Okay, my turn.
After getting my MBP back from repair (yes, corrected speaker and whine issue), the logic board replacement was defective. Three days later I send it back. Apple gives me their DHL acct number (which corresponds to the Houston repair depot) I learn later, and I'm to write the DHL tracking number on the box it had arrived in three days previous (label to be placed on it at DHL). I do so, with tracking number, case number and the bold words "Apple Computer," along with my return address. Inside I place a copy of the email sent by the product specialist, Harry.
Okay, picked up Monday. Wednesday morning I go to check the status, expecting it might just be coming back later in the day. In the past, the turnaround has been amazing with Apple, in my experience. Horror of horrors, it is being delivered that day to Dell Repair in Memphis. I call DHL and tell them there's an error. I then call Apple. The product specialist assures me that this is the right place for it to go to, that the name Dell Repair simply refers to the Flextronics (probably) repair center, and not to worry about it. I keep checking the online repair status. No change through the day, or the next, or the next. Meanwhile I've been calling Apple each day and each day am given a line about "it's all okay." etc. Friday I call them once more and am told that this happens occassionally and that the box appears to be on the wrong side of the repair building--yeah, right!--and that what it usually requires is someone going over and retrieving it, simple as that. BTW, each person I speak with is very nice, reasurring and saying with certainty that while they understand my frustration and they are going to work hard on solving this. Meanwhile NOTHING has happened for three full days at this point. Katherine and Megan in fact state (promise) to me that they can see it has arrived where it should be and that they will look into why it's not been updated online. This was early Friday. Friday evening, still no update, I call again and find that there's been a lost package search begun. So why the lies about having seen it safely arrived??? Both katherine and Megan were very kind and, I thought, wanting to be honest and helpful. Instead, my impression is they were simply handing me a line of some sort. Very odd!
So, next I call DHL and am told they have picked up the package earlier in the day. "Are you sure," I ask. "Yes, I can see that it has, and that it will be directed to the Houston address." A formal complaint has been opened on the matter and you will get a call the next morning. I do get the call, btw, but since it's Saturday morning, not much can be done until Monday. I get the impression that 1) the DHL depot here in Maryland, Joppa, has some terribly faulty system of shipping (read below about the delivery of the comp following the first repair), 2) while they are all very apologetic about the situation, they are unable (unwilling?) to act quickly to resolve problems (the problem ticket was begun Wednesday morning, why was the comp not picked up until Friday for redirecting?---if indeed it was), 3) Apple has a plethora--well, not a plethora, since my average wait before speaking with a rep was 30 minutes, no exageration--of very nice folks, some of the techs know less than I do in some matters, but all very nice and [seemingly] helpful, the product specialists are quick to give reassuring words, but slow to actually follow-up on a matter (how could I have been told by more than one of these that the package had safely arrived where it should and not to worry, when the account number given by the initial specialist, Harry, is, by DHL's account, the Houston address, not Memphis?), and 4) Apple and DHL evidently have ZERO lines of communication open between them. A simple call at some point over the past week would have helped things along. Instead, I've had to play parent, holding their hands and suggesting they should speak with one another about this.
In my case, this is not a brand new computer. It has personal and buiness info on it. I need that computer back, not just a replacement, thank you. So, as of now, Sunday, I am in limbo. Apple says I'll recieve an email about the "search" in a couple of business days and that the process will take 5 to 10 business days following that (I think he said 5-10, it might have been 5-7 or something like that) before a resolution. DHL says they will send the comp on to Houston (Apple), but I'd almost rather have them send it back here.
Are there any alternatives to DHL that Apple will pay for? The first nightmare I made it through week before last was that DHL had dropped off my computer on the front doorstep of another address, unsigned for. I called and raised **** that it was unacceptable it should remain overnight (they'd offered to come out the next day, since it was already 7PM), so the original driver came out and picked it up from where he suppossedly left it and delivered it around 9:30 at night, very apologetic. How could it have been delivered to a wrong address and unsigned for?
My tale of woe to this point.
Paul
