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scott brown · Sep 19, 2003, 07:20 PM

just called up the local apple store because my online 17 inch order was delayed. we were discussing what they had in stock, and the current line of powerbooks. he kept telling me how i was wrong about available options, etc and was an extreme ass about it.

"i work for apple, i know for a fact that you can't get a 5400rpm drive with a new powerbook"

um, ok buddy. time for a new job...

sorry for the rant, it amused me...hehe

waffffffle · Sep 19, 2003, 07:29 PM

Yes, I have noticed the same thing.

Scott, are you taping 9/24?

mainemanx · Sep 19, 2003, 07:47 PM

Originally posted by scott brown:
just called up the local apple store because my online 17 inch order was delayed. we were discussing what they had in stock, and the current line of powerbooks. he kept telling me how i was wrong about available options, etc and was an extreme ass about it.

"i work for apple, i know for a fact that you can't get a 5400rpm drive with a new powerbook"

*snip*

Sounds like "Chris" at Northshore Mall in Peabody, Mass.

Where DOES Apple find these egocentric, maladjusted ....

More confounding why don't they FIRE them?

kentuckyfried · Sep 19, 2003, 08:19 PM

You mean more like major A-holes...

vancenase · Sep 19, 2003, 08:19 PM

the peeps in the apple store actually don't know what is available on the website (it was admitted to me).

i just made my FIRST apple purhase (17"er!!! ... got back 60 min ago!), and some of the stuff i had printed on my online invoice of stuff i wanted they were like 'huh'?

regardless, the 5400rpm drive is an 'option' on a model they carry, so you'd figure (and you'd just figure, not expect) them to know about it

woo hoo! i am waiting to open my box so i can take the obligatory "closed box" pics (and some w/ my dogs!)

dialo · Sep 19, 2003, 08:23 PM

They are retail employees. What do you expect?

Tomster · Sep 19, 2003, 08:25 PM

In all fairness, as with any other consumer setting, I have had great service at Apple Stores, and I've had some not so great service. It really does depend on where you go and who you were lucky or unlucky enough to run into.

Now, on the other hand, I would hate to be a Mac Genius. I actually enjoy troubleshooting Mac problems (geek alert) but I cannot imagine dealing with some of the idiots who bring the most asinine problems to the bar. "Does this computer come with the latest copy of the internet on it?" I've never seen a genius lose it before, although it would be fun wouldn't it? "No sir, there is nothing wrong with your computer. You are just not smart enough to use it."

mainemanx · Sep 19, 2003, 09:31 PM

Originally posted by Tomster:
In all fairness, as with any other consumer setting, I have had great service at Apple Stores ...

- snip -

True. All-too-often we're all-too-quick to recite the negative ...

'Fact is, the people at Galleria, Cambridgeside, Mass were absolute gems! Understanding, helpful, efficient ...

I felt like they were "on my side."

MacBliss · Sep 19, 2003, 09:59 PM

Originally posted by mainemanx:
True. All-too-often we're all-too-quick to recite the negative ...

'Fact is, the people at Galleria, Cambridgeside, Mass were absolute gems! Understanding, helpful, efficient ...

I felt like they were "on my side."

I must concur. Over the last few years, I have gotten nothing but excellent service, attitude and help from the geniuses of the Glendale Galleria in California.

Though I will readily admit that most of the real macheads I know and have met tend to be a little anal and perfectionistic... myself included mind you...

So sue me. : )

Mallrat · Sep 19, 2003, 10:38 PM

Originally posted by MacBliss:
I must concur. Over the last few years, I have gotten nothing but excellent service, attitude and help from the geniuses of the Glendale Galleria in California.

Though I will readily admit that most of the real macheads I know and have met tend to be a little anal and perfectionistic... myself included mind you...

So sue me. : )

It's about 50/50... some good people, some dicks.. just like real life...

but that is my favorite thing, to get in a fight when you know for sure you are right and can't believe the other person (in the position of power if you will) doesn't know..

I would expect anyone that works at the apple store to at least know most of the specs... not all... I mean I can't name the specs of the towers because i don't use them.... i know them about....

i wonder if they get a discount... maybe i shoudl work there...

on a side note, ever see the stupid people who know nothing about computers, always walk away with the computer you wanted...

I go in to look at the powerbook 15 or 17.. and some guy that had to ask how to turn it on, walks out with the 17 inch... drives you nuts!

I feel like the mecanic in seinfield that they don't deserve to take it home with them... there shoudl be a quiz before you are allowed to leave the store...

I'm being a dick, but come on, I can't be the only one who knows a lot about computers and video cameras and loves them adn wants them, but can't afford them and gets mad at the people who can, but will never understand them.

I just seem them and think, why not just buy the cheapest one and go home.

wow, i'm being a mac snob. Cool!

spalding12 · Sep 19, 2003, 10:41 PM

MALLRAT....
what did you have for dinner?

oh, by the way...
that guy who bought the 17"
they DID tell him where the power button was BEFORE he left the store.... didn't they?

greg

shabbasuraj · Sep 19, 2003, 10:51 PM

at least you guys have an Apple store, none here in T.O....

But I bet if we had one, there would be super chumps working there...

lates...

Mallrat · Sep 19, 2003, 10:52 PM

Originally posted by spalding12:
MALLRAT....
what did you have for dinner?

oh, by the way...
that guy who bought the 17"
they DID tell him where the power button was BEFORE he left the store.... didn't they?

greg

glad you asked... i had a large pizza, a 2 litter bottle of coke, and of course a whole bag of candy corn....

by the way.... there was no guy... i made him up.. he was an example... and no like I said, they only would tell him 50% of the time because some of the employees are nuts!

nobitacu · Sep 20, 2003, 12:36 AM

Well, when there are good service, there has to be some bad services as well... no stores are perfect... But really though, the new Powerbooks are huge news, I would of thought they would of been informed about it about it's new options you can get with them. That's what I called bad management, not the regular employees. It was the management's job to let his fellow employees know heads up on the new items before the day starts.

Ming

jsnyder · Sep 20, 2003, 12:48 AM

You do realize that the Apple Stores offer stock configurations and will NOT upgrade the hard drives on any models. They'll only bump up the ram, install airport, etc. So, you probably won't find them installing the backlit keyboard on the low end 15" and you certainly won't find them offering that HDD upgrade option because they won't do that stuff in store.

That guy may have been an idiot (for not mentioning this), but you won't be getting any of the HDD options installed at an Apple Store. You can only get them BTO from the online store.

newmanium · Sep 20, 2003, 01:29 AM

wow, so much hatred for guys that work at the Apple Store huh. Maybe it's just out of jealousy

I work as an Apple employee and to the guy that mentioned the great service at the Glendale store, he's totally right. They're great people and plus I had my training done there as well

..You can't beat down on the guy simply because he didn't know a feature that you could only order off the online store in the first place. I didn't know either until I started playing with all the options and clicked on it by chance. In my opinion though, it was wrong of him to be all condescending(sp?) to talk down to a customer without taking the time to do the research.
They can't do custom orders (i.e. backlit keyboard, HD installs), since they only offer the stock models, like jsnyder said. The employee you probably talked to was only in frame of mind of what they had in the store.
So all in all, don't be so cruel to the Apple guys, they're not perfect nor try to be. They sometimes get all the stupidest questions from some of the worst customers, 9 hours a day.

carnagex2000 · Sep 20, 2003, 02:39 AM

They should send all Apple Store Employees through Training. (give them access to Apple's Tech. Website) that way they can read up on all new and past products. I bet most Apple Store employees would go home and jump on the site right away, without being asked to. (I love the site, just wondering when they will update the Powerbooks in the New Product Courses?)

SOLIDAge · Sep 20, 2003, 04:46 AM

Originally posted by carnagex2000:
They should send all Apple Store Employees through Training. (give them access to Apple's Tech. Website) that way they can read up on all new and past products. I bet most Apple Store employees would go home and jump on the site right away, without being asked to. (I love the site, just wondering when they will update the Powerbooks in the New Product Courses?)

they do

i find it kinda disheartening though that they don't really look at your Mac history when you apply. I know for a fact they just think "we train" so anything like a computer science award, Mac consultant on campus...and stuff like that doesn't mean as much as "I can work x hours more then the other guy"

thats retail for ya