When Customer Service Works

[Elmo T]

It is a sad state of affairs when we are happy that things happen as they should.

My 80G Video iPod died last weekend - the typical Apple :( icon. It was a Christmas gift the previous year and less than a year old. On Monday (Columbus Day), I took it to my local Apple retailer/repair shop. As it was still under warranty, they said I need to go to the Apple website and follow the repair request instructions there. I could hear the train leaving the tracks as he spoke.

I filled out the repair request on Monday. On Tuesday, DHL dropped off a empty box to return the iPod. I repackaged it and immediately dropped it off at the local "Package and Mail" retail shop. I just had to peel the label and off it went.

On Wednesday, I received an email that the iPod was received in California that morning. Initial diagnosis was that the problem was covered under warrany and a replacement was being mailed out.

On Friday AM, DHL delivered the replacement iPod.

This shouldn't be news, but so often things go horribly wrong - and I am sure that there are some horror stories out there. It was a pleasant surprise that, for once, the system worked as advertised.

[Sean Malone]

Corporate attitude is changing toward customer service product support. Basically, thank the bean counters; The post WW2 mantra of "the customer is always right" has digressed into "it costs us too much to care about our customers". I believe it was Virgin Mobile that recently informed repeat callers to their customer service that their contracts were being terminated. the reason? It was costing the company too much to support these customers. I also believe it is a way for companies to push their own merchandise warranty service. Pay $40, on every hundred, more for your item and if it breaks you go to the shelf and get a brand new one in the box. No muss, no fuss. Works great too. I've used it four or five times at Best Buy. I paid $600 for the Best Buy plan on my HDTV. I had to have the light engine replaced at 15 months. No questions asked. The tech said getting Sony to replace it out of warranty would have been impossible and even difficult while in warranty. So, the $600 plan has saved saved me $1100 out of pocket. I also get two free bulbs when they go.
Sears offers the same kind of program as does Circuit City.

In your case the manufacturer is backing them, which is great. Typically manufacturer warranty exchanges are harder than pulling ones own teeth. A buddy of mine was very surprised recently when his Xbox 360 fragged (geekspeak for broke) and two weeks later he had a new one direct from M$.
Luckily they determined that it was covered under warrenty or you would have had a 10 month old worthless iPod.

[jonovision_man]

It is a sad state of affairs when we are happy that things happen as they should.

My 80G Video iPod died last weekend - the typical Apple :( icon. It was a Christmas gift the previous year and less than a year old. On Monday (Columbus Day), I took it to my local Apple retailer/repair shop. As it was still under warranty, they said I need to go to the Apple website and follow the repair request instructions there. I could hear the train leaving the tracks as he spoke.

I filled out the repair request on Monday. On Tuesday, DHL dropped off a empty box to return the iPod. I repackaged it and immediately dropped it off at the local "Package and Mail" retail shop. I just had to peel the label and off it went.

On Wednesday, I received an email that the iPod was received in California that morning. Initial diagnosis was that the problem was covered under warrany and a replacement was being mailed out.

On Friday AM, DHL delivered the replacement iPod.

This shouldn't be news, but so often things go horribly wrong - and I am sure that there are some horror stories out there. It was a pleasant surprise that, for once, the system worked as advertised.

Wow! That's fantastic. :thumbup:

jono

[Robstar]

Yeah, my iPod Nano died while under warranty... Took it to the resller, they sent it back to Apple & I had a brand new one in under a week... :thumbup:

[chop456]

Called Cingular for a replacement SIM card today - $25

Went to the local independent Cingular store where I bought the phone - free. :tony:

[cart7]

.... I paid $600 for the Best Buy plan on my HDTV. I had to have the light engine replaced at 15 months. No questions asked. The tech said getting Sony to replace it out of warranty would have been impossible and even difficult while in warranty. So, the $600 plan has saved saved me $1100 out of pocket. I also get two free bulbs when they go.
Sears offers the same kind of program as does Circuit City.
...

Actually, Sony has been having a number of issues with engines in a number of their LCP sets and have extended the warranties on those parts.

Still, extended warranties on todays sets are almost a must. Part costs on any of these sets are high. The lamp replacement add-on is a big plus all by itself.

[racermike]

Bank of UnAmerica "lost" my $2,800 deposit Monday (even though I had deposit slip, with all sorts of codes and numbers on it)

Manager at local branch here, got his game face on, and spent the better part of his day making sure that my money would be in my account no later than 5pm.

At 4:59pm I get the call that he made an executive decision, and breaking the rules and crediting my account with the full amount deposited, even though they still cannot figure out where my money ended up.

[Insomniac]

Apple has really good customer support when it comes to things like that. They don't ask many questions when you're under warranty. They send out parts or replace it pretty fast.

[KLang]

Bank of UnAmerica "lost" my $2,800 deposit Monday (even though I had deposit slip, with all sorts of codes and numbers on it)

Manager at local branch here, got his game face on, and spent the better part of his day making sure that my money would be in my account no later than 5pm.

At 4:59pm I get the call that he made an executive decision, and breaking the rules and crediting my account with the full amount deposited, even though they still cannot figure out where my money ended up.

The wife and I have had several instances of fraud on our various BofA accounts and I have been impressed with how well they have worked with us to quickly clean up the messes. :thumbup:

[Warlock!]

I saw a great deal on a snowmobile helmet at the end of last season, but was told the snowmobile version was not available as of yet. They could sell me the motorcycle version and I could buy the snowmobile parts (dual lens face shield, breath deflector, chin protector, and some extra neck padding... prolly $50-$75 worth) when they came out later in the year. I figured I could use it as a bike helmet as well, so I bought the helmet.

Last week I checked their website to buy the appropriate parts for the winter conversion... but they're nowhere to be found. I sent an e-mail to their customer service and told them I was half-pissed that the conversion parts weren't available yet. Two days later I get a package via UPS with all the conversion parts, two helmet bags, a mess of key chains and stickers, all free of charge. Score. :thumbup:

[Sean Malone]

I saw a great deal on a snowmobile helmet at the end of last season, but was told the snowmobile version was not available as of yet. They could sell me the motorcycle version and I could buy the snowmobile parts (dual lens face shield, breath deflector, chin protector, and some extra neck padding... prolly $50-$75 worth) when they came out later in the year. I figured I could use it as a bike helmet as well, so I bought the helmet.

Last week I checked their website to buy the appropriate parts for the winter conversion... but they're nowhere to be found. I sent an e-mail to their customer service and told them I was half-pissed that the conversion parts weren't available yet. Two days later I get a package via UPS with all the conversion parts, two helmet bags, a mess of key chains and stickers, all free of charge. Score. :thumbup:

Pop calls companies all the time, usually to tell them how much he LIKES their product and/or service and it's surprising how often they will send him something, like coupons or free crap.

[Elmo T]

Ugh - so my replacement iPod bit the dust this weekend. Same as the last one - playing music and then an electronic pop noise through the speakers. The iPod now shows the sad face icon. The circumstances are the same as the last one: both times the iPod was plugged into the AV Aux input on my Tribeca. It was running on battery, the only cable connected was the audio/video out.

Is there some chance that the car is somehow zapping the iPod?

FWIW - Apple is replacing this one again no questions asked.

[Andrew Longman]

Did they say what the problem was last time, other than to say it was covered?

I suppose it is possible that a surge of some type could come from the car's amp back to the iPod and cook it, but it seem unlikely. It is pushing power to the speakers, not back to the device.

Vibration also seems unlikely as riding in a holder in a car seems pretty calm. But then there are those PA roads... :)

[Elmo T]

There was no report back on the unit. Apple sent out a replacement. I don't think vibration is an issue and it doesn't get tossed around.

We are proud of our PA roads though and pot hole season is upon us. There is nothing like the satisfying whunk of alloy wheels and a 6" crater in the traveled part of the roadway.

[Andrew Longman]

We are proud of our PA roads though and pot hole season is upon us. There is nothing like the satisfying whunk of alloy wheels and a 6" crater in the traveled part of the roadway.


Indeed. I've replaced 3 of 4 wheels on my TL and one on my Odyssey and I'm convinced its from my time on PA roads. My wife was driving the Odyssey on Rt 32 north of Pt Pleasant and hit a hole that took a 5 inch chunk out of the wheel but somehow didn't blow the tire. It was also fortunate that the elephant in the hole was not hurt.;)

Question for you. Why are some PA roads red such as Rt 202 near New Hope? Drives my wife nuts for some reason.

[G.]

Ugh - so my replacement iPod bit the dust this weekend. Same as the last one - playing music and then an electronic pop noise through the speakers. The iPod now shows the sad face icon. The circumstances are the same as the last one: both times the iPod was plugged into the AV Aux input on my Tribeca. It was running on battery, the only cable connected was the audio/video out.

Is there some chance that the car is somehow zapping the iPod?

FWIW - Apple is replacing this one again no questions asked.Do you have an impedance inbalance thing going on? Is your ipod amp trying to drive a too-low input on the stereo? High current can make amps go pop.

(I really don't know much about the mp3 players' Ins and Outs. I'm asking. Cuz I have this unused input on my home stereo...)

[dando]

We are proud of our PA roads though and pot hole season is upon us. There is nothing like the satisfying whunk of alloy wheels and a 6" crater in the traveled part of the roadway.

You're welcome. :gomer: I pay $40 round trip to OCNJ for the privilege of driving on those fine roads (+$3 to drive over the Walt from NJ...no charge from Philly to NJ. WTF?). Now if y'all could just get the Schuykill figgered out. :irked: Oh, and they could also fix the 50s era I-70 from WV to Stanton/I-76, that'd be great, too. ;)

-Kevin

[Elmo T]

Question for you. Why are some PA roads red such as Rt 202 near New Hope? Drives my wife nuts for some reason.

Red as in the color of the asphalt? I thought it was the nature of the stone they are using in the mix.

Though I found this on the innerweb:


Colored asphalt pavement can create better visual setting as well as improve the safety and smoothness of driving. In this research, colored asphalt samples with various amounts of dye are examined to study the surface color changes at different aging periods. Distributions of surface colors on the samples are analyzed in both the RGB and HSI color spaces. Two types of dyes, green and red, with five different ratios are mixed with clear asphalt to make colored asphalt samples. The samples are exposed to ultraviolet light in the QUV tester for five different aging spans. Results show that the amount and type of dye added, and the different aging spans affect fading in the colored asphalt. Results also indicate that clear asphalt mixed with 5% or more of dye is capable of manufacturing better-colored asphalt. Finally, colored asphalt with red dye showed better resistance to ultraviolet light.

[Elmo T]

Do you have an impedance inbalance thing going on? Is your ipod amp trying to drive a too-low input on the stereo? High current can make amps go pop.


Uhhh... 220, 221... whatever it takes... ;)

The iPod is plugged into an Apple "video out" cord. The cord is plugged into the AV input in the rear seat of the Tribeca. Works great. I can listen to music or the kids can watch video on the rear screen TV via the iPod. I have the same connection on the Odyssey.

[Elmo T]

NJ...no charge from Philly to NJ. WTF?).



Like being held hostage. You have to pay to get out of NJ. :laugh:

[Andrew Longman]

Red as in the color of the asphalt? I thought it was the nature of the stone they are using in the mix.

Though I found this on the innerweb:

Yes asphalt. I've seen in several places in PA but nowhere else

Your research about red protecting the roas from UV makes sense.

Drives my wife nuts. Says it distracts her. Sort like watching a Boise St football game for me.

Good luck with the iPod

[oddlycalm]

Yes asphalt. I've seen in several places in PA but nowhere else There used to be some on the highways traversing the White Mountains in Eastern Arizona, no idea if there still are. Similar color to the soil there so I always assumed that was somehow connected. UV inhibiting would make sense in Arizona as well.

On warranty costs - If a company is building a good product the warranty costs should be negligible. Granted we aren't in the consumer products business, but our warranty costs have never even approached 0.1% of gross sales. We routinely grant extended warranties rather that cut prices when negotiating large orders because it makes the buyer think he's won something and it doesn't cost us anything to do it.

oc