Applewashed

So about a week and a half ago I lost my cell phone, a perfect excuse to get a new and improved one :borat:

I have At&T so off to the store at Queens Center Mall. I was interested in the AT&T Tilt since I use it for work emails. The Tilt also has everything (3G, GPS ETC). Of course they are on backorder so I am looking at other phones. Near the front window is the iPhone winking at me so I go over and play with it. I have seen the phone before and was intrigued. So i bit the bullet and got one.

It took me a few days to find a way to get my work email working since it isn't a straightforward approach. Once I found it I was very happy with the phone. Then last Monday out of the blue I received an error message "Repair Needed, Please go to http://apple.com/support), I was pissed. I tried reset and hard reset but no good results. I call the AT&T line and they tell me to bring it into the store I got it. When I get to the AT&T Store at the Queens Center Mall the salesman I got the phone from a week ago is cool and trying to figure it out but then says there is nothing he can do and I have to go to the Apple Store. Since I only had the phone a week I just asked for a replacement which was denied. The store manager (a skinny wimpy little guy) thought he could be an idiot and not have to listen to a customer. Well he got to listen to a whole lot and just short of shoving the iPhone box down his throat I left.

So after a long call to AT&T customer service I had an official complaint on the store manager, a $70 credit for my troubles and a still broken iPhone. I called apple support and they told me they would send me out a service phone so I can send mine in for repair. I told them I would try to get to an Apple store (not that I wanted to since there are none in Queens) since I didn't think I would get the service phone any time soon because of the holidays. The apple service was very nice and if the AT&T manager would have said this instead of being an idiot things would have gone easier.

On Wednesday I looked at Apple.com and found there was an open appointment at their technical support in Roosevelt Field. The appointment was for 8:40 PM and I wasn't too happy to go out there but I resigned myself that if I wanted the phone before the holidays this is what I had to do.

I arrive at the mall and hunt for the store and of course it is on the opposite side from where I parked. The only good part was there was a lot of mall *****s around so the sights made it easier. The store is packed and I think it's going to be a long night. Once I walked through the door I actually felt a calming feeling. The store felt like a very cool place to be, the sales people greeted me and asked what I would like to see. When I said I was there for tech support they apoligized that I had to come in and asked my name. After a few clicks on a symbol PDA (the only non apple item in the store) a list of names popped up on all the flatscreens in the place. There I was number seven and the sales person advised it should be only a few minutes and pointed me toward a counter with the name genius bar over it. Being a former tech support manager I was interested in how they handled their problems. All the paople working there were very nice (too nice I thought for tech support). When it came to my turn my name was called and I raised my hand. The tech, Matt, listened to my plight and said he be right back. Thinking the worst I was waiting for the "there is nothing we can do" speech. Instead in his hand was a brand new iPhone still shrinkwrapped. He switched my SIM card and made sure I was activated and good to go.

While I waited for Matt to finalize my new phone I looked around and the place was amazing. I played with a few of their MACs and felt myself being drawn to the other side. I even joked that I have been a PC person for 17 years. The sales person joked that was OK, it wasn't my fault. I really began to like the apple. Compared to the Windows Vista the new Apple OS is a dream that it actually works. My next PC purchase may just be an Apple. If the experience I had at the Apple Store is what Apple brings to their product then I may be sold.

Oh, By they way on Friday FedEx delivered a service iPhone to my house. Confused I called Apple and told them I went to the Apple Store and didn't think they were sending the service phone. The customer service person said "that's OK, we wanted to make sure your were taken care of, just send it back with the return slip attatched. Boy, now that is service.

I hope Apple expands the IPhone to other phone carriers and gets away from AT&T because AT&T is screwing up their great service.

I can see why people who have Apples love them.