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| WddNews.com Consumer Report Is it a Rotten Apple? |
- Through the years I have had some interesting experiences with companies large and small. I am a consumer
that expects justice when I or a member of my family has shown enough confidence in a company and its
products to shell out some of our hard earn cash.
About 18 years ago, when I was a regular jogger and going through at least 3 pair of Nike Running Shoes a
year I was talked into purchasing the latest version of a Nike running shoe instead of the type I had grown
accustomed to using.
It turned out to be a lemon. I contacted Nike and told them my story. I assured them if they did not take care of
the problem not me or any other member of my family would ever purchase anything Nike again.
They took care of me by not only sending me a replacement pair of shoes, but an additional pair to show how
much they valued my previous business and hoped I would continue to consider purchasing Nike products in the
future.
With three kids and a wife that prefers to wear Nikes, including my one daughter who would go through at least 3
pair of softball shoes a year for about 12 years when she was a pitcher, I estimate our loyalty to Nike has
resulted in close to 100 pair of Nike shoes purchased as well as apparel bearing the Nike label since that time.
The 2 pair of shoes turned out to be an excellent investment for Nike.
AOL did not do as well. About 8 years ago, I returned their DSL component after a trial run. They claimed I did
not or did not follow their policy on returning things.
They had no record of it being returned to them. And when I asked if it was possible it incorrectly was entered
into the computer or it sat in a warehouse misplaced somewhere or someone in receiving decided to go into
business for themselves and possibly took it.........
The young lady on the other end got snotty and said that any of what I mentioned was impossible because they
did not make mistakes at AOL.
I cancelled my subscription. I was one of the original AOL members, probably early in their first year.
I have not spent any money with them since and as I’m sure most of you know, since that time AOL has not done
near as well as they did in the 90s as a company.
Their attitude toward their customers no doubt played a role in their descent.
DSH (Dish) Satellite Service is another that did not do a very good job of taking care of me when I cancelled
their service to go with DIRECTV a few years ago.
I did everything that they asked when returning their equipment, but DSH refused to refund about $35 of my
money they had.
Since DIRECTV has and is doing an outstanding job of service with me, DSH, as hard as they try and the great
offers they email and snail mail me has almost an impossible task of getting me back because of the $35 issue.
Was keeping my $35 good long term business strategy? Of course not! It is the same type of attitude AOL had
with me and I’m sure others.
My latest adventure of trying to get justice for myself or a member of my family from a company is with Apple.
It happened on Mother’s Day.
My son has had an I-Pod touch for about 2-years. It has 16 GB.
He has a paper route and has a pretty fair amount of discretionary money. For the most part he has earned
ever penny invested in his I-Pod, which I estimate to be about $1000 with all the purchases he has made over
the last several months.
Not that it should matter to Apple where the money comes from, that is used to purchase its products or
services, but I think it is a point worth mentioning.
He bought a card on Saturday at Wal-mart with the intention of upgrading the I-Pod to the latest version, which
from where I sit is at least interesting that Apple feels the need to charge $5 for an upgrade to the latest
versions it offers.
He did the smart thing before he upgraded online. He called Apple to see if there was any chance at all that he
could lose anything he had on his I-Pod that he purchased from Apple or downloaded from another source.
The person on the other end assured him he had no fear of losing anything and it was a pretty simple upgrade
and should come off without any problems.
Well, as soon as he started the upgrade he lost everything. The I-Pod became virtually worthless.
He got my wife involved (remember this is Mother’s Day). She called the company and talked to another
individual and explained what happened. He said he wasn’t sure why it happened and offered to her some
things to try and that it should restore everything he lost from Apple, but he would probably be out or have to
reload anything else he had on the I-Pod.
I walked into the room in the middle of this conversation and watched as my son and wife tried to restore what he
had lost. They received error message after error message and both were getting increasingly frustrated.
I decided to step-in and get into my problem-solving mode and decided I was going to call and not let them off
the hook.
Apple had sold my son this I-Pod and much of what was on it and they had advised him to go ahead and do the
upgrade without any fear of losing anything. It was totally their responsibility to make sure this issue was
resolved without him losing anything that he had acquired with his hard-earned money.
I asked to talk to a supervisor or the highest person in charge I could speak with. I told the young lady I was
very upset with her company and talking to anyone other than someone in authority at this point was a total
waste of time.
- A supervisor came to the phone.
I explained to him what had happened and what I thought should be done to resolve the problem.
He told me that was not possible. That it was too bad he had lost everything, but he could not offer replacement
that was not something he was authorized to do.
I asked to talk to someone that could.
He said that was not possible.
I said you mean that there is no one at Apple that can offer any solution to this problem than what was offered to
us earlier. I added I know better than that. I know you have someone in your company that has the capability of
getting an I-Pod down loading everything he has purchased from you and sending it to us.
He said. No we do not.
I told him I hope you are recording this because I have the capability of recording as well.
He got upset and said if you are recording me…I need to hang-up on you.
I said so it is okay for you record me, but you can’t talk to me if I am recording you.
He hung-up!
Note: I was not recording him, but simply told him I could. It is very interesting that Apple feels they can record
anyone that calls them, but will not talk to you if they feel you are recording them…..What are they trying to
hide????? It does not pass the smell test!
I called back…They answered and of course know right away the previous person I talked to hung-up on
me…and he already had his version of what happened in the system, which was not totally true.
Enter Quincy a young man with Apple for less than a year, but seemed by far more knowledgeable, more
capable, and more willing to solve a problem than any of the previous at least 5 people we had talked to.
Quincy diffused much of the frustration and anger we had at that time almost immediately. Quincy was patient
and worked through with us trying to solve the issue.
I spent almost 3 hours with and without Quincy trying to get this I-Pod working. Three hours on Mother’s Day
and could not sit down to dinner with my wife and children as I tried to do my part to solve the issue.
I went on two different computers on the advice of Quincy. At some point, Quincy offered a replacement and
noted to me this is something that anyone at Apple can do without approval needed from anyone. It was
something they all had in their arsenal to solve problems.
He was limited to like for like and a reconditioned version in our case.
It was basically what I had asked for from the guy that hung-up on me.
I really think with all things considered Apple should be doing more. At this point, they really should be sending
my son the latest 16 GB with the latest versions of everything and everything he has purchased already loaded.
Remember what Nike did and the good sound business decision it turned out to be.
As it stands now, we have no assurance that all of what Quincy has done will end-up solving the issue. And
besides it appears that we will be spending a considerable amount of time downloading once the replacement
gets here.
Why should we have to invest more of our time solving a problem which was created by Apple?
If Apple or any other company is going to sell hardware, software, and other things to 12-year olds and younger
they have a responsibility to make sure these consumers are taken care of. And are not treated in the manner
my son has been.
How many others in his shoes gave up right away and basically threw their thousand dollars out the window?
Does Apple really care about taking care of them or is their attitude we have their money…too bad for them?
I can assure you in the case of my son and my family if Apple ever expects anymore of any of our business they
better take care of him. He is someone that will be around for a long long time as a potential Apple customer. If
they don’t take care of him…they will never get anymore of his business, which could turn out to be
considerable. And that is not even to mention his future kids, his sisters kids, and all the friends he will tell
through the years.
They messed up and my son should not have to pay for their mistakes.
had an interesting experience on Mother's Day dealing with Apple on an issue in regards to his son's I-Pod. Randy wrote a blog about the experience We will keep you updated on what happens. If you have had an experience with a comapny and would like to share it with us email: |
| by Randy Novotny |
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