I am so frustrated with Apple Australia right now. My iMac is still out of commission, waiting for a replacement logic board. (Which is the same part that was replaced back in January.) It’s now been FIVE WEEKS that I haven’t been able to use my computer, and according to my technician, it could be another two before they get the part. I’m on hold with AppleCare right now, and for once I’m going to demand that something be done. This is RIDICULOUS. I did the math today: I’ve owned the machine for a total of 32 weeks, eight of which it’s been unusable. EIGHT! That’s twenty-five percent! And it’s even worse if you take off the few weeks I was on holiday (and thus didn’t use the machine). Here I am, working my ass off on a crappy laptop to try to finish a website in 48 hours when there’s a frickin’ G5 sitting DEAD in the next room. NOT HAPPY, JAN.
Update: Well, they offered to replace the machine. That’s good. They can’t get me a new one for three weeks. That’s bad. How stupid is that? Plenty of stores have stock, but they can’t just give me one of those. It’s ridiculous. I’m sure if I was in the U.S. I could’ve just taken this thing to an Apple store and walked out with a new one an hour later. Instead I’m just supposed to accept shoddy service here as a given. So I just sent off a righteously peeved e-mail to my AppleCare representative, Apple Australian customer relations, the third-party service technician, everybody I could think of. I even invoked the Office of Fair Trading (who state that any manufacturer offering an express warranty must have a “reasonably” supply of parts on hand). I explained how I’ve personally had a hand in convincing several people to Switch: (Max, John, Hoey, Sharon) but that right now, I wouldn’t be able to bring myself to recommend a Mac to anyone in good conscience. “I feel like Apple have LET ME DOWN.” Let’s see if that does any good…
martin
May 25, 2005 — 11:25 pm
Oh bum and here was I planning on taking the plunge sometime later this yr on an iBook 🙁
Anonymous
May 25, 2005 — 11:43 pm
Actually, if you were in the U.S., you’d have to wait a while, too. I had a brand new ibook that required 3 logic board replacements in its first year of life. But, when Apple decided to just replace the machine, a G3, with a G4 that was much faster and had, among other things, a much bigger hard drive. However, I couldn’t just head into the store either. I had to wait through a whole replacement procedure that took ~10 days. Not that I’m not completely satisfied with my new one. But, I think anywhere on the globe takes a while to replace a Mac for free.
Max
May 25, 2005 — 11:54 pm
Keep us posted on this, Kris–I think you’ve got a very legit beef with Apple…and though I haven’t had to use my extended warranty yet, one never knows. I am interested in seeing the final outcome (though I’m glad they’ve already conceded and are giving you a new machine).
Marci
May 26, 2005 — 12:04 am
Welcome to my world.
Anonymous
May 26, 2005 — 1:48 am
I too had a problem with a new iBook getting too hot, the local Apple store mailed it to Apple, they replaced the board and sent it back within a week. On the other hand when my iMac G5 had problems with its mother board, after I stupidly updated the blue tooth firmware, they gave me a new iMac under my extended warranty, but it took them two weeks. Initially the tech waited for a new mother board, but after two weeks he just gave me a new iMac. I am in the US. But its the same thing with lawn mowers, cars etc. Some times it takes time.
Danny
May 26, 2005 — 12:56 pm
Apple Australia is a an absolute mongrel of a company. Talk to any Australian Apple technician about the crap they have to put up with when trying to sort out warranty problems or even attempt to get anything out of Apple that will actually cost Apple money. An Apple technician I know has a favourite saying: “Love the product, hate the company.” Simply because of the way Apple treat everyone, from the technician to the customer, if it’s going to cost them money they don’t want to know anything about it. I’m still hurting over the Apple monitor I bought with my old PPC7600. I had nothing but trouble with it and Apple would not do anything about it. It was left up to the local Apple centre to sort things out. It took months before the monitor was a stable, useable product. Of course there’ the story about how Apple was going badly all around the world (before Jobs was on the scene). The only arm of Apple still making a profit was, you guessed it, Apple Australia. Tight fisted, myopic, ineffectual bunch of clowns.
LOVE the product, HATE the company . . . so what do you do?
Anonymous
May 26, 2005 — 5:43 pm
I used to run the Service Center at Randwick UNI about 6 years ago. Seems that nothing has changed. 🙁 I feel for you, I really do. New Zealand is even worse btw, Apple isn’t even there..
Kris
May 26, 2005 — 6:59 pm
How are all you guys finding this post? Are you just lurkers, or have I been linked somewhere?
Anyway, the only response I’ve had back so far is from Apple Customer Care, who basically sent me a boilerplate “We’re very sorry about the unexpected delays, but it’s not our fault” kind of thing. She also reiterated that I could have a replacement but only if they special order it for me (and I wait three weeks). No word yet from my AppleCare representative…
(I shared the letter with my boss, Albert, who’s a top negotiator. He thinks I should’ve stuck with the phone and escalated until I got somebody in management, and then informed them that I wanted a refund on my AppleCare AND a new computer TOMORROW. See, that’s why he gets results and I’m a peon who gets nothin’. He’s volunteered to call in for me and pretend to be my husband, so maybe we’ll use that as a last resort…)
Roger Johnstone
May 26, 2005 — 8:54 pm
“How are all you guys finding this post? Are you just lurkers, or have I been linked somewhere?”
You’re on MacSurfer. That’s how I found your post anyway :o)
Kris
May 27, 2005 — 1:26 am
Whoa, you’re right, Roger! I did not know that. Thanks for the tip.
Rocket
June 12, 2005 — 6:25 pm
Hi,
I am currently experiencing exactly the same thing – a huge delay in getting a spare part to repair my iBook.
Complain to the Department of consumer affairs and also the Competition and consumer comission.
I have had nothing but stone wall type responses from Apple and Consumer affairs are currently dealing with the situation for me. They have reliably informed me that Apple is breaking the law and if enough complaints are made, they can be prosecuted.
PLEASE – lodge a formal complaint with these authorities.
Rocket
June 12, 2005 — 6:37 pm
PS, My iBook is essential for my employment. Keep reminding them of the significant financial losses you are experiencing as a result. I have had to decline an invitation to present at an internationsl conference during July because I don’t have a computer to prepare with. It has taken me 2 years for my work to be suitable for presentation….And they think I will just go quietly!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Stick it to them.
Also, if you do a little digging via Google, you can find the direct phone number of Apple (02) 9641 8110 and names of higher up management people at Apple. Worth a try and make them squirm for a bit too. It’s also easy to find the format that they use for their emails addresses eg: bsmith@asia.apple.com.
Try a quick search for the Managing Directors name, Corporate affairs manager, Pulic relations manager.
Don’t give up.
Rocket