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
Seriously are you for real? If you drop kick or spill a bucket or liquid on your computer don’t expect someone to work on it for free when you were at fault. AppleCare does not cover abuse it covers the computer in case the a part fails on it’s own (not with your help). Basically when you buy AppleCare you are betting there will be a problem and Apple is betting that there will not be and please do remember Apple is trying to stay in business and make a profit.
No Apple notebooks are not at all rugged if your looking for that consider a Panasonic Toughbook or a Thinkpad spill- proof keyboard.
I think that you are wrong on this. The customer sent in a reasonable request, and was professional and courteous. The response he received was very flippant and rude. No matter what the complaint is, it still should be handled with respect and a level of maturity that is definitely lacking here. If I had read this email before I purchased my MacBook Pro at the end of July, I would have not gone ahead with my purchase.
Greg- are you for real? No one even mentioned the AppleCare Protection Plan in this entire exchange. The fellow accepted responsibility and just wanted to be able to get his computer fixed without having to eat 300 dollars up front with no idea how much it is going to ultimately cost. No one even made a commentary as to the durability of an Apple notebook. Who says this person was even doing something rambunctuous? It could have just been an accident that this fellow took responsibility for and wanted a transparent repair process. Instead he got a face full of sarcasm from an Apple employee and now rank condescension from some yahoo online.
Just signed up for an apple ID to try to figure out why I can’t change my internet system preferences on my G4 –
I live in China, but my Chinese still isn’t great. I’m only allowed to have my language as Chinese with my apple ID – no way of changing it. No contact details to email with regards to changing it.
I think if your stupid enough to get your 1400.00
notebook wet you should take responsibility for your own stupidity and stop blaming the manufacturer I think 300.00 is reasonable for a second chance that you don’t deserve in the first place and I worked as an Apple technician and I know for a fact that your computer would have been fixed properly if you were willing to pay for the repairs. Next time put it on your American Express card and let them insure it then you can use it as a surf board if you want too, or you can be more cautious with your expensive electronics dumbass!!