The following is a letter which, after much telephoning, I sent to Apple Store Europe a month ago and details my problem...........................



<my address supplied here>

29th November 2007

to:
Apple Store Customer Care
Apple Operations Europe
Hollyhill Industrial Estate
Hollyhill
Cork
Ireland

Dear Sirs

It is not without some regret that I find that I have to write this letter.

In October, whilst I was on holiday in Florida I thought it a good idea to buy a Camera Connector for my iPod Classic as this would be a simple way of storing photographs from my Nikon D70 rather than carrying around lots of compact flash cards ?I do take rather a lot of photographs.

So I called in to the Apple Store at the Coconut Mall on the Tamiami Trail and, following a conversation with one of the advisers there who confirmed that the Camera Connector would indeed work with the iPod Classic/Nikon D70 combination, I bought one. I also purchased the FM Radio Remote at the same time.

As I didn’t have my Nikon USB cable with me in the states I couldn’t use the Camera Connector until my return to the UK.

The other day, having taken a lot of photographs, I connected the Camera Connector to my iPod Classic for the first time only to find that my iPod gave the Message “Unsupported Device? A trawl on the internet indicates that indeed, contrary to the advice I was given at the store, the Camera Connector (Part No M9861 G/B) is not compatible with the iPod Classic.

So I phoned my nearest UK Apple Store, in the Trafford Centre, Manchester, (some 40+ miles away), with a view to arranging either a refund or an exchange for another item. I spoke to an adviser called Richard who said he wasn’t sure of the policy as it had been bought in the states and would I hold on whilst he checked. Well, I held on, for 32, (yes, THIRTY TWO), minutes before I became convinced that Richard wasn’t coming back to me and put the phone down. To say that that is appalling customer service would be putting it mildly!!!!!

I then called your technical support number and spoke to a very helpful gentleman who confirmed that the Camera Connector wouldn’t work with the Classic but was regrettably unable to help further as the item wasn’t known to be faulty, just incompatible. He did suggest that I rang your Sales number where a very helpful lady put me in touch with a gentleman in the states who was sympathetic but couldn’t do anything from there and suggested I write to yourselves with a view to obtaining a resolution to the situation.

So here I am, a very disenchanted customer…………..

I have a product that I was clearly mis-sold

The Apple Store adviser kept me on hold for a ridiculous amount of time, without him having even the good manners to return to the call at any time. Perhaps he hoped I’d go away?

Getting someone in Apple to take responsibility seems an impossible task as I just keep getting passed from pillar to post. This is a small value item that should be easily refunded or exchanged.

The product comes with an international warranty, yet gaining an international solution to what should be a simple refund or exchange seems a million miles away to me right now.

Actually finding out how to get help in this sort of situation isn’t easy on either your web site, (no phone number or email for Customer Care!!!), or the spoken options on your telephone voice response system, (again, no option for Customer Care).

In this electronic age, and given Apple’s status and position in the computer marketplace, it seems ironic that no one but no one in Apple could tell me your email address; hence me having to use snail mail instead of email.

I love my Classic, it’s a great product. If only Apples customer service was half as good…………?

Or perhaps at last I’ve found someone in Apple who can sort this simple issue out for me and restore my faith in your company?


You can contact me at the above address
email me on <email address supplied>
or phone me on <telephone number supplied>

I would be grateful for an early response.

Yours Sincerely




Peter



................................

To date, no response, nothing, nada, zilch, zip; after a full month!!!!!!!

As you can see, all I want to do is to exchange or refund a product that I was miss-sold.

But Apple just seem to want to ignore me. I mean, if they don't actually care about their customers then why don't they have the courtesy to say so and tell me to go away instead of just ignoring me?

Is this abysmal service typical of Apple?

And does anyone know how I can raise this issue further within Apple to get a satisfactory response, indeed, ANY response?

Many thanks for your patience in reading this.

Best Regards

Peter (One very dissatisfied Apple customer).
=============
Just a quick update....................

Earlier today I managed to talk to a very helpful gentleman at Apple, (Ireland), called Derek.

He listened patiently to my problem, then offered me a ?0 discount on my next purchase from the Apple Online Store as compensation.

As I'm thinking of buying the Composite Video Cable I think that this is a satisfactory outcome.

A pity it took so long to find someone to take responsibility, however, credit where credit is due, Derek did. So THANK YOU DEREK, my faith in Apple has been restored. :) :)

Peter (Now a happy Apple customer).
=============