update: 24 December 2010 Season’s Greetings Folks
Thanks for the comments, I think the bottom line is folks can do better on customer service.
Oh if you have a comment (especially an abusive one ref someones else’s comment), please consider using a real name or at least not pretending to be someone else. Oh and consider a spell checker, or have your mommy proof read your rants SJ 🙂
Original Blog
Consider visiting the store then go somewhere else to get good customer service and maybe even a better price.
Open for only 12 months and the staff and management are now worth avoiding
When is a Mac Genius really just a Mac ‘Moron’?
- As a long term professional tech evangelist, long term PC user and long term Microsoft Software beta tester/ hobbyist, the decision to buy a Mac was not an easy one or one I took lightly.
- I even called the Mac store and a Dick Smith ( A national retailer not ‘something else’) next door selling the Mac Mini, and asked why I should go to either hoping for a deal but as apple price fixes that was not to be. The answer I got from apple was, ‘for the experience’
- I had purchased the 3G iPhone and then more recently a 3GS iPhone, and that experience was pretty good (the info prior to the selling day was HELL).
- I did my research and decided I wanted a Mac Mini as my 1st Mac only because (I thought) I was going to use it only as a media extender to my PC using front row (a love story in a previous blog).
- My opinion changed when I tried to purchase the Mac Mini on a Friday morning a few weeks ago from the Apple Store.
- I guess the sale was not big enough for the genius in waiting, but when I asked what upgrades they could do in store (vs. online), I was informed only ram could be upgraded. I asked if they could do it while I waited and they said yes.
- FYI – My home built PC is a quad core with 4gb ram, SLI, dual monitor, 6TB HD, that I need for no real reason so am not afraid to commit beyond my needs.
- I brought a work colleague with me as he was a real Mac head and he had educated me on the merits of the Mac, so I had to have one today.
- Neither of us was impressed with what we saw that day, and when I made the mistake of asking an opinion of upgrading beyond the 1GB ram on the basis unit, given all my basic requirements, the great genius thought for 2 seconds than offered with great insight. , “I am a student and I would get more than 1gb. I asked what that meant, and she repeated herself (I guess something not making sense and being repeated is supposed to help). When I asked again, eventually the genius spoke the words us non-geniuses expect to hear, “don’t know”
- WOW, we non-geniuses would probably have done something stupid, like ‘ask someone else’. Anyhow a few minutes later and after promising the upgrade would only take 15 minutes I was told just prior to payment that it would take 2 hours. A problem for me as I was 30 min from the office (with the boss) and it was too long to wait. So with cash in pocket I left and went next door to Dick Smith.
- That was when the good things happened, the staff were friendly, I purchased what I needed and a few hundred dollars of accessories (keyboard, remote, mouse) as well, on returning the next day for some more bits, I notice the mini’s were $100 cheaper so got my $100 back, thank you very much.
- Unfortunately being a geek, I decided I needed the 4gb upgrade and when I went back to apple to enquire they told me the memory was going to be twice as much.
- I advised the store manager Matt K at Chadstone of my problems withhis staff, (bad advice /no advice) goiung to cost me 100% more and all he cared about was that I bought my Mac next door and basically told to piss off.
- Thank goodness for MAC Care, 131632 in australia, who apologised for Matt K’s bad form, and referred me to a 3rd party Mac shop, Newwave /Apptech in Burwood East Meloburne and I will wound up getting the memory for less than I would from Apple. Thank you Mac Care.
- Thank you AppTech, who were very proffessional and fast to deal with.
- I brought my Mac possie that buy as many toys as I do a year, so we will be back.
- So from a guy that buys around $10k a year personally in gear and 10 times that or more professionally I will still buy apple, but never again from an Apple Store, and will suggest to anyone, they buy elsewhere as well a mixed bag really my suggestion is go to the Mac store Chadstone ask all the ‘geniuses’ their opinion get the price then go to one of the real Mac stores (3rd party), if at Chadstone make it Dick Smith Powerhouse.
- Truly Apple Stores (especially Chadstone) is an experience to be missed.
Apple Chadstone Pros and Cons
Pro’s
- Looks pretty
- You can get some good service there if you are lucky on a given day\, maybe.
- Umm, looks pretty
Con’s
- No deals, prices are fixed and at RRP cheaper next door at 3rd party stores (like Dick Smith)
- No used or ex-demo deals on a regular if ever basis.
- Payment system (credit card or cash card) is usually not working right.
- Hard to get in and out if in a hurry (even if the store is empty)
- Some staff especially some management are Mac Morons.
- You can often get no advice and bad advice
- They really just seem to want you out of the store.
Tech Net TV - 
I had a bad experience at the Chadstone store too when I purchase the iPhone 3GS a few months back.
The white 3GS that I purchased had hairline cracks near the volume slider and the response I got from the iPhone Genius was, “this is not a defect, rather a cosmetic issue, however if you want, we will offer you an exchange”. This annoyed me a little but since I got it replaced, I didn’t make an issue out of it.
When I got home 40 mins later, I opened up the box and realised that they gave me a locked unit instead of an unlocked unit. So I called up the Chadstone store and I was advised that I just need to bring in the unit and they would be able to unlock it on the spot.
About another 40 mins or so, I travelled back to the Chadstone store to proceed with the unlock. I was then told that the unlock cannot be done using their machines, I would have to leave the iPhone and collect it another day since they had sold out the 3GS.
If that wasn’t bad enough, I managed to get ahold of the iPhone tech earlier who swapped me the locked unit. I do realise that it could have just been an honest mistake but the least she could do was to offer an apology for my troubles. Well, she didn’t.
Before leaving, I spoke to the manager about it. He just said that there was little that he could do. I asked if he could reserve a unit for me so that I could come in and swap for another unit; he said that was not possible as the 3GS was on a first come first serve basis. In the end, I opted for a refund. I now shop at the Doncaster store instead.
How about that for customer service!
i also had a bad experience at the apple store in chadstone when i was sent there to by 3 to get my phone repaired. I spoke to a staff member and asked if they could fix my phone on the spot where i was told that you cant just walk in you have to make an apointment. annoyed but understandingly i asked the girl can i please make an appointment? with which she replied i cant help you appointments can only be made online. where has the customer service gone and a smile or apology would go a fucking long way. apple store chadstone you should be ashamed my dog has more character than your staff.
I have been trying to get he TomTom Car kit for the iPhone and they will not reserve a copy and tell me to ring back every day and are quite dismissive on the phone
I brought my Mac mouse into the Chadstone Apple store be checked as the roller ball was not working correctly and it was under warranty. I had already cleaned the ball with an alcohol swab and rolled it around on a piece of paper upside down (to dislodge any small particles of dirt or oil) at home before coming into the store. I was told when I got there that I would have to make an appointment online and return at another time.
Upon returning to the store another time, the “genius” rolled it around on a piece of paper at the store and showed me it was working correctly. When I returned home it no longer work. Thanks alot!
My experiences at this store have been good.
My 3G iphone screen cracked and damaged the LCD (which was totally my fault… I feel on it playing basketball), so I took it to the chadstone store, and the Young lady serving me was very helpful. She said they would have to send it away, and it would cost me an arm and a leg. But then she spoke to her manager (why I don’t know..) and came back and said “You know what… Don’t worry about all that. Here, have a new iphone 3G.” I was wrapped! Even though the phone was 2 years old and out of warranty, they still gave me a new unit for nothing 🙂
I just had to transfer everything over, and BAM! It was all done. I’ll be shopping there again soon 🙂
Although, one time I couldn’t get any service, but that was due to the fact that they were so busy. I just walked out.
When i bought a big iMac computer from Chadstone, the guy who served me carried it to my car for me because it was far too large for me to carry on my own. Talk about top notch service! The only thing i hate, is how busy and crowded the store is!!! Its so hard to move… and its hard to demo the items because its usually all occupied by children playing games.