The saga of the shattered iPod continues… Friday, feeling fairly recovered and finally able to sit squarely on my fundament (instead of tilted over to one side so as to avoid pressing on the bruise that now covers the left side of my, erm, cheek) I decided to contact Apple to see what I need to do in order to have the screen on my iPod replaced.
Surf their website. Hm. Not overly easy to locate what I am looking for in their self-help section. I found what I was looking for (finally) and registered to have a call from an Apple Support Technician (I am rolling my eyes here) by using their “Apple Support Express Lane”
Around the time I was told to expect the call, I received the call, and started by explaining I had fallen down some stairs and shattered the screen on my iPod. I then asked how I could go about registering this issue and having Apple repair the broken screen.
Instead of answering my question & helping me to set up the process to repair my iPod Touch, the “support person” on the phone told me I would be better off going to the apple website and buying a refurbished iPod.
Um. No. That’s not what I asked for.
I explained that I was not looking to purchase a second unit - that I simply wanted to have the one that I already own repaired.
He then (still not listening to me) went on to tell me that I could just go to e-bay or some other website (those were his actual words "some other website") and order a new screen and repair it myself.
As you can imagine, by this time I was frustrated and starting to get irritated.
I told the person on the other end of the line that I really didn’t think much of Apple's service options if they were refusing to hear what I was asking for & provide me with the ability to get my iPod repaired. I started to ask, calmly, once again, to have him please set up the service request so that I could have my unit repaired.
He hung up.
Really. Hung up.
Officially angry I muttered an “oh no you didn’t just do that!” (yes, when angry, I turn into a cartoon cliché) and went into the “contact us” section of the Apple Website. I phoned Apple Canada in Markham, Ontario. When connected to a person I, though angry, started by telling the person on the phone what had happened to my iPod touch, what I was trying to accomplish, what the Apple “support” person had done, and that I was more than a little upset (he could tell by my voice, I’m sure) at being hung up on.
The first thing he said, after listening to me vent, was “gosh miss, you fell down the stairs? Are you OK?” and he wasn’t being condescending with me. He was being genuine. Whoosh. Just like that, my anger at being treated so poorly by someone who was supposed to be a “customer service professional” was diffused.
He then walked me thought the steps of what needed to be done and completed. So Charles at Apple Canada in Markham Ontario, thank you for being a true customer CARE representative.
Unfortunately, all too often, we experience the first type of customer service – the kind where we are made to feel as though we are being done a favour by being allowed to shop there. In most cases, my response to this is to not make any purchase, to walk out, and to never return. I recognise this doesn’t do the business owner any favours since they are never made aware of why they lost business in the first place, and why people choose to go to their competition. I would rather pay a little more for good service and treatment than save a few dollars and be treated badly.
We all have “off days” – I know this. I also know that the best way to treat other people is the way we would like to be treated by them. It’s too bad that sometimes we forget how…
With love across the waters,
Too bad you have to experienced that kind of customer service. I'm just hoping that with this incident that had happened to you, they could be able to at least improve the way they're giving services to their most valued customers.
ReplyDeleteDanielle
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