In January I decided to get a laptop and I bought an Apple. Before taking this class I never thought that much about customer service in the computer world. This is because I haven't ever had problems with a computer before. Now before all the PC owners start saying I told you so, this was kind of my fault. I started picking at my 8 key because to me it was a little crooked. I took it off once and put it back on. Then the other night while typing a paper I pressed it and it kind of fell off.
I wasn't sure what to do so I called the Apple store in the Briarwood mall and told them my situation. The customer service over the phone was wonderful. When the man picked up the phone he was very calm and understanding. He tried to work with me and didn't seem to get upset, he was very relaxed. And at the end he made me feel good by joking with me, he asked if I would be alright until we got the key fixed. His overall demeanor made me feel calmer about the situation. I was a little worried because I had paid so much money for this and it is something that I spend a lot of time working on.
I guess that I was apprehensive because whenever something goes wrong most people ask what did you do. I was afraid that I would find blame from the technician because I had caused the key to fall off. It was a relief that he was willing to help no matter what. When I went to the store for my appointment, the apple doctor was friendly and had a wonderful disposition. He fixed my computer and didn't get upset when it was a little more difficult than he had anticipated. In the end when I asked what this was going to cost he said nothing. It was such a positive experience because I know when I think of going to places and getting it fixed it costs an exorbitant amount.
I believe that this is what sets Apple apart from its competitors. They care and they truly do put a lot of effort into customer service. If only all things could be this pain free when trying to fix them.
I have also experienced quality customer service when dealing with Apple technicians. I do not own an Apple computer (unfortunately), but my girlfriends computer was really messed up a while back and the service technicians at the Apple store were better than most of the wait staff at local restaurants.
ReplyDeleteI think one reason Apple takes pride in their customer service is because they do care. One has to remember that Apple (from a computer standpoint) is still considered a small company. Monopolies like Microsoft effect so many people that do not care about the individual in need of help. Apple considers helping the little man because at the moment, in the computer industry, they are not on top.
I really understand where you are coming from. I think that Apple does care about their products and they want to satisfy the customer. I think that since Apple hasn't been a large company for as long as say IBM, they have a great memory of what it is like to be a small company. And before they became a larger company they had to have excellent customer service to keep the business that they already had.
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