My extremely disappointing experience with Apple's service

I have been a loyal customer of Apple since the first iPhone, however, my recent experiences have started to make me reconsider that relationship.
Here's what happened:
I am living in Asia now and as an avid apple fan, I bought an Iphone plus 64gb in Hong Kong as soon as it came out. I was told that it had a one year warranty and it would be effective in Mainland as well. Just as luck would have it, two days after I started using the phone, the camera started to fail. I could not longer take pictures. Since I am in Shanghai now and the phone was purchased in Hong Kong around a week and half before the official release in China on 10/17, I started to call customer service and try to make the earliest reservation that I can at the Genius Bar so that I can get my phone fixed.
I first called apple and was told that I had to make the reservation online. However, the website was a mess. Every time I clicked on the genius bar link to make a reservation, it jumped to the retail store page. I called customer service and asked what was going on and was told that they could get on and it was weird that I couldn't get on, it must be because my internet was slow and that I should try to get on the site at a different location. Which didn't make sense, because my internet was plenty fast, and I tried getting on in another location already. I don't know what hit me, but while on the phone with the represetative, I thought that maybe I should try turning on my VPN, which routes my internet to a different country and what do you know? I was able to make a reservation! I asked the the representative why that was, and the representative accused me of asking if Apple had blocked access from Mainland China to make a reservation. I thought it was extremely unprofessional of her to have asked that. Anyway, after figuring out how to make a reservation online, I tried for about a week to make a reservation through the official channel and it's always full. I called customer service again and wanted to know if there was a different way that I could make a reservation and was told that the only thing I could do was to keep trying online....and that I would be lucky if I could make a reservation within a month, because it's always full! -- What ********!
With no other way, I went to the East Nanjing Rd. Store in Shanghai. It was super croweded. I found an Apple staff and explained my situation and was again told the beauracratic answer of having to go online to make a reservation first! My impression of Apple's image as making excellent products and always putting customers first fell over the cliff! I demanded to see a store manager and was offered TWO non-solutions. One: go to an Apple affliated store to get my phone checked out, but was told that I needed to show them my receipt. I told them that Hong Kong doesn't give receipts and again the staff told me that I should just go and try my luck, just wanting to get rid of me. I suggested that they had a staff either go with me or call a store and tell them of my situation, but the manager refused. TWO: I should keep on trying to make a reservation online. I suggested that maybe he could help me make a reservation, so that at least I could have a date of appointment. Again he refused and told me to just keep on trying to make a reservation online myself.
By this point, I was a little flustered and angry. The manager's name is Jevan Wan, and his attitude was very pompus and was giving me the impression that that's the way Apple did thing and either do it this way or eff off. He told me that if I didn't like it, I could call the police and in fact he said that he would call the police for me. By that time, I was super angry and he tried to have the security guards throw me out saying that I was already unwelcome.
I went in expecting professional, world class service, but instead what I got was staff who was pompus, beaucraftic and full of attitude. They didn't give the slight thought of putting customer first and trying to help customers solve a frustating problem.
It is truly disappointing that Apple has fallen so low... it seems to me now that Apple only cares about selling more phones and making more money. Putting money in to maintaining good customer and product service is no longer a priority much less the level of employee professionalism!
My email is: *****  if Apple decides this warrants a response!
<edited by host>

Alessia18 wrote:
My email is: ....  if Apple decides this warrants a response!
If you want a response from Apple, you will need to contact them. This is a user-to-user technical support forum. Apple doesn't read these posts. Use the Contact Us link at the bottom right of every page for information on how to do that.
You seem to recognize that the store was very busy yet that doesn't seem to translate into understanding that it will be difficult to get an appointment. Should you be moved to the head of the line by the manager because you are some how a more loyal customer than the people who have already made appointments? Does it make sense that a store that's so busy you are having difficulty getting an appointment should send an employee with you to an authorized reseller? Contact AppleCare and make arrangements to have your phone sent in for repair.

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    My most recent experience has to do with having them service an out-of-warranty monitor. They fixed my display, at my charge, which is fine, especially after having received a lot of free repairs or replacements over the two decades...but when my display came back, the power cable was missing.
    I have made a total of five phone calls this morning, some to automated call centers that simply cut off my call with a curt "thank you" because my repair has already shipped...only to be given another phone number to try...
    The latest is that the person at the Apple Store is now calling the "Depot" that apparently has my cable. Hopefully I'll get my cable back. You can't even buy new ones on the site, so this is very aggravating.
    I think what it comes down to is as the company has grown, they have not made an effort to regulate their policies for training at the communications level with customers. So, while one person may sound like they know what they are talking about, they may really not have any idea.
    If It were me I'd go to the store and demand the iPad.

  • My experience with Apple TV and HDMI/HDCP issues

    I am convinced that it is the software update to 4.2.2 from 4.2.1 that is causing this issue.  All forms of applications only worked once for me and then it reverted back to HDCP issues.  I read several postings everywhere including plenty at Apple's forum and AVS where people were very frustrated with this HDCP issues.  Anyways, here is what I did before taking it back to Apple store....I bought AUVIO high speed cables from Radio Shack which is rated very high and tried that and I still got HDCP issues when using NetFlix or AirPlay from iPad.  Youtube from Apple TV always worked well without HDCP complaints.
    I packed everything back and took it to Apple Store (you can return without re-stocking fee up to 14 days from the day of purchase).  After 14 days, you cannot even return it and you can ONLY fix it.  I waited for a Technician.  They heard my complaints but didn't refute any of it (possibly because they have had numerous complaints on this product).  It took 5 minutes inside for them to test and see similar issues with the box that I had.  So, they have swapped it for a new box.  Before I left the store, I checked the settings including software version and Audio/Video settings in the Apple TV that is connected at the store.  I found three main differences none of which the Apple customer service staff agreed could be the reason for my problems (surprise!!)
    1.  The software update from the shelf and the one they were using was NOT updated to 4.2.2 (it was still running 4.2.1)
    2.  Because of the software update, the Audio/Video setting for HDMI had the options to toggle between Auto, RGBy, RGBhi & RGBlo bandwidth.  I believe this was in place to make the HDMI interface output as component with higher or lower bandwidth but the newer update will ONLY give you the Auto option (!!!)
    3.  They had this directly Ethernet wired and not through Wireless network and were recieving the all the full bar strength signals.  On the box that I returned, eventhough I have 18 Mbps speed at the house (any given time of the day), the Network speed test was taking a long time.  Moreover, after the Apple TV network test, it doesn't spit out the outcome of the tests (a BIG bummer and useless for testing).
    Anyways, I took the new box and hooked it up directly to my SONY BRAVIA XBR3 TV to one of the HDMI ports, disabled the feature to send or recieve data to Apple directly and did NOT update the software.  It worked fine and have tested all of the options.  From what I have read so far (I have only spent 30 hours of my weekend on this when Apple product hookups are supposed to take 5 minutes ONLY), there is NO guarantee that it will work continuously as people have had things work on them for 6 months and then suddenly have the HDCP issues.
    Will wait to see....if it continues to work....

    I figured it out. Had to go to general settings on the main screen and restart. Synch of audio is much better.

  • I received a pre owned iPad. I have verified my account. When I try to install app it says I have not verified my account. I even did the 2nd step and it still says account not verified. This is my 1st experience with Apple and so far I am not impressed.

    Received iPad from relative as Christmas gift as they upgraded to mini. I have registered and verified my account. When I try to download apps I
    And I put in my password it say I have not verified my account. Apple wants to charge me 19.00 to help me. This is my 1st apple product. So far I am not impressed with the customer service. Can someone please help. I have even done the 2nd step verification and still the same thing. Please help this was a gift for my child and he cannot even use it! Please help!!!

    Leigh...
    but cannot do this because I cannot access Mac App Store
    If you can't access the App Store from the Apple menu, Dock, or Applications folder installing the Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo will reinstall the App Store for you.
    It's ok to do this even you are already running v10.6.8.
    Plants vs. Zombies, and that is all for additional software on here
    FYI:  Some third party software can cause issues with the App Store >   Mac App Store: Sign in sheet does not appear, or does not accept typed text
    Apple is not responsible for incompatibility isssues with third party software.

  • Problems with Apple Photo Services

    I've been having problems with Apple's Photo Services. The first time, I'm pretty sure I didn't crop some pics correctly, but they were gracious enough to refund my $$. However, then I got serious about cropping in Aperture 2, and double-checked everything before submitting them. The 20 x 30s were fine, but the 16 x 20s were all screwed up. My $ was refunded for these, but I can't figure out whether the problem is mine, or in the transmission of the pics, or something that went wrong in the Photo Service. When I complain, they always send back a small pdf of what they claim they received, and it always matches what they printed. But that's not what I sent them.
    Anyone else have these problems? Might it be a bug in Aperture 2?
    Sean

    When I do a bulk export from Aperture 2, to anywhere, (flickr, Photoshelter, a set of files, gallery), randomly, (about 2 in thirty images are affected).
    The effect is stretched non-centerd cropping. I think it only affects random cropped images. Not all cropped images, but I am not sure about non-cropped images. ...
    The extra effort to go back to the export, after the fact, just to check up on the quality exported images is a waste of my time, but now made necessary.
    The thing that bothers me the most is that selecting the images that have been exported with the problem and then re-exporting those images produces, for me, the export I originally expected without the errors.

  • Experience with Apple Store in the Woodlands, TX.

    The staff were very friendly. I had two week 37 units I had purchased at another location and over the last two days they exchanged both of them for me and went out of their way to hold a week 38 model.
    I did have to register to see an "Apple Genius", but after seeing the problem he did not argue and agreed the blacks look reflective. We now have two week 38 models and they both look great and pass the contrast, gamma and white saturation test that you see failing here:
    http://jdeats762.bravehost.com/iBadScreen.htm
    I was not charged a restocking fee on either unit. I was also told by the staff that they had heard about problem from other stores, but did not elaborate. He said the rumor is "Apple is probably going to make an announcement and have us pull the week 37 units so they can't be sold". He didn't elaborate beyond that.
    But buyer beware until that announcement and order comes from Apple Corporate, the Apple stores are still going to sell week 37 units, this isn't the Apple Store's fault, it's just the way they have to do business, even the managers hands are tied until Apple's corporate office puts out a statement and issues a command.
    My experience with Woodlands, TX store was excellent.
    Message was edited by: Ramzy76

    The Walnut Creek store does at least some in-house repairs. (I had the top case replaced there once.)

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