What has happened to Apple Support?

This evening I have been setting up a brand new MacBook Air with an Apple MacBook Air Superdrive.  The Macbook Air is a beautiful thing to behold.  Sleek, thin, and very fast.  It really makes you appreciate Apple's industrial design.  Unfortunately, while Apple has remained a leader in design, they seem to be letting their support go to hell.

I plugged in the superdrive to begin installing software and that is where I ran into a snag.  It seems the drive is DEAD OUT OF THE BOX!  Yes that is right, not going to work.  Well, I have no concerns as the machine was brand new and purchased with AppleCare.  Oh, but my odyssey only begins here.

So I call apple, wait 5 minutes on hold (not bad for a computer company) and get a nice tech support guy.  Now, I have been doing this for quite a while... I know when a drive is dead.... but it seems I know more than the tech support person.  We troubleshoot this drive for over an hour.  Try this, try that, reboot, check this, do that, reboot..... you all know the routine.  FInally, after I just tell him they need to replace it.  Simple, right?  Oh no, he tells me i need to take it to an Apple store to be tested.  But the nearest Apple store is 2 1/2 hrs from me..... and the drive is BRAND NEW!!  Just replace it......

No can do!  I get transfered back to apple sales that want me to ship them the drive before they send another one.  Not only that, but it may take 48 hours to generate the labels for me to ship it back. Then I need to call them to tell them the FedEx number and they will ship me the replacement merchandise for 3 to 5 day delivery. 

Ridiculous you say..... Amazon will cross ship for defective merchandise... but not Apple.  I think I just read that Apple was tops in customer satisfaction?  Well not with me.... not today!

Wake up Apple!  Is a defective $99 part worth making a long time customer so frustrated?  An Apple Advocate.  A User Group Leader?  An Apple User Group Regional Liaison?

So here I am, 2 1/2 hours on the phone..... A drive to FedEx tomorrow, a call back to Apple and a wait for a replacement all because they don't trust me to send the drive that does not work back. 

Somehow, apple, and the Apple on-line store needs to be told that this is absolutely unacceptable!  Told that people expect much more from them.  Told that were mad as hell and..... well you know the rest.

At least, I had time to right this post.... while waiting on hold.

Update:  Cooler heads at apple seem to work the day shift.  This morning I got the fedex labels, re-boxed the drive, and ran it out to fedex.  Called Apple back and they said 'we would be happy to overnight the replacement to you'.... huh.... last night it was 3 to 5 days?  Go figure

Perhaps Apple support is better in the mornings.....

Second Update:   Then again, maybe not..... got the shipping notice and they shipped it ground.... 7 day delivery! 

Final Update:  Drive arrived 7 days after I started this entire process.  Worked fine out of the box.  It should not have been this hard to get a DOA part replaces.... but it was.

Comments

[Joe Mertzlufft]

Just a reminder to all, DOA product is the same as warranty work and any Authorized Apple Dealer can repair. Like "ME"