Apple technical support blows massive chunks of donkey snot

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H

Hoober

Diamond Member
Feb 9, 2001
4,413
58
91
Apple tech support sucks. I've always been a Windows man myself, and I've heard the stories about how mystically wonderful Apple's tech support is. "Mac's never break." "Apple's God's gift to geeks everywhere."

Well, the sad truth is they're a human-run company manufacturing human-made technology, and after 90 days of owning an iPad 2, I find that it no longer charges. I call Apple's golden tech support in the sky thinking, "Oh, they'll fix it. I've heard nothing but good things about Apple's tech support."

Rebecca answers, looks up my information and states, "You're 3 days over the 90 day phone support warranty. That'll be $89.95 to re-instate for 9 months."

"I'm confused, the product has a hardware warranty for twelve months," I reply.

"Yes, but to troubleshoot the device so that it falls under the hardware warranty, you must re-instate your software warranty for $89.95."

"But it's a hardware problem. It won't charge."

"Yep."

/crickets

"So, it should be covered under the hardware warranty," I continue.

"Yes, but to troubleshoot the problem you need to reinstate your software support."

"Ok," I say. "So I'll be reimbursed the $90 once they determine that the issue falls under the hardware warranty, right?"

"No."

"Why not? It's a hardware issue."

"But to troubleshoot the problem, you need to reinstate your software support."

So I'm going to take my $600 piece of shit iPad 2 to the nearest Apple retail center and discuss the issue with the local Apple experts. If they can't resolve, to my satisfaction, an issue with a product barely ninety days old, then they can deal with American Express.

**UPDATE**
Resolved -- http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2247537
 
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R

RbSX

Diamond Member
Jan 18, 2002
8,351
1
76
I disagree with you thoroughly - though I've never had to deal with them on any computer related stuff, their services in so far as replacing or dealing with issues with my iPhones have been nothing short of spectacular.
 
vi edit

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,345
126
I'd call back and try a different rep. Maybe you got a fresh out of training rookie that doesn't know what they are talking about. It can happen to any company that offers support.
 
cheezy321

cheezy321

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 2003
6,218
2
0
Yep I've had the exact opposite situation as u. Take into the apple store and I bet they will help u
 
ahenkel

ahenkel

Diamond Member
Jan 11, 2009
5,357
3
81
Apple requires a restore as new before they'll authorize any repairs. Just tell them that you did that already.
 
C

ChAoTiCpInOy

Diamond Member
Jun 24, 2006
6,442
1
81
90 day phone support makes perfect sense. Yes you have to bring it into an apple store but you're going to have a better experience with them always.
 
halik

halik

Lifer
Oct 10, 2000
25,696
1
81
I think you just got a retard, they seem to have a surprisingly large amount of those.

My last call I tried to track down actual specs (ram size) of a Macbook air from the serial number... 15 minutes of me pounding my head against the desk I get it out of them that they cannot look up any more detail than what's on the apple website:

A:"From the serial number, I can tell this one is a 2gb model with the option of 4gb".
H:"So it's got 4 gig of ram?"
A:"No, it's got 2gb, but also an option for 4gb"
H:"Right... so does the laptop have 2gb or 4gb?"
A:"It's got the option of 4gb"
...15 more minutes of retardation
 
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ahenkel

ahenkel

Diamond Member
Jan 11, 2009
5,357
3
81
If you really want phone support and you're past the free 90 days just ask nicely for an exception. Don't be a dick don't bitch about how you spent so much money and you deserve it just ask nicely for an exception to the rule.
 
vi edit

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,345
126
ChAoTiCpInOy said:
90 day phone support makes perfect sense. Yes you have to bring it into an apple store but you're going to have a better experience with them always.
Click to expand...

It doesn't make perfect sense. I don't have an Apple store for 2+ hours from me. Nearly every other electronic product I have bought offers some sort of RMA approval over the phone. I'm not asking for support. I'm asking for you to let me send in my broken device and get it fixed. There's a difference between support and repair.
 
Atty

Atty

Golden Member
Aug 19, 2006
1,540
0
76
You called a phone support line, created to help troubleshoot problems, without any coverage for that, and expected free service? :hmm:

Just go to a store. They'll take care of it, for free probably.
 
vi edit

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,345
126
Atty said:
You called a phone support line, created to help troubleshoot problems, without any coverage for that, and expected free service? :hmm:

Just go to a store. They'll take care of it, for free probably.
Click to expand...

Can you tell me any other electronic manufacturer that functions that way? Sony has stores, but they don't force me to visit one of them for a hardware issue.

If Best Buy was a viable option then it wouldn't be such a big deal. But since about 1/3 of the US population doesn't have an Apple retail store within 30 minutes or more of them I see a bit of an issue with that suggestion.
 
H

Hoober

Diamond Member
Feb 9, 2001
4,413
58
91
Agree, VI. Luckily there's an Apple store about ten miles away, so I'll head there tomorrow. And to answer an earlier question, I did ask for an exception. The response was the same scripted answer -- "Pay $90 and you can get 9 months of phone support."

I can't stand how phone monkeys either aren't able or aren't capable of deviating from the script, especially for such a high-end product as the iPad. If this thing were a year old, I could understand a little hesitancy and push-back on their part. But it's barely past the 90 day 'phone support' bs, and it's well within the hardware warranty. Apple could've gone a long way by passing me straight through to either hardware support or their RMA process. Instead, they've just left a bad taste in my mouth.
 
vi edit

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,345
126
Hoober said:
But it's barely past the 90 day 'phone support' bs, and it's well within the hardware warranty. Apple could've gone a long way by passing me straight through to either hardware support or their RMA process. Instead, they've just left a bad taste in my mouth.
Click to expand...

That's really the root of it. I shouldn't be forced to visit a retail store to initiate the RMA process.
 
jhansman

jhansman

Platinum Member
Feb 5, 2004
2,768
29
91
You do realize you are tempting the ghost of Steve Jobs to pay you visit, right?
 
Ichinisan

Ichinisan

Lifer
Oct 9, 2002
28,298
1,235
136
You know, the iPad takes far more amps than most USB ports and USB chargers can put out, right? ...right?

I hope you're using a charger that specifically says it can charge the iPad. That means 5 volts and 2 amps (10W). The 10W adapter included with the iPad is 4x the amount of power that USB spec requires a root port to provide (.5 amps). On top of that, some USB ports are un-powered (usually on a non-powered hub) and only suitable for a mouse or keyboard; but I doubt this is your problem.

[edit]
...and I can't believe no one else has asked this.
 
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Kadarin

Kadarin

Lifer
Nov 23, 2001
44,296
16
81
Going along with the troubleshooting, was it charging with the original adapter and then it failed, or did you change something?
 
MotionMan

MotionMan

Lifer
Jan 11, 2006
17,124
12
81
Ichinisan said:
You know, the iPad takes far more amps than most USB ports and USB chargers can put out, right? ...right?

I hope you're using a charger that specifically says it can charge the iPad. That means 5 volts and 2 amps (10W). The 10W adapter included with the iPad is 4x the amount of power that USB spec requires a root port to provide (.5 amps). On top of that, some USB ports are un-powered (usually on a non-powered hub) and only suitable for a mouse or keyboard; but I doubt this is your problem.

[edit]
...and I can't believe no one else has asked this.
Click to expand...

Kadarin said:
Going along with the troubleshooting, was it charging with the original adapter and then it failed, or did you change something?
Click to expand...

This and this.

I think there is always a chance of getting some clunker support, but, with Apple, it seems to be few and far in between.

As always, YMMV.

MotionMan
 
blankslate

blankslate

Diamond Member
Jun 16, 2008
8,796
572
126
Apple technical support is composed of hipsters who have in the past been instructed to lie to customers about malware that targets the Mac....


seriously do you expect them to be professional?
 
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