Genius Bar help is limited to 10 minutes?

[acole1]

A co-worker just told me about his bad experience in a recent visit to the Apple store to get his iPhone looked at.

He first dropped by and asked to have it looked at, but they said he would have to make an appointment for 2:30. Not unreasonable. So, he made the appointment, left, and then came back.

The employee started working on his phone. Then, a few minutes later, a manager came over, whispered in the employees ear, and the employee left him to go work with some other customer.

This happened another 3 or so times, so my co-worker went and asked the manager why the other people were cutting in front of him even though he made an appointment. The manager replied that the appointment was only for 10 minutes.

So, I guess if your at an Apple store and need something fixed, it better not take any more than 10 minutes, or else you may have to wait all day while other people are helped? How is that great customer service?

 

[Red Storm]

Maybe that's why they just give people replacements lol.

That does suck. I personally have not experienced the revered customer service from Apple the few times I've been in a store needing help with something.

 

[notposting]

Yeah, I thought this was weird when I first heard about it. How the heck is the customer supposed to know how long something will take? Can you imagine if doctors did this? On the bright side you would get in right when your appointment was. On the bad side they would wander off while you were cut open to go gut the next person.

 

[swanysto]

I had this happen with my gf's Macbook issue. Luckily it was on a Tuesday when the place wasn't too crazy. I also took my iMac in once to be set back to factory(the discs that came with it were defective). Luckily it only takes 7 and half minutes to return it to factory. It was a pain lugging that thing in, I couldn't imagine how peeved I would get if I had to sit around while they were helping other people.

All in all, I can't complain too much about Apple support, but I do know a lot of people with stories similar to yours and worse.

 

[acole1]

Maybe they should hire back some of the employees they fired. I hear the Apple stores make more money per sq/ft than Tiffany stores.

 

[TuxDave]

That's kind of weird. Why would it be the customer's fault if the problem couldn't get solved in time? I guess I would need more context on what the problem was. Was it something obvious like mine where the screen just was fubared? Or was it one of those "well, when I do this, it sorta sometimes does something" and it was taking forever to reproduce?

 

[acole1]

They should at least explain to the customer what is going on.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

It kinda makes sense. You have 10 minutes with the rep. He needs to make a decision at that point to:

A) Escalate to a support team in the back who handles it.
B) Escalate to send unit in for further repairs
C) Offer replacement
D) Reject you.

It keeps the customers flowing.

 

[Red Storm]

Except it kinda doesn't make sense because they didn't escalate, they abandoned the guy and came back and left him again several times.

 

[acole1]

It kinda makes sense. You have 10 minutes with the rep. He needs to make a decision at that point to:

A) Escalate to a support team in the back who handles it.
B) Escalate to send unit in for further repairs
C) Offer replacement
D) Reject you.

It keeps the customers flowing.

It does, if one of the things you mentioned is done. Bouncing between customers, leaving some if not all unresolved, is pretty much the least efficient way to do it.

 

[cronos]

It kinda makes sense. You have 10 minutes with the rep. He needs to make a decision at that point to:

A) Escalate to a support team in the back who handles it.
B) Escalate to send unit in for further repairs
C) Offer replacement
D) Reject you.

It keeps the customers flowing.

Except if you read the OP that's not what happened. He left him hanging while he helped other people.

 

[cl-scott]

This is semi-tongue-in-cheek, but how else are they supposed to sell those one on one support packages?

 

[sswingle]

Why are they so busy? I thought Apple products just worked?

 

[TuxDave]

Why are they so busy? I thought Apple products just worked?

Legit question or just trolling? (and was that question a legit question or a troll? )

 

[cl-scott]

Why are they so busy? I thought Apple products just worked?

And they do... Until they don't. Which actually works as both a facetious comment, a sort of zen statement, and a simple statement of fact. One of the things people don't tend to consider about the whole "easy to use" philosophy, is that it causes certain skills to atrophy. So when something DOES break, the user no longer has any real ability to fix it, or even attempt to fix it. Psychologists would call this learned helplessness.

 

[Ravynmagi]

I went to the Apple store to get my iPad replaced, it had a huge gap in the glass exposing the back light. I walked and the guy said I'd have to schedule an appointment with a Genius to get the iPad replaced and the Genius bar was closed for the night. So I called and scheduled an appointment for 1:30pm the next day.

I get there about 10 minutes early and a guy takes my name and tells me to have a seat. I waited 50 minutes until someone finally got to me to replace my iPad, and that took another 15 minutes. Was pretty ridiculous.

 

[zerocool84]

I went to the Apple store to get my iPad replaced, it had a huge gap in the glass exposing the back light. I walked and the guy said I'd have to schedule an appointment with a Genius to get the iPad replaced and the Genius bar was closed for the night. So I called and scheduled an appointment for 1:30pm the next day.

I get there about 10 minutes early and a guy takes my name and tells me to have a seat. I waited 50 minutes until someone finally got to me to replace my iPad, and that took another 15 minutes. Was pretty ridiculous.

Lol, I'd definitely love a nearly no hassle, except for time, exchange for a new product of any kind.

 

[Ravynmagi]

Lol, I'd definitely love a nearly no hassle, except for time, exchange for a new product of any kind.

I was happy they were able to replace the iPad I had ordered online from their store. But why ask me to make an appointment, then have me wait 40 or 50 minutes?

I guess this is what happens when they do spend more than 10 minutes working on one person though. As it did seem these guys definitely didn't have a time limit with the customers at this store.

 

[XenIneX]

But why ask me to make an appointment, then have me wait 40 or 50 minutes?

Why does every doctor I've ever had do the same?

 

[MotionMan]

Maybe I am just lucky, but I have never had this happen to me. I have worked on a problem with a Genius for at least 30 minutes at least twice.

MotionMan

 

[Ravynmagi]

Why does every doctor I've ever had do the same?

Don't get me started. That pisses me off too.

 

[MrX8503]

I got two geniuses helping me simultaneously. One on my iphone 5, the other on my work MacBook Air. How's that for customer service?

I think CS is a hit n miss. Apple CS is generally pretty good.

 

[mosco]

I think this is a store by store issue, depending on how busy it is. I have never had a bad experience at the genius bar, but I have had a wide range of satisfaction. I have also had appointments go longer than 10 mins, so I am pretty sure that part isn't a global thing.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

I was happy they were able to replace the iPad I had ordered online from their store. But why ask me to make an appointment, then have me wait 40 or 50 minutes?

I guess this is what happens when they do spend more than 10 minutes working on one person though. As it did seem these guys definitely didn't have a time limit with the customers at this store.

just be glad they didnt tase you

 

[OBLAMA2009]

Why does every doctor I've ever had do the same?

or the dmv. i made an appointment so i could go there at lunch, and even with an appointment i had to wait in 3 lines. why have appointments at all if youre going to make people wait?