I Hate Computers
So, most of you have heard, my Mac died as soon as I got back from my trip. The new Zen Sam handled it pretty well, but I was rather frustrated considering I’ve already had to send this exact computer to the manufacturer two times already. This time, however, it seemed like a slightly different problem. [Skip next 2 lines of Techno-geek.] This appeared to be a problem with the HD - it couldn’t mount the drive on start-up. All I got was the flashing question mark. (Apple’s First Aid Tools couldn’t help either.)
Normally I back everything up on a regular basis, but since I had been on the road, I was unable to do so. Thus, among other files, I’ve lost all my photos from the trip. That is, unless I pay a seperate data recovery company to retrieve the data from the old HD. After calling one of best-known companies around, I found that standard data recovery will cost in the range of $900-3,900! So, I left the computer with Apple to replace the old drive while I try to find a cheaper alternative. (Apparently, no one repairs HD’s anymore, they just replace them.)
Here’s the kicker. I just got a call from Apple. They replaced the old drive. Now the display doesn’t work. They think it is a problem with the logic board. Mind you, the display worked when I gave it to them!!! Now I have to go down to the Apple Store and pay for the HD replacement before they will send it off to get the display repaired - which will take another 5-10 days!
June 7th, 2004 at 3:42 pm
This is a letter I just wrote to Apple…
45 Wall Street
Apt 1222
New York, NY 10005
Apple Computer Inc
1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino, CA 95014
June 7, 2004
Dear Apple Customer Service,
I have been a loyal apple user ever since my parents brought home our Apple II e back in the early 80’s. When my parents moved to PCs because it went better with their office computers I stuck by this brand (and my Quadra 604) with a loyalty that a company can only hope for from a teenager. Even when the monitor on my iMac began to dim (a problem that was apparently commonly known of the original edition iMacs) and apple did nothing to compensate me for this loss, I continued to loyally move on to the next tier of Macs and Mac products. I bought a G4 tower and now have upgraded to a 17-inch Powerbook.
But now I’ve run into a snag. A series of bad repair service has left a bad taste in my mouth. I have sent my computer into apple several times and problems are either not getting fixed or new problems are resulting in the “fixing†of the old problems. Right now there are several keys on my keyboard not working, a USB port not responding and my Bluetooth card unrecognized by my computer. None of these problems existed before I sent my computer out for repair the last time. This kind of service is really unacceptable. I work from home and I have lost money as a result of not having my computer around. I have angered clients with my inability to meet deadlines without a computer.
Before all of this hoopla (please check my case history to fully understand why I am upset) I was the biggest apple evangelist, convincing ever PC user I know to make the switch to the superior computer, but now I have a hard time praising the worth of apple without feeling the slightest bit guilty about it. In marketing class, I’ve been taught that customer’s fall in love with brands, not products. One of the biggest facets to that brand loyalty is the customer service and when it’s less than stellar, that brand loyalty waivers.
When you purchase a car and you have to send it in 3 times for the same defect, the car company is legally obligated by lemon laws to replace that automobile. I’m not sure the case is that drastic here seeing as it hasn’t been exactly the same issue each time, but please understand my frustration. This was a very expensive computer and I justified the cost, knowing it was of superior quality. Now I’m not so sure, and I have to really weigh my options the next time I purchase a computer.
Sincerely,
Marissa Levy