You know the thrill you get when you finally buy this very expensive item that you’ve wanted for a long time and that is costing you a lot of money but you know it will totally change your life… You know the one, right?
Now, how frustrated do you feel when that thing breaks down? Especially when it happens sooner than you expected right after the warranty is up and at a time when you can’t afford to replace it…
I worked in the consumer services department for a big American company a few years ago and one thing I learned there is that corporations DO want to keep their consumers happy and (most of them) will take complaints seriously, even when the complaint is rather dumb.
This is why I insisted that my friend write a letter to Apple after is MacBook Pro died. I decided to publish this on my blog hoping that it might inspire others that have found themselves in a similar situation to do the same.
I will keep updating here to let you know how and if apple responds…
“To who’m it may concern,
I have a Macbook Pro with a dead logic board. The machine is a little over 18 months old and I am thoroughly dissatisfied with my purchase.
My problems began a few weeks ago, when I started noticing that my computer was having issues waking up from sleep. At first this was fixed by forcing it to power off and then powering it back up. Pretty soon however none of these techniques worked and I was encouraged to take it to the Genius bar in Vancouver who eventually told me that the logic board was dead. I was quoted $1500 CAD plus labour for a new logic board, clearly this would not make financial sense given that a new Macbook Pro starts at $1400 CAD. How is it possible that such an integral piece of electronics can die so quickly? Aren’t Apple products built to last anymore?
I have been fully converted to Apple products since 2004, when I purchased a 12″ PowerBook G4. This machine lasted me for 4 years with no problems whatsoever, and was a really fantastic computer. When I bought my Macbook Pro in Brighton, England in March of 2008, my reasons for replacing my G4 were entirely for improved performance, since I had recently started working as a professional video editor. In fact I passed my old machine on to a friend of mine and as far as I am aware, it is still running fine.
I take great care of my possessions always, especially expensive items. I missed out on buying Apple Care for my Macbook Pro as I along with many others this year have been struggling with the downturn in the economy. My laptop was essential for my work and I cannot afford to pay $1500 to replace a logic board 18 months from purchase. Neither can I afford to buy a new laptop. I have always believed that the quality of Apple products has been worth the extra investment. Obviously I was wrong. I feel that Apple has now reached such an enormous level of success that quality is no longer a priority. You claim to promote environmental sustainability in the design of your products, but how about discouraging this throw-away society we live in by offering products with greater longevity, ensuring your customers don’t have to make a decision between a tiny piece of circuitry or an entire new laptop 18 months down the road. What does Apple consider a fair lifetime for their computers anyway? My story is far from isolated. Since this happened I have heard several similar stories and like other people I am now considering a return to PCs. Never-mind the aesthetics, at least I’ll get what I pay for.
I hope that your company considers customer support to be a significantly higher priority than product reliability, and that you will find a way to rebuild my trust in Apple computers.”
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