# Tips for dealing with apple customer relations



## Jason H (Feb 1, 2004)

Does anyone here have any tips for me when dealing with apple customer relations? I'm phoning them tomorrow to demand a replacement ibook. Here is a brief history of my problems with the ibook:

September 20, 2003 Purchase iBook g3/900
January 14, 2004 Logic Board Fails
February 1, 2004 Receive machine with new logic board
February 1, 2004 Logic Board #2 fails
February 23, 2004 Receive machine with new logic board
February 23, 2004 Logic Board #3 fails
March 2, 2004 Logic Board #4 is confirmed dead (duh, I could have told them that) Repair depot is holding off on repairs until I have heard from apple. 

At the moment I have no idea what to do. All I know is that I will NEVER buy from apple again.....


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## lindmar (Nov 13, 2003)

Dude..
They have a 3 strike system
You will get a replacement. Demand a replacement.


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

escalate the problem until you get someone that can actually "make a decision"
the "customer relations" department is a much better place to start then apple support

be insistent
when someone tells you they will call you back, ask them for a direct date/time, then ask them where you can call them back in case they don't call you at that time
mark the date and time you spoke to that person

it shows you are serious
keep lots of detailed notes
ask every person you speak with their 1st name and unique ID # (which you are allowed to by CRTC regulations)
being told; "John" at customer relations is not good enough
call centres are distributed and many times you speak to different people in different parts of the country and u.s.

ask for their office phone number
tell them how disappointed you are in your apple product so far and ask them what can they do to rememdy the situation

calm, yet firm is the way to go
do not let up
be stubborn

again, make lots of notes so that if and when you get a "higher up" you can show that person your detailed history, which will make your story about your iBook even more believable

it's like an insurance adjustor once told me; "i can always tell when people are lying because they never have any details"


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## ehMax (Feb 17, 2000)

Definitely, DO NOT tell them you are never buying a Mac again. If they know they've already lost you, why give you a new iBook on the way out. 

Tell them *IF* this isn't resolved, it will be your last Mac ever AND that you certainly will not recommend the product to anyone. Let them know if they do resolve the issue, you will be satisfied and continue to be a loyal customer. This is key. 

Also, be prepared to sign a confidentially agreement if they outright replace your unit.


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## gordguide (Jan 13, 2001)

By far the most important part is to call them in the first place.

You may well have someone on the line that can't help you (not authorized to) but my experience with Apple is if you make it clear that it's unresolved as far as you're concerned, they will make up a report to that effect.

My standard routine isn't much different than when I was resolving problems myself; I was the self-appointed customer problem solver and I gladly will take over another employee's unhappy customer. I know that if we can fairly and honestly resolve it, I have a customer for life.

The key question goes something like:
"What do you suggest I do then?" or words to that effect.

[By the way, it's the same whether I'm the customer or the provider; in other words when I was dealing with customers I would ask "What do you suggest we do then?". They always have a suggestion; angry people tend to be less realistic, but will always come up with something.]

If it was unreasonable, I'd say so, but I'd also say why it was impossible and offer a compromise. If it was reasonable, I wouldn't hesitate. "Allright then, done. Here's my card, let me know if you have any other problems. Ever."]

Normally support staff won't be authorized to do anything beyond what they've already offered, but they will also be reluctant to offer an alternative; they're not supposed to ad lib. So, they usually kind of repeat what you've already heard and rejected.

You, too repeat "What do you suggest I do, then?" They don't want to sit there on the phone to you all day, so this will eventually get them to create a ticket so someone else will look at it; if only to get you off the phone. The ticket goes to someone who can possibly do something "extra" to solve it; at a minimum they will take a sober second look and probably get back to you.

Might take a week or two, be patient. If nothing after 2 weeks, call again and run the same routine, reminding them they have had time to solve it and you're still unhappy. Repeat, as necessary, each time giving them enough time to run it past a higher-up (who might be busy).

Once you've been there a few times, insist on getting the details from a higher up personally, if they haven't called you back from the earlier inquiries.

This doesn't work if the support is inherently crap; they just send you all over the support map. But in my experience Apple does much better than most, and will honestly try to help as much as they can; you just have to get their attention first.

[ March 03, 2004, 02:12 AM: Message edited by: gordguide ]


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## Cam (May 24, 2003)

My best advice is persistence.

Call everyday and ask what has been done about the problem.

I was given an iBook 700 to replace my 366 all because the part couldn't be tracked down and they couldn't give me an answer as to when it would be fixed.

If they said they would know in a week, i'd give them a week and call back, but as soon as that became 2 weeks, i was on the phone everyday asking for managers.

Until one day i called, and they said they still had no ETA on the part so they would replace the system.

PERSISTENCE
you don't have to be rude, or upset on the phone, just let them know, that you have a problem and you won't stop calling them until it's solved.

Cheers - Cam


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## thecyberhawk (Oct 30, 2003)

I work for a call centre and from my experience, there are a few things that you should keep in mind. Not surprisingly, most of them have already been said and I won't rehash them. Unfortuantely I will say that I have never contacted Apple, other than to replace my Wallstreet power supply and that was all through a web page. So consider this as more general overview, but Apple should (hopefully) have all the things I mention below...

Most large companies have tracking systems, either as part of a customer relations package or as a separate system. Because of this, when you talk with the first person at customer service, make sure you ask for the issue number (aka Ticket number) created during the call. This will help you greatly, because if you have to call in again, all you have to do is mention that number. The agent can then pull up the information and see everything the other agent put into the system, including name of that agent and the time as well as any internal notes that agent made.

Additionally, before you even begin make sure you have as much information as possible about the iBook, including any repair numbers or tickets already created (if you have that information), the serial number of the iBook and the model number. Also talk with the repair depot and see what apple uses for customer identification and make sure you have that before calling.

Above all else remember that the more information you have, the better. Having customer identification numbers, ticket numbers and so forth makes looking up your information and confirming what has happened so far with your iBook faster. It should also save you from repeatedly mentioning the reason why you are calling.


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## Trevor... (Feb 21, 2003)

Been There, Done That, Never resolved. 

Someone on their end kept playing games, I eventually gave up.


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## gordguide (Jan 13, 2001)

I can't say I've had a lot of problems with Macs, but I can tell you that I was able to get them to issue a new serial number for a very expensive application (the original was lost; and had never been registered with Apple), even though all initial inquiries indicated it was "impossible". It did take a couple of weeks for it to filter up to someone who could really do something, though.


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## Jason H (Feb 1, 2004)

My case has been upgraded or whatever. An apple person should be phoning me monday or later. I cant wait to have this machine replaced so I can sell it and buy myself something that works.


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