THAT!

SHE IS NOT STONED OUT OF HER MIND! ITS ALLERGY MEDICATION I TELL YOU!!!

A-L-L-E-R-G-I-E-S!!!!
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post #20 of 49
7/11/06 at 10:06pm
settle down there bub. what are you married to her or something?

ha
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