Alternate Entries

Monday, July 14, 2008

I got a new iPhone. I admit it, I like those shiny new things, maybe too much. But here's the rub: I stood in line Friday for a total of 9 hours and didn't get a phone. First we were told that the servers had been down earlier, but they were up now, and things would be fine. Then we were told that the activation process, which was supposed to take 10 minutes, was taking, on average, 30 minutes, per customer, and sometimes took as much as 2 hours, but that they would stay open until everyone in line got a phone. Then they announced that maybe not everybody, because the store would have to close at 11, so the people at the very end of the line should probably go home. And then, until the people *not* from the very end of the line who were still left standing just outside the store at 11 PM, when the doors closed, until those people threatened to start a small riot, the best that the store manager could suggest was that we all just come back the next day and stand in line again. In the end, most of us got vouchers to jump the line on Saturday. I did, and I got the phone.

Then yesterday I got an email from Apple - "We want to hear from you. We would appreciate feedback on your experience at the Apple Store so we can make your next visit even better." So I went to the survey website, and I let them hear from me. Given that my ratings were, uh, a little on the low side, the survey asked me whether I would allow someone to call me and follow up. I wasn't thrilled, but I said yes, and told them that they could reach at home after 6. At 3 this afternoon, Roberto from the store called and left a message - I read what you wrote and clearly we dropped the ball. I would really, really appreciate it if you would call me back so that we can talk further.

Okay. So around 6:30, after I got home from work, I called him. Another clerk answered the phone: Roberto was "finishing up with a customer," could he call me back afterwards? Sure. And you can probably guess what follows: I make dinner, I play on the computer, I watch some TV. And no call back. And the problem is *now* I'm not just irritated, I'm mad. It's one thing to think that corporate screw-ups of almost unimaginable proportions have stressed badly prepared twenty-something retail clerks so much that they behave less well than one would hope. But to ask someone for their input, and then to respond at a time when that someone has said that they would not be available, and then to ask them for *more* of their time, and then to blow them off, well, that's just mind-boggling. Fix customer service issues by showing yet more contempt for the customer? Interesting approach.

posted by jeev | 10:52 PM |

Tasty

gorick
arts and letters daily
dogs and more
I prefer not to
Here, Now
Right here, Right now
The Blank Page
DiRT, ian's doc reviewing tool

Del.icio.us

Miss something?
Where all this comes from

(Atom feed for the blog, which is not the Del.icio.us feed)

It's always Friday here

www.flickr.com

Archive

site tools