Apple doesn’t care about its customers
We here at BGR love Apple products as much as the next guy, but we think this crossed the line a little bit. Thanks to tip from a close friend of the Boy Genius Report, we’ve uncovered a truly amazing exchange between Apple and a customer. The customer, an owner of a recently water-damaged MacBook Pro, called Apple customer care to get information about repair costs. Accepting full responsibility for the water damage, the customer was still subjected to confusing and contradictory information about the repair. Frustrated with his experience, he took matters into his own hands, emailing sjobs@apple.com (a widely acknowledged direct line to high-level Apple customer care). The customer’s email is as follows:
Dear Steve Jobs,
I wanted to write and express my concern about some recent problems that I have had with Apple Care. This week, my MacBook Pro unfortunately sustained water damage. I understand this is entirely my fault but it is still something I would like to get fixed. After three or four calls I was finally able to get a straight answer. While I was happy to get a straight answer, I was not at all happy with the answer. It is very worrisome to me that the only way to get my computer fixed is to pay almost $300.00 up front with no guarantee that this will fix the problem. I was horrified to learn that their is no system to assess the problem and bill once all damage is known. I am reluctant to put money into a problem that could easily grow. I have had three Apple computers in a row. I love using them but I am not sure if my replacement will be one. I feel powerless in the situation and the whole experience has turned me off of the Apple company.
Sincerely,
Xxxxxx Xxxx
Reasonable? We think so. Shortly after, the customer received the following response:
Xxxxxxx,
This is what happens when your MacBook Pro sustains water damage.They are pro machines and they don’t like water. It sounds like you’re just looking for someone to get mad at other than yourself.
Steve
We find that response totally comical! Don’t you? While we’re guessing Steve Jobs himself wasn’t on the other end of this, it’s certainly a direct response from the @apple.com domain, which is only available to employees of the company. This means that someone directly representing Apple was responsible for this stunt. Come on, Apple. Seriously, this isn’t a good way to treat your customers, though you do get major points for the witty and comical response.
UPDATE: Full email after the break!
From: Steve Jobs <sjobs@apple.com>
Date: March 27, 2008 6:53:46 PM EDT
To: [email removed <xxxxx@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Apple Care Concern
Delivered-To: xxxxx@gmail.com
Received: by 10.70.40.17 with SMTP id n17cs178340wxn; Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:53:48 -0700 (PDT)
Received: by 10.101.70.15 with SMTP id x15mr3327782ank.109.1206658428106; Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:53:48 -0700 (PDT)
Received: from mail-out3.apple.com (mail-out3.apple.com [17.254.13.22]) by mx.google.com with ESMTP id c38si4420185anc.31.2008.03.27.15.53.47; Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:53:48 -0700 (PDT)
Received: from relay13.apple.com (relay13.apple.com [17.128.113.29]) by mail-out3.apple.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 8B8A3261B509 for <xxxxx@gmail.com>; Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:53:47 -0700 (PDT)
Received: from relay13.apple.com (unknown [127.0.0.1]) by relay13.apple.com (Symantec Mail Security) with ESMTP id 72BE928050 for <xxxxx@gmail.com>; Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:53:47 -0700 (PDT)
Received: from earhart.apple.com (yeager.apple.com [17.150.10.19]) by relay13.apple.com (Apple SCV relay) with ESMTP id 652A828043 for <xxxxx@gmail.com>; Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:53:47 -0700 (PDT)
Received: from wave1.apple.com ([17.248.4.64]) by earhart.apple.com (Sun Java(tm) System Messaging Server 6.3-0.15 (built Feb 9 2007)) with ESMTP id <0JYE00E9VVLNX920@earhart.apple.com> for xxxxx@gmail.com; Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:53:47 -0700 (PDT)
Return-Path: <sjobs@apple.com>
Received-Spf: pass (google.com: domain of sjobs@apple.com designates 17.254.13.22 as permitted sender) client-ip=17.254.13.22;
Authentication-Results: mx.google.com; spf=pass (google.com: domain of sjobs@apple.com designates 17.254.13.22 as permitted sender) smtp.mail=sjobs@apple.com
X-Auditid: 1180711d-a96fbbb0000008fb-95-47ec257bba0c
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes
Message-Id: <BFAB10EC-E8C6-4018-80DC-A772B6694097@apple.com>
In-Reply-To: <B42B0DBE-EE24-4879-ABC8-940D419906AA@gmail.com>
References: <B42B0DBE-EE24-4879-ABC8-940D419906AA@gmail.com>
X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.919.2)
X-Brightmail-Tracker: AAAAAA==
Xxxxxxx,
This is what happens when your MacBook Pro sustains water damage. They are pro machines and they don’t like water. It sounds like you’re just looking for someone to get mad at other than yourself.
Steve
On Mar 27, 2008, at 3:01 PM, Xxxxxx Xxxx wrote:
Dear Steve Jobs,
I wanted to write and express my concern about some recent problems that I have had with
Apple Care. This week, my MacBook Pro unfortunately sustained water damage. I understand
this is entirely my fault but it is still something I would like to get fixed. After three or four calls
I was finally able to get a straight answer. While I was happy to get a straight answer, I was
not at all happy with the answer. It is very worrisome to met that the only way to get my
computer fixed is to pay almost $300.00 up front with no guarantee that this will fix the problem.
I was horrified to learn that their is no system to asses the problem and bill once all damage is
known. I am reluctant to put money into a problem that could easily grow. I have had three
Apple computers in a row. I love using them but I am not sure if my replacement will be one.
I feel powerless in the situation and the whole experience has turned me off of the Apple
company.
Sincerely,
Xxxxxx Xxxx
On Mar 30, 2008 @ 10:47 am, anonymous_coward Said:
You know there is a warranty that covers water damage–best buy sells it for computers, including macs. However, you don’t get your spiffy education discount with it and they have morons to check your computer when you are walking out of the store.
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 30, 2008 @ 11:21 am, Dylan Said:
Loving and hating Apple aside. Do any of you really think it’s Jobs really answers that mail. He probably has three to four secretaries to it on any given day.
I doubt this reflects apple in any way. Only the morons who got the awful job that is responding to emails.
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 30, 2008 @ 11:30 am, mouse059 Said:
Come on people!!!
Apple has a LONG history of screwing people over, since the release of their FOURTH COMPUTER! (The Apple III, 1980). It was ENGINEERED (meaning, they ADDED hardware to cripple the machine) to be less than 100% compatible with the Apple II while claiming it was able to run the software.
Then they released the IIgs, while developing the Lisa and Macintosh with Apple II money. Then it was all over for the II line and millions of users as they quietly pulled the plug, after saying for years it would never happen.
I stopped paying attention to them back then. In fact, if they would simply apologize, recognize, acknowledge this, I might reconsider but as that’s unlikely, they won’t ever get my money again.
-m
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 30, 2008 @ 12:28 pm, Jimmy Said:
God, when I spill water on my Mac, I know I’m fucked. How are you supposed to expect a “reasonal charge” for such an idiotic move. I don’t go crying to my Toyota when I scratch my car doing something stupid. Heck, I expect my insurance company raise my premium when I call in for my own idiocy.
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 30, 2008 @ 12:41 pm, Joseph Said:
I don’t understand why customers just don’t go to the source, the Apple Retail Store. They bypass the whole customer service problem and get a concrete amount, which by the sound of it will be around $1200 or so. They have different tiers for damages and the $1200 damage is the top tier where they replace all of the components. And if you’re quoted at $1200, it can always be cheaper.
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 30, 2008 @ 1:12 pm, cj Said:
What did the writer expect? Did you want Apple to reply “Well, since you wrote this, we will make an exception. We will fix your MacBook Pro, free of charge. If it is truly beyond repair, we will replace it. Sorry for your experience and good luck.”
Geez. Do you own a car too? what did you say when it got it’s first ding?
Grow up. The $300 plus bill you are paying is referred to as an “Idiot Tax”
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 30, 2008 @ 1:18 pm, Carlos Said:
I wonder if a PC guy would have been stupid enough to write Bill crying about how he dropped his pc in water.
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 30, 2008 @ 1:31 pm, exMG Said:
The customer’s email doesn’t add up, either. Any laptop with “accidental damage”, especially water damage, is going to cost way more than $300 to repair. If memory serves, the charge for a G4 PowerBook with a liquid spill was about $1800. Even seemingly small liquid spills can touch and ruin everything inside the laptop, requiring a complete replacement of all the innards. There’s not a lot of free space in there, and the liquid quickly covers everything.
The flip side of the liquids story is customers would sometimes bring cleaned-up laptops to the store for repair, get a quote for repair under warrantee, and when we discovered the water damage inside they’d accuse us of “sabotaging” their laptop. True story. I could tell so many stories of people who thought they deserved free repairs after they put an iPod through the laundry, or crushed it with weights at the gym. These same people often got loud and abusive when they thought it would save them $250.
To get back to the customer with the MacBook Pro… I’m not saying he falls into this crowd, but as presented, the story and the numbers don’t make sense. Perhaps after hearing the big price tag he asked if they could just fix whatever has visibly malfunctioned (like the optical drive–that’d be about $300). I’ve seen it too many times that the liquid spreads all through the inside of a laptop, and what we hoped would be a simple, lucky fix turned into a cascade of larger, more expensive component replacements as we discovered more hidden damage. Everyone loses in that case–the customer ends up with a big bill, and we could spend a couple of days doing four or five repairs on the same laptop, replacing ever-more-expensive components.
My recommendation is to buy big-ticket items with a credit card that offers insurance for accidental loss or damage to your purchases, or actually get a rider for your home insurance for these things. Some people had it and didn’t know it. And understand- a warrantee isn’t insurance. Cars come with warrantees, but they won’t cover the damages if it rolls into a lake.
Oh, and “Apple doesn’t care about its customers?” Consumer polls consistently put Apple at or near #1 in customer satisfaction, so this headline is a real stretch. I’ve heard it said though, and frequently… by loud, abusive customers who wanted free repairs on old, out-of-warrantee or user-damaged products.
One last thing to consider is, whoever wrote the terse, blunt reply from apple.com was able to read the reports from the three times the customer called AppleCare. He or she knows a lot about what was said that we don’t know. For example, if the caller said, “It’s not my fault, you’re selling products with design flaws!” (and I’ve heard that one, too) it *would* sound like a customer was trying to shift the blame.
When I was privy to the AppleCare database, I saw lots of examples where employees struggled in earnest to do the write thing, even when policy said otherwise. If a customer had a point that they had damaged their laptop on one side of the case, and the problem component was on the other side, Geniuses and AppleCare reps would often go to bat for that customer, and try to get management approval to cover the repair anyway, since we couldn’t say for sure the problem was due to the customer’s accident.
I’m always sad when someone has a bad experience, even this time when the facts don’t make sense. Still, expensive as it may be, we all have to accept responsibility for our own accidents.
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 30, 2008 @ 1:41 pm, Sure, right, sure Said:
You have got to be kidding, Water on computer and you want what????? Talk to any computer manufactures — they’re gonna do a bang up job on this. Give you a free repair? Give you an exact cost? Boo hoo.
Bite the bullet dude, You can’t get a serious answer here?
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 30, 2008 @ 2:55 pm, Fake or not... Said:
Fake or not, why should apple have to look at the computer for free? Unless this customer purchased a warranty that covers accidental damage, any fee out side of the standard warranty is solo up to the end user.
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 30, 2008 @ 3:13 pm, Peter Tackle Said:
How do we know the story this person is writing is true? Most of the interaction with Apple Executives that appear on this site are NOT TRUE.
Sad that people use sites like this to much up stories.
FYI: Everyone, car, electronic, housing etc always charges a “look” fee. Its common and excepted practice.
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 30, 2008 @ 3:25 pm, Aaron Said:
let’s be real. This guy was politly asking and praying for a miracle replacment. Its apple, not Jesus. The guyon youtbe smashed his MacBook with a sledge hammr becuz he SWORE he didn’t cause water damage to it… But there was water in inside. At least this guy admits it. Can’t say I blame him tho, its a shifty spot to be in.
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 30, 2008 @ 3:38 pm, mastershredder Said:
Way to whine about your support experience. Maybe you should have your parents call Apple for you next time and have them hold your hand throught the process.
Your are darn lucky that they covered it under the $300 flat rate repair fee. Obviously they could not give you a direct quote because when they send it in they håve to evaluate the amount of damage done internally (not to mention they have to do it according to safety). I’m not going to go into all the details, but I know their system well since I used to work there. All I can say is that they did you right with with such a cheap repair tier, but I guess that says how much they don’t care about you. It does not take a boy genius to figure that one out.
“I was not at all happy with the answer. It is very worrisome to me that the only way to get my computer fixed is to pay almost $300.00 up front with no guarantee that this will fix the problem”.
Your repair gaurantee coment is total bull, look at your repair contract. If you can’t figure it out, get mommy or daddy to help.
If the email came direct from Steve (not likely as there is a department for these types of escalations), he is still right, know why?, just read what I just said about about your “special repair”. It seams other customers seem to figure this out okay. Others however, cry and the world to stop just for them.
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 30, 2008 @ 5:31 pm, vicky Said:
let me get this straight… you spilled water on your own laptop and you’re pissed you have to pay $300.00 to repair it?
i love apple users… they’re so god damn dumb.
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 30, 2008 @ 6:00 pm, joe Said:
Total Fabrication.
BGR has sunk to a new low here.
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 30, 2008 @ 6:06 pm, Ujaas Said:
LOL
PWNED.
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 30, 2008 @ 6:11 pm, Tamika Said:
*big yawn* let me know when you’ve found a topic worth blogging about, ok?
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 30, 2008 @ 8:02 pm, Roundedge Said:
It’s clear that his complaint was not about costumer service, that was just tangential “While I was happy to get a straight answer, I was not at all happy with the answer.” The complaint is clearly about the fact that the estimate and repair are under one non negotiable bill. It does seem pretty ridiculous, it’s like if your car is broken, and you go to the mechanic, and he says he wont even look at your car until you pay him up front for any work he might have to do once he figures out what’s wrong with your car.
This is especially silly since it’s more difficult to find third party repair services for apple products, you’re forced to rely on Apple to do it, and there is an unspoken level of trust that you’ll get a high degree of professionalism by investing in a generally more expensive machine.
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 30, 2008 @ 8:46 pm, bMan Said:
C’mon, does anybody here really think that any Apple employee can go around signing Steve’s name to his own smart-ass replies? Not a chance! If the “real” Steve caught wind of this (tyrant!) that employee would be immediately found and fired. This was a real reply from the real Steve Jobs. And he’s absolutely right.
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 30, 2008 @ 9:39 pm, Ted Said:
So is it the “comment” from Steve or the
300 dollars to open up a MacBook Pro that
some knuckle head spilled water in that bothers
you.
Lake one of the other commenters said,
when you find something significant to blog
about..you call me.
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 30, 2008 @ 10:38 pm, oc Said:
To put this in perspective, I recently had an issue with a Sony camcorder. Minimum repair fee is almost $400, regardless of what they find wrong or if they can even fix it. The camcorder is only worth about $200. I had a similar experience with a Dell monitor. Repair was only $40 less than the cost of a new monitor of the same size (and higher resolution, etc). At least the amount is less than the market value of the product! In both of these cases the products failed on their own but just a month or two past the warranty coverage.
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 30, 2008 @ 11:04 pm, Steevo Said:
People like making stories up.
This is one of them.
Yes - Steve jobs is a cocky b****.
Just because someone says this came from Apple does not make it so
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 31, 2008 @ 12:33 am, bilBag Said:
That letter did not come out of Cupertino. It came out some windoze fanboy’s ASS!
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 31, 2008 @ 12:34 am, Seth Said:
The warranty does not cover water damage. end of story. your damn lucky they were only going to charge you $300.00 for a flat rate repair. a new logic board (which was more than likely the damaged part) cost $800 to $900 bucks. find another company that would replace all the broken parts in your computer for a flat rate. Apple is not perfect by a long shot but they have one of the best customer support programs in the world. yes it’s sad that you got your laptop wet, and i would be pissed too, but get over it other companies would just say “sorry your out of luck” so suck it up and move on.
Permalink | Reply
On Mar 31, 2008 @ 2:25 am, 9000 Said:
Is this customer stupid? He spilled water on his computer! That sucks, but do you honestly think any other computer company would act differently?
“DURRR TUX THE PENGUIN WOULDN’T STAND FOR THIS!”
Permalink | Reply