Tuesday, August 9, 2011

take on customer service

one thing that really gets to me is that customer service has degenerated to nothing more than some rep reading off a script.    Last week, when I needed to get my IPhone replaced, I walk into the Apple store and walk out after 10 minutes completely satisfied...that is until I realized my phone was draining battery at an exorbitant rate.   Now I've had the exact model, with the exact software, the exact same settings and the exact same apps for a year and know that I should be able to be able to use it for a minimum of 24 hours.  
I march back to the store and explain to another tech what my situation is including the fact it was just replaced for a different physical phone, that my usage is exactly as it always is, that I checked a number of different plugs etc..  I explain I rebooted it and backed it up from ITunes, that I did exactly what they told me to do with the new battery which is charging it to the top and letting it run down to as close to 0 as possible before charging it again and I even thought about sending kumbaya's to Steve Jobs.

when I walked in at 9AM, it had been one hour since I unplugged it from the wall and the battery was already 75% used up while on a typical day I wouldn't even hit the 75% mark till after I got home from work.


tech dude 
"that sound typical"

Righetti
no it's not i am using it exactly the same amount as I always have and my last device which was the exact same model would last me all day, this one died completely yesterday at 5pm after I unplugged it at work at 1pm"

tech dude
a new battery needs to be conditioned

Righetti
yes I realize that,like I explained I charged it to 100% and then let it wear all the way down which wasn't hard because that happened 4 hours later.. I also reinstalled ITunes and installed my info from backup

tech dude
you should try to reinstall Itunes

Righetti
I just told you that I did that

tech dude
it could be an app

Righetti
as i said, I just backed up so i have the exact same apps and settings as I did a week ago

tech dude
maybe it's the power cord

Righetti
but I just said that I tried a number of different ones

tech dude
well battery drain is typical for what you are describing, you are probably using it a lot.

Righetti
I am not sure if I was clear but I used it the same amount as I always have

Tech Dude
well if you last charged it in yesterday..

Righetti
like I mentioned I just unplugged it an hour ago

tech dude
you probably used it a lot

Righetti
I used it the same amount as I always do

tech dude
different models of phones have different battery usage

Righetti
but I'm telling you that my last phone did not have this issue, it was the same exact IPhone 4 model.

tech dude
it was probably a different phone like the IPhone 3G

Righetti
no..i just told you that it was the same IPhone 4

tech dude
I guess this is what you can get from a battery on the IPhone

Righetti
but my last phone gave me a full day of use

tech dude
yep

Righetti
what?

tech dude
anything else you need?

Righetti
I guess not

tech dude
have a nice day


tech dude
try turning off WiFi..

Righetti
I can do that but I'm telling you that I always had it on with my old phone


1 comment:

Unknown said...

I think these tech "service" people don't know any more than I do (which is precious little) about this crap. They have a little flow chart in front of them that tells them to ask the same questions in the same order over and over again regardless of your responses. I feel your pain.