Zach's Blog

We're Not Gonna Take It

Oh We're Not Gonna Take It
no, We Ain't Gonna Take It
oh We're Not Gonna Take It Anymore
--We're Not Gonna Take It, Twisted Sisters

Loyal readers (all two of you) know about my laptop woes. While previously, I was eleated at the idea that Apple was going to replace my machine, I'm starting to be just a tinge more ticked off at this point.

You see, I FedEx'd off my old machine on Tuesday, warm and fuzzy in the knowledge that I would have a new PowerBook on Wednesday or Thursday, Friday at the latest. While I wasn't exactly happy with the wait, it's obviously rather reasonable and I was willing enough to wait. Well, it's Friday evening, and they haven't even shipped the computer.

Due to incompetance on the part of Customer Relations Rep #1, who we'll call Mike, since that happens to be his name, the "release request" to ship out the new machine didn't get entered properly on Tuesday. Apparently, Apple procedure dictates that when a release request is sent out without a tracking number attached, the request should simply be ignored. I found this out when I called Thursday afternoon, asking where the heck my machine was. Actually, I called Mike again Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday, and Thursday morning, but his job is clearly to relate to customers, not return their calls.

After working with Customer Relations Rep #2 Thursday night, we determined the problem and resubmitted the release request. Rep #2 assured me that all was well and that the new machine would ship out today. Rep #2 was so kind as to provide his email address, and promised that I could email him for a status update today. Naturally, he never returned my email either.

This leads me to get in touch with Rep #3, who couldn't tell whether or not the machine was shipping. Since this is obviously not a particularly Good Thing, I hung up and called Rep #4 an hour later.

In case I seem a little bit angry, let me make it clear at this point that I was nothing but respectful and kind to Reps #1-3. I know that these people are simply doing their jobs, and that the easier I make it for them, the better for all of us. And while each of them are in part responsible for the delay (except for Rep #3, who just doesn't seem to know how to use the CRM database), I know mistakes happen and this stuff takes time. Just not this much time. Besides, I have actual work to do, which is difficult when your computer is sitting in a warehouse up in Elk Grove and no one has any clue what is going on.

This leads me to call Rep #4 this evening. Rep #4 is an unnamed bossy German-sounding woman. We have a conversation that goes something like this:

Unnamed bossy German-sounding woman: Replacement requests can take at least two weeks to be processed and shipped out.
Me: Well I was told on Saturday that I would have the machine by Wednesday or Thursday, Friday at the latest.
Unnamed bossy German-sounding woman: It often takes at least two weeks for them to be shipped out.
Me: Do you mean that I was lied to when I was told I would have my computer this week then?
Unnamed bossy German-sounding woman: Well I wasn't there when you were told that.
Me: No, but I was told one thing then and now you're telling me something completely different. Does that mean I was lied to?
Unnamed bossy German-sounding woman: Well I appologize for the misunderstanding that clearly happened with this.
Me: Misunderstanding??

So I'm off to spend the weekend trying not to think about how hellish my week will be once I finally get the machine back and have to do three jumbo-weeks worth of work in two days. I get to call on Monday and start this all over again. Of course, nothing involving a Saturday delivery, messenger service, or picking up a computer from the Apple Store would be at all possible.

If there's a God out there, let someone at Apple who can do something about this be reading this entry. As always, it's zach@zachlipton.com.

Posted by zach at September 30, 2005 6:21 PM