Apple Service in Thailand

[Guest fountainhall]

When using iPhoto on my Apple desktop a few days ago, our area had a short 10 second power cut. When I tried to reopen the programme, it froze every time. Yesterday I took the computer to the Mac service centre on Rama III, not realising that this is now a centre only for hardware. The software service centre is in Discovery Centre.

 

Instead of being told to get a cab over to Discovery Centre, the staff installed the later version of iLife for me and suggested I upgrade all my photos after I returned home - a lengthy process. That did not work. So this morning I called Apple's 1-800 number.

 

Over two very long calls, I was carefully instructed exactly what to do to rebuild a new library, something I could never have done by looking at a sheet of instructions. What impressed me was how efficient the service staff were and how much time they spent "holding my hand", as it were. It's the first time I have ever had to use Apple's hotline. I was extremely impressed.

[TotallyOz]

I love Apple for many reasons but one of them is the support. I call them all the time as I always get 3 year additional warrenty. A few weeks back, a client was having issues with their notebook not syncing to their new Ipad. I called them and they spent over an hour with me and waiting until all was rebooted and restarted. IMHO, they have the best support in the industry.

[Rogie]

I was extremely impressed.

 

IMHO, they have the best support in the industry.

 

That's good news!

 

I don't own any Apple products and never have, although that's not because I have anything against them, I'm just not very technology-minded, so have little interest in owning fancy gadgets. Despite my slightly cynical tone, let me assure you I am a neutral when it comes to assessing Apple as a whole (note italics).

 

If I am right in thinking that Apple help-lines / call centres are staffed by well-trained people of the same nationality as the caller, that is a big plus in my opinion. So if Michael has a problem he's dealt with by a fellow American, if Fountainhall has a problem, in Thailand, he's dealt with by a bi or multi-lingual Thai person. Great. Unfortunately not all companies are like that any more. Certainly in Britain, if you wish to seek help, the number you dial will likely ring out somewhere in India. That in itself isn't any big deal, but it brings me on to my next point, namely the Jobs (or not, in Apple's case, sorry for the feeble dig).

 

Another message board recently had a brief discussion on certain Apple policies, following an article in the New York Times headed:

 

How the U.S. Lost Out on iPhone Work

 

When Barack Obama joined Silicon Valley’s top luminaries for dinner in California last February, each guest was asked to come with a question for the president.

But as Steven P. Jobs of Apple spoke,President Obama interrupted with an inquiry of his own: what would it take to make iPhones in the United States?

Not long ago, Apple boasted that its products were made in America. Today, few are. Almost all of the 70 million iPhones, 30 million iPads and 59 million other products Apple sold last year were manufactured overseas.

Why can’t that work come home? Mr. Obama asked.

Mr. Jobs’s reply was unambiguous. “Those jobs aren’t coming back,” he said, according to another dinner guest.

 

http://www.nytimes.c...ref=global-home

[Guest fountainhall]

Using the 1-800 number, you have the option of Thai or English. Both the service staff I spoke to came from the Philippines but were based in Singapore.

 

Also impressive is the indication you are given if the lines are busy. Normally, with airlines and other service industries when there is variable telephone demand, I end up holding as long as it takes for an operator to come on line. Sometimes for an urgent call that has been as long as 30 minutes. On my second call to Apple, I was told the lines were busy and I'd have to wait about three minutes. It was two!