I wanted to give a quick status update, but first a note to jazzyjazz: when I said that I followed the instructions to the letter, I meant that I followed the instructions to the letter. The instructions included plugging in the power.
It turned out the the 00800 phone number could only be dialed from a land line. Hadn't used one of those in quite a while and it took a complete day to find out that little factoid. By the time I did find out, the service had closed (5 PM). The next day I had to leave on a business trip for 2 days. When I came back I contacted AppleCare. We don't have "pickup & return service" in Greece, was the reaction. ***? Why do we pay the same amount for AppleCare then? "I can't answer that, sir, you might want to leave your feedback at www.apple.com/feedback". So I decided to call my dealer where I bought the machine. This is how it went.
09:10 Friday the Thirteenth. Called my dealer to ask for instruction to send back my broken MBP for repair. "Please call back in an hour, when the person in charge is here"
10:14 Called back. "Person in charge" (let's call him Jim) is surprised I want to send my MBP to them, "Why don't you use the Pickup-and-return option of your Applecare program?" I explain that that option does not exist in Greece. He argues that it does, then volunteers to call AppleCare and call me back with their answer.
10:51 Still no news from Jim, so I call back myself. "Yes, you need to call the number of our service department and ask for instructions to send back your broken MBP" I ask if he can transfer me. That is not possible, they are at the other side of town [sic]. No word about AppleCare. I've long ago learned not to insist, it's only embarrassing to them.
11:04 Called "the other number", person answering (let's call him John) doesn't understand at first, then claims Jim is wrong, that's not how the procedure works. I ask him to call Jim (they're in the same company, different locations, remember). He promises to do so and to call me back.
11:08 Jim (not John) called me back to tell me to call another company and arrange a "Pickup & Return" service with them. I know that company, they are in Athens. I ask why they would do that for me, since I didn't buy my Mac there, he answers "That's the way it works in Greece, it's Apple's decision".
11:19 Called the number of the Athens company. A lady (let's call her Jane) with what sounds like an obnoxious yelling and arguing (pre-)teen (or two) in the background, answers the phone. Halfway thru our conversation she asks me to hold on (assumedly to take care of the domestic matters in the background because it's silent when she gets back to me). After explaining my case she says she will send me an email with instructions. I ask for her email address just in case. She also takes my mobile number.
11:35 Still not having received an email from Jane, I send her one myself with confirmation of our conversation.
11:39 I receive an email from Jane with some questions to answer.
12:07 I hadn't notice that email from jane arrive and only now return it to Jane with my answers.
13:40 Absolute radio silence. Should I call Jane? I decide to wait a bit longer, they're probably closed for lunch anyway.
14:25 I decide to give Jane a call and ask if she has received my email. Yes, she has and the machine will be picked up on Monday. I have lost half a day for this, mostly waiting for others to do what they promised to do or were supposed to do and now I will lose 3 more days wherein nothing happens. And people are wondering why this country goes down the drain.
09:00 Monday the Sixteenth. I get a call from the service organization in Athens telling me that a courier service will pick up my MBP between 11:00 and 14:00. That's fair enough, I can reschedule some appointments at short notice.
14:45 I have been waiting for three hours and 45 minutes now and no courier service has shown up. Remember, we are still in Greece.
14:50 I call the service organization in Athens to tell them no courier has appeared yet. They will "call me back". I didn't even bother to ask "when?"
To be continued...
