Apple Australia appears to have lost my MacBook

Steve808_0 wrote:

I’m uncertain how you leapt to the conclusion I was requesting what seems to be an unethical way to contact Apple?

That is not what Bob said. Bob said that users in these forums only have access to the same ways to contact Apple as you do. "Back door" does not imply unethical, it instead refers to undocumented or not well documented ways to make contact. Users here only know what you know.

This misunderstanding of clearly written answers by Bob highlights perhaps the pitfalls of "written communication." You may not have other options for communicating but you should take care to avoid misunderstandings.

Let’s me rephrase my question, ‘How would a person who has hearing difficulties and no need for a phone, communicate with an Apple senior advisor? As part of the accessibility options for those living with disabilities, that should be an option available to users.

I doubt I am the only person in the world who has asked for written communication from Apple.

Bob provided a link that may provide you with what you need.

See How to contact Apple for help with accessibility features - Apple Support

and in that link is this:

Call or chat for accessibility support 

Visit our website to chat with a representative or schedule a phone call. Just answer a few questions and we'll select the best option for you.

Or call Apple Accessibility Support at one of these numbers. You can also dial using the telecommunications relay service of your choice.

• • United States: 1-877-204-3930 (English only)
  • United Kingdom: 0800 048 0754 (English only)
  • Australia: (61) 1-300-365-083 (English only)
  • China mainland: 400-619-8141 (Mandarin only)

Do you have a relay/telecommunications device? See above for options if you do. Otherwise, a chat service is offered, perhaps you can avail yourself of the chat service. That is a form of written communication.

If none of this is suitable for you, I suggest that you involve a trusted third party (family member or friend) who can serve as an intermediary to help you communicate better with Apple.

By the way, based on your posts, it does not appear that Apple "lost" your computer because it seems that service has been started:

"Received an email on 17 September from Apple advising my MacBook had been received. Within five minutes I checked the website and it reported that diagnostics had commenced." 

Also, I did find this online:

"Under Australia's Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA), companies are required to make their services accessible to people with disabilities, which means they must accept calls through the National Relay Service (NRS) if they offer telephone support ..."

Have you tried this NRS? In the links I provided above, Apple does offer ways to contact support through relay services.

By the way, I am interested in this situation because I have family members who have great difficulty using an ordinary telephone due to hearing limitations and they have successfully used relay services, chat services, and even other family members who assist with situations like this.

Apple is not here. We are users like you. If you have an issue regarding Apple you will have to contact Apple: Contact - How to Contact Us - Apple (AU)

FWIW, your post does not indicate that Apple lost your MacBook.

Steve808_0 wrote:

I’m uncertain how you leapt to the conclusion I was requesting what seems to be an unethical way to contact Apple?

Let’s me rephrase my question, ‘How would a person who has hearing difficulties and no need for a phone, communicate with an Apple senior advisor? As part of the accessibility options for those living with disabilities, that should be an option available to users.

I doubt I am the only person in the world who has asked for written communication from Apple.

Accessibility Support - Official Apple Support

See also this post and HWTech's response:

Getting information on a seriously delaye… - Apple Community

"Under Australia's Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA), companies are required to make their services accessible to people with disabilities, which means they must accept calls through the National Relay Service (NRS) if they offer telephone support ..."

The above was found online. I am not a lawyer but I don't see a requirement that written communications be offered in lieu of telephone support, but rather that NRS be offered where there is telephone support.

I still don't see what the problem is to solve here. Other than the fact that there was a delay in Apple informing you about the status of your service. The laptop is not "lost" and it is being serviced as requested under AppleCare+.

Steve808_0 wrote:

• ’Apple is not here’… that is the problem, where is my Apple MacBook?

9 September delivered to Apple

15 September Apple had no idea where it was and escalated to the next level

18 September Apple cannot and will not communicate in writing.

That is nine days they ‘claim’ they have had it. How long does it take to replace a battery?

The contact information you have supplied is for telephone communication

I am in a phone blackspot

• Under the accessibility options for people with disabilities, written communication must be provided… it has been refused by Apple.

Again, Apple is not here. This is a user-to-user technical help community. You have to contact Apple if you have an issue with them or their performance. We users have no way to access your account nor can we access your repair history. You need to contact Apple.

Steve808_0 wrote:

For clarity, what you are stating as fact, is there is no person in the Apple ‘user-to-user’ technical community’ that has a way of communicating with Apple using written communication?

We have no way of communicating with Apple Support that isn’t also already available to you. We are not Apple employees and do not have a secret handshake. We cannot address your case. You will need to persevere with Apple Support.

Steve808_0 wrote:

‘… we do not have a secret handshake’

I really have no idea what that means?

It means that we users have no back door way to access your account nor contact Apple about your issue. Apple does not participate in these user-to-user communities and will not see your issue unless you contact Apple.

Steve808_0 wrote:

No, I do not have access to a phone for two reasons ... but I shouldn’t have to explain the reasons to you.

Certainly, but I never inquired about those reasons. I was asking if you had access to certain telecommunications devices because I know people who have used them and found them helpful where using an ordinary telephone was not possible.

I have been in contact with Apple several times by the chat and they have escalated the issue to the next level of support ... the tracking number shows the delivery date as 9 September and yet Apple could not locate anything until the 16 September the day after I contacted Apple by chat. Where was my MacBook for those 7 days?

What is your question for readers here, all of whom are simply users like you?

You mailed your Mac for service on Sept. 7, it was delivered Sept. 9. As of Sept. 16 it was being serviced and undergoing testing and diagnosis. So what is the problem here? Is the problem that your Mac was put in a queue for an available technician and that queue did not clear until Sept. 16? Your post is titled "Apple Australia appears to have lost my Macbook" but that is clearly not the case here as they have informed you that they have it and are doing the diagnostic testing.

"escalated the issue to the next level of support"

What issue needs escalating here? They have your laptop and are conducting the service on it. What do you want from the "next level?" Are you annoyed that you did not get a clear answer for the status of your laptop service between Sept. 10 and Sept. 16? That's fair enough and it sounds like the tracking process within that Apple facility would benefit from some improvements. But I don't understand what remains unresolved or what you want to "escalate" here, and how such "escalation" would ultimately be beneficial to you.