red's world

Sour APPLE

Within the last 2 years, I became a Mac convert (100%, BTW) and have been extremely pleased, not only with the products, but with the exemplary customer service... until yesterday when AppleCare didn't seem to Care (sigh). Here's the deal:

After a call to AppleCare Tech Support. I received an email from Apple to fill out a customer satisfaction survey:
The first question:
"Was your issue resolved?"
The answer (surprisingly):
A resounding "NO!"

I love Apple and have always been more than satisfied with the care with which they treat their customers. So I was shocked, to say the least, that my concern was not addressed at all. . . This is the polar opposite of the experience I had when I went to the Apple Store and talk to a Mac Genius,  Ryan, at The Genius Bar at the Fifth Avenue Store in NYC. He not only took extra time and special care to insure that he answered all my questions and concerns but did so with every other customer who came in during his shift. And he insured that all my concerns were addressed before he ended our session (I observed this same care by other Mac Geniuses with their customers as well.)

But, because it's not always convenient (quite often not) for me to drag my computer, my hard drive(s), cables etc. down to the Genius Bar AND I do have AppleCare coverage. I thought that my needs would be better served by calling Apple Tech Support. . . how wrong I was. I spoke with "Alex" who told me he was in the Philippines and had to repeatedly explain my issues for which I never got any help.

My issue was not resolved during the call because the AppleCare Tech Representative never answered my question before the call ABRUPTLY ended at 9pm EST (the exact moment when Apple Support hours stop). I felt that he should have completed the call -- even if that meant calling me back to insure that the issue was resolved before the call was considered finished. I'm very disappointed in Apple's customer support and appalled that Apple would allow their customers to be treated with such disregard.

My Question to you, APPLE, is: "Are you going to get back to me in order to resolve this issue?" I hope so, but I shouldn't -- nor do I have the time -- to wait and see.

So now -- at 4am -- because AppleCare telephone support so failed me, I'm packing up all my stuff up to drag down to the store to get the help I pay Apple to recieve in the convenience  of my own home.

THAT'S JUST NOT RIGHT.

I don't like that one bad experience is making my Apple SOUR. Suggestions?

Mind your manners . . . I'm smoking here!

People will believe anything, no mater how outlandish it is.

I've alway said, if you say something (anything) loud enough and long enough, with enough conviction, people will believe it. Especially if there has been scientific research on the subject.

This tendency to believe a strongly sent message is why Ad campaigns work so well. It's also how cultural trends are set; presidents are elected; and social standards are established.

It's even determines how people behave.

This is not the bad news (it's just the news).
The bad news is:  Certain ideas in our culture -- ideas which people take as truths -- have given people license to be rude to others and not take responsibility for it. And they seem to be blind to this. A condition I refer to as: "ruditude" (a self-righteous, demeaning attitude).

In certain instances they don't even think about their behavior as bad-mannered. As I've toured the country, lived in numerous states and lived bi-coastally, I've noticed this especially in the case of non-smokers towards smokers. This is not true of every individual, but it has become general practice to feel justified in scorning those that partake in a pleasure that really doesn't impact the scorner to any great extent. Not only have cigarette smokers been treated with disdain they are being banished as if they are criminals. ("Smokers are not allowed here").

I don't know how many times people use "the research" as an argument to support their case against any particular issue (be it smoking, eating fat, consuming salt, drinking alcohol, prostitution or whatever the market deems an important issue).

We all know, or should know, that research results are never objective. (Actually nothing is objective -- except that everyone has a subjective experience -- but that's a topic in itself and will be addressed on some other post). Results on any research can be skewed to favor any idea. Those of us who know this make great debaters.

But when people use research results to justify their beliefs, my response is: "I don't believe that myth, it's all in how it's marketed."

Case and point: The anti-smoking movement has put a bad spin on smoking. It has done so to the extent that people actually feel that they have a right to be offensive toward smokers. Behaviors like defaming and ostracizing smokers or making make out and out derogatory remarks become common place. This is conduct that the culprits teach their children is unacceptable behavior. Yet they do it to smokers. . . even in front of their kids. Great role modeling -- huh?!?

In what other circumstance would someone, without thinking, come up to a total stranger and speak this way or tell them how to behave? Yet in any public place you can be sure someone will approach a smoker and do exactly that: "You're disgusting! You shouldn't smoke! Smoking is bad for you. You stink!" Who are you people? Did your Mama not teach you manners? Unfortunately, these people are representative.

They often use "the research" to say they have a right to do so "because second-hand smoke kills."  Actually, the research on second-hand smoke does not indicate that people are dying from someone else smoking, but that is the common belief.  In reality, it's no longer a health issue, it's a crusade to control others. Needless to say, I was pleased to see that 20/20 just did a segment on this myth and how out of hand it's become.

Irregardless, does anything you've read or heard really give you reason to be mean to someone else? Please, people deal with your anger and righteousness in a more constructive way.

And lets try to have common courtesy be more common, no matter what the "research" says.

Anyone got a light?