Where Have I Been??

AppleCare

Attn: Customer Service

PO Box 149125

Austin, TX 78714-9125

Date 1/18/08

To Whom it may concern,

This letter is intended to resolve a specification issue with my Mac Book Pro which was purchased form the US Apple online store early December 2007, and to express my frustration, and praise, to you about my recent experience with Apple Care and its system. 

I purchased a refurbished MacBook Pro online with the specifications as follows: 2.4 ghz dual core intel processor, 160gig hard drive and 2gig RAM.

What I received was a MacBook Pro with a 200gig hard drive and 4gig RAM.

I thought, since it was a refurbished computer, someone had upgraded the computer and I was “lucky” enough to benefit from this “error”.

Not so.

3 weeks later, my hard drive died. Having purchased the AppleCare protection, I took my laptop to ASTI Computers in Dresden, Germany on January 11th 2007. 

Thinking ahead that this “luck” may indeed be a problem, I called Apple tech support and was told that the technician could see by how the computer is “sealed” that the hard drive is the original. 

On Monday, January 14th, I received a phone call from the technician telling me that I had to come and get my computer because he couldn’t fix it.

Of course, anyone would be shocked after having spend 2600 dollars on a 3 week old computer.

Upon further questioning, I was told that what was in the database was a 160gig hard drive and I have a 200gig hard drive. He told me, with some suspicion in his voice, that it was not possible to order a replacement.

So I called Apple’s tech support and after getting put up to a Tier 2 support member, I was told not to worry and they would use a “customer exception” code to straighten out the problem. I was then advised to stop into the repair center and tell the technician the part would be shipped the next day.

When I did this, the technician, again, said that it wasn’t possible and that “the Apple support rep lied”. Heartbroken, I asked if I could then call Apple support and try to clear up this misunderstanding.

During our conversation, just to ease my worries, I asked him if he could see that I didn’t install a different hard drive because of how it is sealed. He told me that he could see that it was the original drive, but it didn’t matter because the information in the database was wrong and he still couldn’t fix it.

After the technician and Jens, the Apple care support rep from Germany (who was incredibly helpful) had some words, I was informed that the request was in the GSX system and it would be no problem; my computer would be repaired.

The technician, again, shared with me his doubts and instilled in me the fear that my computer would never be fixed.

Well, a few days later, I got a call from this technician saying that my computer was finished and I could pick it up.

I got it home, and to my surprise, there was no OS installed. I have had some service done to a Powerbook I owned a few years ago with a dead hard drive, and it came back to me ready to use. 

Perhaps I am a complete exception to the normal situations in the Apple system, but I am a very enthusiastic customer who has converted 5 friends to Macs. Notwithstanding, being told by a service provider they could not (would not?) fix my 3 week old computer is absolutely unacceptable, as was the lack of investigation done by this service provider. I was able, in 45 minutes, to clear up the problem. Certainly, the technician, as an extension of Apple, could have done the same.

I expect resolution to this situation. I would like the information in the database changed so that the warranty provides coverage to my “exceptional” laptop, supporting documentation if necessary, and some kind of follow through regarding this service provider.

I am expecting a timely response.

Sincerely yours,

Robert Brown

cc:  Applecare USA
Apple Customer Support USA