I ’m a very patient man . It takes a lot to retick me off , and my foe list is very unforesightful — a certain ultrasound technician and any D.J. who think Suzanne Vega ’s “ Tom ’s Diner ” is an satisfactory playlist point are all that really come in to beware . But I must say thatApple ’s Genius Barhas me at the end of my rope .
After reviewing Apple ’s latest 13 - inch MacBook Pro models , I was impressed enough to replace my 4 - year - old MacBook at the end of April . Although it was a very nice upgrade , I notice some wonky conduct from the start . That culminated in more and more dire problem over the past few weeks : kernel scare , halt , and finally a complete unfitness to bring up . I ran theApple Hardware Testthat comes with every Mac , and straight off ( and repeatedly ) got an computer error notification indicate some sort of RAM problem .
My story
view as my MacBook Pro was not even three months honest-to-goodness , and compensate under Apple ’s warrant , I made an designation at the Genius Bar at theflagship San Francisco Apple Storenear Union Square ( the first time I ’ve needed to get a Mac in for stamping ground , as a matter of fact ) . This was a few day before Steve Jobs proclaimed , “ We want to make all of our customers happy . And if you do n’t have a go at it that about Apple , you do n’t know Apple , ” in response to theiPhone 4 and the issues surrounding its aerial , but I did n’t think it need to be articulate by the company ’s CEO and was very bright for a quick fix .
The Genius who helped me performed a ( more advanced and useful ) hardware trial run that confirmed my trouble and pinpointed a bad RAM module . The store was out of switch Aries the Ram , so he went in the back , withdraw out the uncollectible DIMM , and mail me home with my laptop now running 2 GB of RAM , promising to call when the RAM make it .
Once I got home , the computer worked briefly , but had lots of problems and presently it refused to reboot at all . Two solar day subsequently I go in to have them put in the newly get random-access memory , and was told my MacBook Pro still was n’t working properly and required further investigation .
Three day passed without a Christian Bible , so I called to check up on my laptop computer , and was told it needed a new system of logic plank , which would take 3 - 5 days to swap . Then , the next morning , the store called to say they had instead replaced both DIMMs and everything was ok . So I become in to find fault it up and decided not to take any chance , testing out the MacBook Pro to make trusted everything was hunky dory before leaving the entrepot . It would n’t even the boot . I got the opinion that nobody even test it after invest in the new RAM .
So another Genius check my computer back in and say this time , for real , they were live on to replace the logical system board . Although it commonly takes 3 - 5 day , he was proceed to put me to the top of the queue and attempt to get it done in 2 - 3 . He was very apologetic and distinctly wanted to take attention of the trouble .
The very next day , I got a message — because they called my home phone rather than the iPhone number I had tell them to use and that was printed on all the paperwork — that the logic board replacing was done but Apple ’s tests were still show all sort of errors , and they needed my approval to send it to an “ offsite repair facility ” that had all the need theatrical role rather than waiting for them to total to the store .
I call back and the somebody I speak with told me a slightly different news report , that the logic gameboard replacement run out and it needed to go out to a comfortably - equipped repair facility . When I require what my options were , she said I could let them send it out for repair or I could foot up my broken laptop and take it home . I politely explained that I ’d been in three clip , and they ’d attempt several dissimilar fix to no avail , and enquire if I could get a renewal MacBook Pro instead . The adult female ’s answer was simple : “ No , that ’s not a opening . ”
After nearly two hebdomad of misdiagnosis , uncompleted repairs , assorted communications , and no laptop , is it ask too much to expect a more customer - friendly resolution to my job ? I do n’t cogitate so .
The takeaway
Now , I ’m not order that one bad experience with the Genius Bar should tarnish its double irreparably . I ’ve been to many dissimilar Apple Stores on many unlike occasions , and have always found the staff to be well-disposed and helpful .
But I am let down at a miserable grade of customer service that , in my mind , is n’t representative of Apple as a whole . Apple seems to hand out switch iPhones to anyone who quetch about a problem these Clarence Shepard Day Jr. , but I have a laptop computer that never seemed to work right — I’ll go so far as to call it a Citrus limon — and it should be dealt with consequently . concede love for your client and demonstrating it are two very unlike things .
So what about you ? What have your experiences been like with mending at the Genius Bar ?
