On 24/09/2004, at 6:18 AM, MMB wrote:
Hi:
I wrote earlier (Friday 13 August!) about a problem I was having with the screen of my newly acquired G4 867 Titanium powerbook and I am sure those of you who own one or are contemplating the purchase of one will want to know the outcome.
snip
Applecare told to take the powerbook to an "Apple service provider" (and I live five hours' drive from the nearest one). So I contacted the Apple Centre where I bought it six weeks before. The manager advised me to take it to a new Apple re-seller in Bega, about two hours from me.
snip again
Maria
It is very good news that you were able to have your PB fixed. And you seem to have struck a very helpful Apple service guy in Bega.
But this episode really underlines the difference in service which Apple provides in Australia and in USA. If anyone reads any of the many Mac email lists and forums you quickly see instances of Apple in USA quickly despatching packing boxes for a computer to be returned to Apple for servicing if the owner does not live within reasonable distance of an Apple place.
I am not going to start the arguments again about market share and reliability of Macs/PCs, but for the average buyer the reasonable availabilty of service and advice is a significant factor in the purchasing decision for a new computer. And generally speaking, outside the major capital cities Apple service/help is non-existent, except from other Mac users if you can find them. No wonder Apples are disappearing from regional areas. I know it is the chicken and egg situation-no sales, no service centre. When I moved to this area a few years ago there were several schools which used Macs. Guess how many there are now.
I live in Albury. There once was an Apple Centre here which went out of business a while ago for a variety of reasons. But once when talking to the former owner I asked him when he had received a visit from an Apple HQ representative. His answer was, never.
I have been recently trying persuasion on a friend who is contemplating switching to Mac. But I really am stumped when he says to me he wishes to look at a machine [new iMac] before deciding and then asks about warranty servicing. The nearest Apple Centres to us are in Canberra or Melbourne.
Maria's experience is salutary. When she contacted Applecare she was told to take it to an Apple Service Centre, even though Applecare knew where she lived [in the bush somewhere!]. When she contacted the Apple Center where she bought her computer she was told to take it another Apple Centre. Why were both of those places not prepared to service her machine, which was still under warranty, by providing her with a means to freight the machine to them?
Is there anyone reading this list who has had a positive experience sending a Mac to AppleCare/Service Centre from somewhere not within reasonable driving distance? If so, who paid for the freight? If this quality service can be provided in the USA, why can not it be provided in Australia. If there are any Apple Centre owners/employees reading this list would you care to comment on how you would assist a customer of yours who lived in regional Australia.
.........
Peter Sealy Thurgoona AUSTRALIA
-- Outback Mac is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and...
123Inkjets.com <http://lowendmac.com/ad/123inkjets.html>
Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html>
Outback Mac list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/obmac.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/outback.mac%40mail.maclaunch.com/>
Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
