Image Source: applegeniusbar.org
It’s a funny feeling to live during a time where Apple products are so-pop-culture that there is a segment of society that takes joy in being proud Apple product avoiders. After all, as fellow Apple fans, who can’t recall the time where owning Apple products meant you were too anti-mainstream?
Even though the climate has changed, one question is still repeatedly asked of Apple owners: “Why do you pay such a high price for the name?”
And we have many, but what it ultimately boils down to is personal preference. We all have our own personal reasons why we spend $1,300 on a laptop or $400 on a phone when we just as easily could spend a quarter of that if we found the right sale.
Somewhere near the top of my list is the always phenomenal service I receive at the Genius Bar. My most recent experience was roughly one month ago when, seemingly out of nowhere, the lock button on my iPhone decided it didn’t want to come out of its depressed state. An unlockable iPhone was a thought too much to bear, so I rushed over to the Apple Store the next morning to rectify the situation.
My only problem? The phone was more than one month outside of warranty.
On my first two Macs and first two iPhones, I purchased AppleCare because I thought it to be a good investment. And, in my case, it was. But for the iPhone 4, I opted against it and now thought I was living to regret it. But I had to at least get an estimate for repair.
I was in and out of the store in under ten minutes with a new phone at no cost to me.
I was stunned.
The Genius Bar employee could not have been nicer. He asked a few questions, took it to the back, and came out with a new one. Before I could even ask, he said, “Yes, you are out of warranty. But I’m just gonna go ahead and give you a new one.” I’m sorry, but does customer service get any better than that?
Two months before that, I had a separate issue with my iPhone 4. The sync cable port on the bottom of my phone was jammed with something, and I couldn’t fully insert my USB cable. I took it into the store and they had it fixed within five minutes. Granted, I was under warranty at that time, but I was told that the problem is so common and so easy to fix that they will perform the service even without a warranty.
I have had to exchange roughly ten iPhones since the original’s release, and each return went as smooth as possible. You’d think I’d get grilled or questioned at some point, but I didn’t.
My first Genius Bar experience was with my first MacBook four years ago. The CD drive suddenly stopped working. I took it in to have it repaired, and not only did they replace the drive, but they also replaced my keyboard at no charge, just because it was dirty.
It’s amazing to me that after several years with Apple and several trips to the Genius Bar that I have to yet to encounter one bad experience.
“Why do you pay such a high price for the name?”
Software? Hardware? Those are easy answers to argue. But customer service? That’s a new one. And in my case, it’s one that works.
If you have a good or bad Genius Bar experience you’d like to share, let us know in the comments below!
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