I have previously written about the deteriorating level of support at Apple Computer and the shocking treatment of customers who fell victim to a defect in the iPhone. This week, I had the third power cord for my MacBook Pro fail. Every cord has developed exposed wires due to common bending with the machine. In seeking to remedy the situation, I ran again into the same customer service wall that I experienced earlier with the defective iPhone. In order to get a new cord (under warranty), I had to see a “genius” as opposed to the dozen “specialists” standing around. But before I see a “genius” I had to have an appointment and there were no appointments available for hours. I stopped there before I was told that I also had to bring them the ruby slippers to gain entry to the “genius.”
This is all too familiar. Recently, Apple agreed to a multimillion dollar settlement over its iPhone controversy. You may recall that years ago, I posted an account of an ordeal over a relatively new iPhone that stopped functioning. When I took it into the store, they promptly informed me that I got the phone wet and refused to repair or replace it. When I told that that it was impossible that the phone had been “submerged” or saturated as they claimed, they opened the phone and confirmed that only one of two indicators showed water damage but still said that it voided any obligation of the company. Though I eventually got a new phone, my posting attracted many people around the world who said that they had the same experience. Well, Apple (without admitting guilt) is now agreeing to a settlement in a class action for people who were told they had such water damage. As suspected, it appears that the water damage indicators were defective. I read the settlement to mean that the company knew that people like me were experiencing a common defect but allowed their “geniuses” to basically tell us we were lying or stupid — and that Apple would not help us. That takes a truly horrific corporate culture among Apple executives and an equally horrific view of their customers. The settlement came with no apology or acceptance of responsibility. While a contractor (3M) took blame for a possible defect, Apple never explained why it continued to instruct “geniuses” to play dumb and blame customers.
This cord problem looks like a very similar situation. This is my third cord in a row to break at either the base of the adapter or the plug itself. It is clearly do to the normal twisting that occurs with lap tops. Three cords in a row. Each lasted less than a year. I cannot be unique. Apple clearly is using a material covering the wires that is inadequate for the use of the cords and forcing customers to buy new cords — just as it forced them to buy new iPhone under the earlier defect. In the last cord experience, it actually exposed the wires and started to produce a smoky smell.
Since I was told it was under warranty, I went into the Apple store to exchange it. I was prepping for a major hearing this week and needed a new cord right away. “Right away” however is not part of the new Apple lexicon. When I arrived at the Tysons’ Apple store (the same location that falsely told me I submerged by iPhone in water previously), I was met by three “specialists” who were standing around the door. I explained that I needed to exchange a broken cord but was told that only a “genius” could do an exchange and no appointment was available for hours. I tried to explain that I was really in a dire situation with a hearing and needed to return to work. I just needed to show the warranty and replace the defective cord. That was not possible without a visit with a genius, I was told. I would have to stand around with them for hours in the mall or come back in the evening. Of course, every other store in America has personnel who can do an exchange of this kind without being a self-proclaimed “genius.” Those undeclared geniuses at JC Penny and Sears have employees ready to do this type of exchange to help customers. Yet, Apple requires such simple tasks be performed by a “genius” who is only accessible through an appointment like a dentist (or the therapist you need after working with Apple). In the end, the school purchased a new cord for me so that I could prepare for the hearing. Of course, this only rewards the strategy of creating a barrier for customers to receive basic support. They clipped my school for another product even though it is under warranty.
What is most maddening is the design of the cord itself. As I have explained before, I like Apple products. I have had every major Mac since the first machine. We have two iPads, three iPhones, and three Macs in this family. We are not disguntled IBMers. However, Apple used to pride itself on being a different company with a special relationship to Apple users. It now has a corporate culture and a customer service system that has the very smiling Orwellian character of the company that Apple once caricatured. I expect that if a new class action focused on these cords, they will find in discovery the same pattern as the defective iPhones with widespread failures.
What is particularly unnerving is that all of this happens in the antiseptic Apple store with smiling “specialists” who immediately tell you that they lack specialization beyond selling more products. It is like Stepford Wives meets Revenge of the Nerds. Thanks again Apple.
“I’M MAD AS HELL AND I’M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!”
Howard Beale
Reading this a couple of things occurred to me.
First: I’ve always admired Apple Computers from afar, but never could afford one. When I read stories like this my admiration wanes.It seems like many corporations today that they have sold an image that is far different from reality.
Second: The fraying power cord is not just an Apple problem. On the many laptops I’ve owned through the years I have had to replace the power cord many times. I always ascribed that to the fact that I actually always type with my lapton on my lap and so blamed myself for the fraying and frying. Apparently this is design problem with universal implications, rather than my own peculiarity of usage.
Third: The coputer industry, while begun by innovative cultures, has morphed into the usual corporate culture norms of profit, opposed to product. It has become like the car industry of the 50’s and 60’s. In that industry the concept of building a good auto was replaced by the planned obsolescence model, which depended on advertising to sell you a new, improved car every two years. We see this model today with computers, but it seems now they are trying to impose a cycle of less than two years of product viability.
Fourtht: While “free marketeers” have been successfully selling the public on the idea that entrepreneurship drives innovation and thus needs to be free of restraint, this is mainly good marketing as compared to innovative output. The end of entrepreneuship and innovation comes when money starts rolling in. The transformation into corporate hierarchy begins inexorably to crush innovation. When that occurs the growing behemoths lose sight of what made them ultimately successful, which is keeping the needs of the consumer in the forefront. The model turns from consumer satisfaction via product quality, to consumer satisfaction via propaganda in the form of creative advertising. Maximization of profit becomes the goal of the business and if it means cheap materials, cheap labor and good legal advice to keep the customers at bay so be it.
Fifth: The nature of the corporate structure and/or any bureaucracy is such that stultification will almost always set in. This means that the entity becomes risk averse, promotes people who conform to such a corporate culture, dfiscourage innovation and favors those of sociopathic bent. Failures will always be covered up by this type of culture and the client base they aim to serve will invariably suffer. Those that rise to the top of leadership are generall ego-driven sociopathic types and “yes men”. Once in power the “yes men” will invariably become enamored with their images and often behave tyrannically. Those beneath them in the hierarchy will outwardly praise their dedication and inwardly try to destroy them, chafing under their “leadership”.
Apple may have been great under Steve Jobs, but the now “sainted” Mr. Jobs, like his counterpart Bill Gates, behaved as ruthless pirates, rather than great leaders.
Working at the Apple Store: Tales from the Inside
http://gizmodo.com/5812622/working-at-the-apple-store-tales-from-the-inside
AP:
so what? Sounds like what good sales people do without training. Bottom line though is that Apple has good products maybe not perfect in nerdville but good for the rest of us.
jOhnathan tUrley: Unless you declare on this blog that you have ceased doing business with Apple, I will henceforth employ the lower case letter phony baloney employed by Apple. You have been “conned”. Not by Carl Ichan but by Apple babble bo fapple. Whine and dine. There is nothing superior in your dump Iphone or your mAc computer. If the first two letters are ever the same, you drop them both and say the name…. (Name game song). If the company cant spull then drop the product in the mud. Thus far you aint no stud.
“It is like Stepford Wives meets Revenge of the Nerds.”
Or worse.
http://gizmodo.com/5938323/how-to-be-a-genius-this-is-apples-secret-employee-training-manual
http://gizmodo.com/5936324/exclusive-confessions-from-the-most-corrupt-apple-store-in-america
My sympathies on what you went through with your cord. The Lion OS is also a problem. There are boxes to check to not have every program reopen everything that was open on restart — and they do not work. Not a one of them. Safari, Word, Preview, Text Edit will open dozens of documents you had open unless you manually close all the docs in each.
I just sent the following letter to Tim Cook, the head of Apple, with several examples (a screenshot of the checkbox that doesn’t work and a page from a Mac site with countless other examples):
“4 May 2013
Dear Tim,
I have had Macs since around 1985 when I got one through University of Michigan’s student discount program. (I even got my boyfriend at the Apple store 11 years ago, when I went in to look at the iPod and he was there shopping for a replacement for one he lost on the plane.)
Something about Macs has changed — something got difficult and non-user-friendly.
I realize things get more complex as technology moves forward, but every time I restart my computer, I must manually shut down Safari, Word, and Preview or every single thing I had open reopens.
This means I have to babysit the shutdown process and force-quit things and it’s irritating.
The click box to not have my Mac do this is unchecked, but that doesn’t work. I tried changing things in System Prefs and Word prefs. Nothing works.
Lots of people have this problem if you Google it.
If you look at the advice on the help pages on Apple and elsewhere, geeks will tell you you have to copy something into Terminal Mode. I tried that but I don’t really know how to use Terminal Mode and I don’t want to have to write code to use my Mac. I never have, and that was the beautiful point of the thing.
Please fix this. An otherwise Apple-loving longtime customer.”
I do my very best NOT to go into an Apple Store. They are not interested in you unless you look like a buyer. I like Apple products compared to others, but I buy from a local Apple authorized dealer, or I buy on the internet (where there are no taxes). I plan to get rid of my iPhone for another smartphone because Apple acts more like a Microsoft (monopolist) in controlling their apps and software environment.
I think it is like voting; if you won’t consider anything else, they do not need to do anything to keep you. They do not even have to be nice to you, or keep their promises, and if it serves their profit agenda they can stab you in the back. Not a problem for them, because you won’t consider anything else….
The comments above got me to wonering just how prevalent this is around the nation.
Is it the new normal?
If so, it is another indicator of systemic abuse … another facet of the bully epidemic.
When you can no longer be ready willing and able to service the public and equally and just as good other manufactures are available….. The market place will control….. Bon thaw for you….
But there are questions I have…. They are being forced to one, share the cash hoard with share holders… Good ideal…. Two, the stock is losing value….. Not that it’s cheap….. Three, the have lines or credit lined up…. See number 1…. Why?
Apple has to reinvent itself….. Me the mn that did…. Is not there anymore……
That’s why I go to am authorized reseller. No hassles with warranty issues, no waiting for a “genius”. The store has “super geniuses” 😉
Why has Apple entered the common world of shoddy products, legacy systems that no longer function properly and uncaring so-called customer support? I believe these signs of failure result from an insular and archaic corporate hierarchy, a corporate hardening of their arteries, if you will. An early sign of weakness in a very competitive environment.
I too have been an Apple user since Apple II, and the earliest Macs, but now I also use a PC for most of my graphic work because it is far less expensive to own a customized and faster machine.
Time to consider selling your Apple stock.
“It is like Stepford Wives meets Revenge of the Nerds.”
Now there’s a graphic user interface for ya.
Those execs are always welcome on Wall Street.
While I hate to patronize Wal-Mart, we make an exception for Apple products — cheap extended warranty and hassle-free returns and exchanges. It doesn’t take a genius to take one’s business elsewhere.
Well at least you didn’t spend $3300 on a Apple //GS Woz machine, and then have Apple just pull support for your product, so they could TRY to sell their inferior Mac.
So they went from having 95% of the market to 5%….
This is a known problem. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/11/10/apple_magsafe_replacement/
CHEAP. The number one goal of all consumer product companies is “make it as cheaply as possible”. And boy-oh do they know how to shave every corner! Thinner, cheaper material, poverty level wages, third-word countries that have no oversight so that they can abuse employees, dump toxic waste into the air, land & water and make factories that are deadly to their workers. Apple is no worse than the rest in this matter.
But the CEOs are doing very handsomely.
Next time, buy a new cord, swap it with the old one, and then return for being defective. Saves a lot of aggravation and unnecessary hipster interaction. Particularly via Amazon, which handles returns excellently.