I had problems with my Iphone when I first got it. It was a speaker issue. However, I bought it from Apple online, mainly to get the airmiles for online shopping (via airmiles.co.uk), but also I could not face going into an O2 shop. I just made an appointment online with a ‘genius’ in advance and when I went in they tried to fix it. I had to go back a second time, and the genius said there was a tool coming from the States which would fix it but he understood what it was like to not have a 100% phone so gave me a new one straight away.

That said (re going into an O2 shop), I am very pleased with O2. Much better than Orange. I had very few issues but I did call a couple of times, and it was freephone to be connected to Apple for tech queries. I’ve since switched to O2 broadband..and they are brilliant. 8.5 years of broadband + more of dial up, I’ve never had such brilliant service.

Ewan took the time to do a very clear post that laid bare a major failing in the Apple/O2 customer handling flow. Skim read if you don’t have the time,but don’t assume the post wasn’t smart just because it was long. Folk appreciate the time taken here by Ewan, Ben, James, Ricky & Krystal to promote thoughtful discussion. Sometimes good things take time, eh?

The other Mike

Would I like an iPhone – Yes. Am I willing to put up with a userous tarriff and poor service – No. So I’ll stick with what I have, until I can get a legitimate unlocked iPhone at a reasonable price (and preferably 3G!).

But, particularly from the point of view of a non-technically astute, boring-old-normob, if the phone doesn’t function the way the customer expects it to pretty much out of the box (or at least without them having to become an enthusiastic techie), then the “fault” lies between the manufacturer and whoever sold them the phone.

It really doesn’t matter if it’s a hardware / software / network problem or just that the normob has misinterpreted the poorly written user guide and can’t easily find help.

Just imagine buying a new tv and having to search through web forums, exchange emails with a support desk or taking it back to the store, just to figure out if you’re doing something stupidly wrong or that the unit is broken? And then being told you’ll have to wait hours to speak to someone who might be able to find out.
Why should it be any different with a phone, let alone one that’s unique selling point is it’s radical user interface!

The solution in my mind is for Apple (as, in this case, they’ll probably do the job better than O2!) to hire far more “geniuses” so that customers with problems can be dealt with effectively and efficiently. And for a well-staffed problem-solving hotline. It’ll be expensive to set up but after all, the operator knows there’s a good chance you’ll churn within 24 months, whereas Apple want you as a happy and loyal addict^H^H^H^H, sorry, user for life!

“Further, it’s the height of nonsense to insist you send your iPhone to Apple to get repaired. This is a TELEPHONE we’re talking about — a critical piece of communications equipment — and a highly priced piece of equipment together with a premium monthly payment.”

Ah. er, um…I do think there was a smidge of O2/Apple rightness here. As I understand it, about 30% of handset returns to operators for problems are ‘No Fault Found’. i.e. they put the handset into their logistics system, it goes to a test house, is run through a battery of tests, and according to the diagnostics machine, there’s nothing wrong with the hardware.

Now this does not exclude USIM, Network or Account setup problems. What it does tell us is that about one third of the time the problem lies somewhere between the handset UI and the user’s brain. Who’s fault that is is a can’o'worms in itself.

Introduce an elemement like PC-based activation, where your home PC, broadband connection, the server at the other end and the MNO’s account management systems all have to play nice, and there’s a *lot* more to go wrong. I believe all this has been well-documented in the past, both in the US and here.

I have it on good advice that putting a handset through this returns process is not cheap – think €100 a shot that they can’t pass back to the customers, and you see why MNO’s want to minimise any returns at all. They don’t encourage returns, they want it to work first time.

Also, having replacement handsets in-store to hand out to customers is a real cost to the MNO. If I were managing the flow of iPhones in and out of stores I’d be really keen not to be easy with them. Sure, your dad had the backup of Clan MacLeod technical might and righteousness, but if they gave new iPhones to everyone who walked in & demanded their bottom line would be in the , er, toilet.

So to this end, what makes more sense – for Apple to take your iPhone back for a few days to test, or to give you a new one on the spot, bearing in mind that if there’s no fault, they’ve just lost a handset they will never be able to sell as new again?

I spot an Applecare iPhone support add-on in the brewing…

Cheers,

Mike

I think that the UK bosses of both O2 and Apple should this very morning be kicking some ass.

I’ve had mixed experiences with Apple customer service and the whole UPS way of handling returns, but on th whole it’s good. I’ve had CSR’s make outside-the-box decisions to remedy problems that haven’t fitted their scripts, and it’s nice to interact with people who do obviously care. I’d like to think your dad just had an unlucky string of edjits in his path.

Bit extreme to ditch all the Apple love thiugh?

Crikey.

Mke

“Paging, Pat Phelan!”

It’s one of the main reasons why I left working in retail. I was sick of my boss bollocking me for trying to help people who had genuine problems.