[swordman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tigerpaws

You can make same day appointment and its easy using the Apple shop app. Far quicker than 4 days.

you can make an appointment the same day but won't be seen if you just walk in

Remind me who the customer is again

[calico_pie]

If you buy a Sony product in, say, John Lewis, you can take it back to John Lewis and let them sort it out.

If you buy an Apple product in, say, John Lewis, you can take it back to John Lewis and let them sort it out.

Or you can make an appointment and take it to an Apple store and have it looked at by Apple experts, and possibly leave the store with a replacement there and then.

It's not as though going online and making an appointment is a big deal in any way, shape or form. Especially when it guarantees you a slot with an expert who will try to resolve the issue there and then for you.

To argue that this is bad CS is absurd.

[TheBigM]

With my Dell, I phoned them with an issue with my laptop, they sent a chap round the very next day who fixed it for me in my own home.

You often have a multi-day wait to get an appointment at an Apple store. If your PC is for business use, you can't afford to wait so long.

[Lidtop2013]

Quote:

Originally Posted by calico_pie

If you buy a Sony product in, say, John Lewis, you can take it back to John Lewis and let them sort it out.

If you buy an Apple product in, say, John Lewis, you can take it back to John Lewis and let them sort it out.

Or you can make an appointment and take it to an Apple store and have it looked at by Apple experts, and possibly leave the store with a replacement there and then.

It's not as though going online and making an appointment is a big deal in any way, shape or form. Especially when it guarantees you a slot with an expert who will try to resolve the issue there and then for you.

To argue that this is bad CS is absurd.

I couldnt have put that any better myself.

I mean some people were saying ''but i went to a store and they turned me away because i didnt make an appointment'', so its their fault you didnt book an appointment online is it? If they let people just walk in without an appointment you could be waiting in a que with 20 other people.

Book online, walk in and walk out in 5-10mins OR wait hours in a que to be seen, i know which id rather do

[calico_pie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBigM

With my Dell, I phoned them with an issue with my laptop, they sent a chap round the very next day who fixed it for me in my own home.

You often have a multi-day wait to get an appointment at an Apple store. If your PC is for business use, you can't afford to wait so long.

That's anecdotal though.

It's probably the case that some people have to wait a couple of days for someone from Dell to turn up. And likely that many people can get same day appointments with Apple.

Obviously both will be subject to how busy they are and availability.

[Jamie_Bradley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by swordman

you can make an appointment the same day but won't be seen if you just walk in

Remind me who the customer is again

Who said you won't be seen if you just walk into an Apple store? Where is your source for this information?

I would imagine if you can make a same day phone appointment then if you just walk in they may ask you to return at a specified time that very same day if they have a appointment available.

I know Samsung now insist you make an appointment for service/repairs. But they still refuse to replace your device there and then. Samsung stores will only send your device off for repair.

[AxeVictim]

Not that i have an iphone now but in the 3 times ive been to the apple store ( made the same mistake as stiggles the first time no appointment but booked one for the following day) i always left with another handset.Im not a fan of the phones anymore but they have the best CS out there bar none.

[alan1302]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kidspud

So do you think it is good or bad customer service if the manufacturer also provides support?

The very good thing about the Apple stores is their knowledge of the actual devices and how they work. My daughter went to the store to get some help on using "pages" app and they where excellent.

Having been in "phones 4 u" I'm not sure the level of knowledge is quite the same.

Obviously it is good if the manufacturer provides support as well - but not a deal breaker for me.

Not bothered about what knowledge the shop has as I am not looking for advice when I am making a purchase.

[TheBigM]

Quote:

Originally Posted by calico_pie

That's anecdotal though.

It's probably the case that some people have to wait a couple of days for someone from Dell to turn up. And likely that many people can get same day appointments with Apple.

Obviously both will be subject to how busy they are and availability.

The warranty came included with the laptop was a "Next Business Day" warranty so I think it's clearly defined there, they HAVE to show up the next day or some sort of compo should be due.

[calico_pie]

Fair enough - although by the sounds of it you can often get same or next day appointments with Apple, which was the original point.

[Stiggles]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlecR

Those are both busy stores.

If you visit a smaller-city store they'll see you without an appointment sometimes.

Problem is, there is none near me! Aberdeen is 60+ miles away, and Glasgow is 100+!!

The first time i went to the Aberdeen one was my first experience with apple. I didn't know you had to make an appointment. Second time we were in Glasgow anyway getting our passports sorted out and thought we would pop in. The store wasn't busy but they still wouldn't see us.

When I did get an appointment at the Aberdeen store, first time they were pretty much useless. Reset my phone and sent me on my way dispite me telling them the battery was humped and that I had done that several times over. Went back, spoke to the manager and he was simply brilliant and sorted it right away with a new handset.

[Stiggles]

Quote:

Originally Posted by calico_pie

How this sort of thing typically works.

Common sense about how you can make same or next day appointments is ignored.

Extreme example about someone, somewhere reporting a bad experience and having to wait several days is found on the internet.

Extreme example is then presented as some sort of norm to try to win argument.

And so on and so on.

For once, just once, can you take critisism about apple and just accept it rather than waffling and making up half baked nonsense about extreme examples

Not everyone knows you need to make an appointment to see someone. People go to an apple store expecting to see about a broken product. Not to be told they have to come back after making an appointment they didn't know was needed.

There is no argument here to be won. Just one your itching to have as always.

[Stiggles]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kidspud

Aberdean was referred to in this thread. They have appointments available for all day tomorrow from 9am, and you are guaranteed to see highly trained staff.

I'm not sure what more people could expect,

Why are you still talking about appointments when I made it clear I had no idea an appointment was needed? I've never needed an appointment to take a telly back or anything else in my life.

I suppose being apple, should I have just known about it?

[Stiggles]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lidtop2013

I couldnt have put that any better myself.

I mean some people were saying ''but i went to a store and they turned me away because i didnt make an appointment'', so its their fault you didnt book an appointment online is it? If they let people just walk in without an appointment you could be waiting in a que with 20 other people.

Book online, walk in and walk out in 5-10mins OR wait hours in a que to be seen, i know which id rather do

What a surprise.....

Answer me one question...what if you don't know an appointment is needed? Do you think just because its apple, people instantly know to make an appointment? Bit stupid to think that really don't you think?

Tell me, what other places require you to make an appointment before they will see you?

[kidspud]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stiggles

Why are you still talking about appointments when I made it clear I had no idea an appointment was needed? I've never needed an appointment to take a telly back or anything else in my life.

I suppose being apple, should I have just known about it?

I was not replying to you. I chose Aberdeen because it had been mentioned in the thread and some were claiming you had to wait days for an appointment.

Do they not have an authorised dealer in dundee?

[Jamie_Bradley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stiggles

Problem is, there is none near me! Aberdeen is 60+ miles away, and Glasgow is 100+!!

The first time i went to the Aberdeen one was my first experience with apple. I didn't know you had to make an appointment. Second time we were in Glasgow anyway getting our passports sorted out and thought we would pop in. The store wasn't busy but they still wouldn't see us.

When I did get an appointment at the Aberdeen store, first time they were pretty much useless. Reset my phone and sent me on my way dispite me telling them the battery was humped and that I had done that several times over. Went back, spoke to the manager and he was simply brilliant and sorted it right away with a new handset.

Very strange they sent you away with a duff battery, they usually run checks on the battery to make sure it's not faulty. It's very simple and easy to detect a faulty battery these days, no need to remove it from the phone.

[Stiggles]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie_Bradley

Very strange they sent you away with a duff battery, the usually run checks on the battery to make sure it's not faulty. It's very simp and easy to detect a faulty battery these days, no need to remove of from the phone.

As I said, they reset the phone, and told me it was fine. I gave it a while, went back and spoke to the manager. He sorted it out.

Very simple really.

[Jamie_Bradley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stiggles

As I said, they reset the phone, and told me it was fine. I gave it a while and went back and spoke to the manager. He sorted it out.

Very simple really.

Ok, it's just very strange after you telling them the battery was borked they didn't pick up on it, it's a very straight forward software based test that picks up on any battery issues. It's one of the mandatory tests that they do to all phones in the Apple store.

[Stiggles]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie_Bradley

Ok, it's just very strange after you telling them the battery was borked they didn't pick up on it, it's a very software based test they picks up on any battery issues. It's one of the mandatory tests that they do to all phones in the Apple store.

So mandatory they didn't test it at all? It was almost as if she thought she knew what it was, so just went with it and reset the phone hoping that would solve the issue.

Like I said, afterwards I spoke to the manager and the issue was sorted.

[Jamie_Bradley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stiggles

So mandatory they didn't test it at all? It was almost as if she thought she knew what it was, so just went with it and reset the phone hoping that would solve the issue.

Like I said, afterwards I spoke to the manager and the issue was sorted.

Honestly your treatment by Apple was unbelievable, just resetting your phone and sending you away. Absolutely unbelievable, not even connecting it to the standard software testing...

Just one question- did they back up your phone before they reset it?

[Stiggles]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie_Bradley

Honestly your treatment by Apple was unbelievable, just resetting your phone and sending you away. Absolutely unbelievable, not even connecting it to the standard software testing...

Just one question- did they back up your phone before they reset it?

No. I had told them I had already done it.

When I took my iPad in, they did do a diagnostic, and I had to tick and sign things on their iPads. That was fine, just the iPhone carry on was annoying.

[Jamie_Bradley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stiggles

No. I had told them I had already done it.

When I took my iPad in, they did do a diagnostic, and I had to tick and sign things on their iPads. That was fine, just the iPhone carry on was annoying.

So strange they didn't do a diag on the phone, it's just what they do. Even if your phone has physical damage they still connect it to run the software through. I didn't even think they could authorise anything without first running the tests, not even a reset.

[Stiggles]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie_Bradley

So strange they didn't do a diag on the phone, it's just what they do. Even if your phone has physical damage they still connect it to run the software through. I didn't even think they could authorise anything without first running the tests, not even a reset.

Nope, nothing. Just reset it and sent me away. Like I said, I came back shortly after, spoke to the manager of the store who was smashing and sorted it out, and I left with a new handset. A good outcome, but not a great start.

[calico_pie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stiggles

For once, just once, can you take critisism about apple and just accept it rather than waffling and making up half baked nonsense about extreme examples

Not everyone knows you need to make an appointment to see someone. People go to an apple store expecting to see about a broken product. Not to be told they have to come back after making an appointment they didn't know was needed.

There is no argument here to be won. Just one your itching to have as always.

Or you could stop thinking that every post is in reply to something you said. The reference to extreme examples was in reply to posts talking about having to wait weeks for an appointment.

The whole point with the appointments is that they will look at it there and then, and if necessary give you a replacement there and then. Which probably doesn't happen in other places.

In which case you're not comparing like with like.

I'm pretty sure any documentation you get with Apple products mentions the support options. And I'm still not sure why you went back a few times after you did know about the appointments.

I think the positives in the approach outweigh the negatives.

Out of interest, given the choice, which would you prefer:

A. Turn up, take your chances and be prepared to queue for ages, and most likely have to leave the devic and come back again once they've looked at it?

B. Make an appointment, turn up and know that you'll get seen by an expert who will hopefully resolve the issue there and then?

[oilman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie_Bradley

You do realise you could take your iPhone back to Currys? Going to an Apple store is just one of many options you have for returning an iPhone, you appear to thinking is the only option.

Although Currys will insist on returning you Apple/Sony/Samsung ect product it either it's "accredited repair center" or to the original manufacturer.

Curry's after sale service is really poor.

I recently had an advent tegra note 7 fail because of the usb charging port failed. Looking on web, I found this is quite a common failure. I took it to Curry's as less than 1 year old, and they said they had to return to manufacturer. At first they did not even want to do that, saying it did not look like a manufacturer fault i.e. implying I had caused the failure.

I insisted (in a loud voice) that they honour the guarantee, and said I wanted a technical expert to assess it and I did not believe the store staff were suitably qualified to make the judgement (it's like doctor's receptionists deciding if you are ill)

They than said I would be charged a fee (c. £50) to look at it. I was very firm, saying this was unacceptable, and almost certainly in violation of the consumer laws (in spirit if not legally).

I said they could look and assess it for nothing, and if the fault was not due to a manufacturer fault, I would discuss the repair costs and assess if worthwhile.

They agreed because they could see I would not back down, and it went to Knowhow (which is their own setup!) and it was agreed it was a fault, they repaired it free.

Mind you, they also managed to lose it in the store when I went to pick it up.

From now on, I will only buy from John Lewis who have always given me excellent support - they have properly trained staff who really know what they are talking about.