Hanging on the telephone........

dub45

I wonder what people think is a reasonable amount of time to have to hang on to get through to Apple. I spent 25 mins on the phone on Friday waiting to get through (and even then the response was most unsatisfactory)

I have a bluetooth keyboard which has started acting up and mysteriously inserting its own typing! I bought it from the apple store recently so rang them to find out about returning it and they told me I would have to ring technical support. So 25 minutes later I got an answer.

I posted here before moaning about deaing with Apple and they dont seem to be getting any better! Great products but...........

Gordon

Cool, what does it type to you?

dub45

Gordon wrote:

Cool, what does it type to you?

Well funnily enough its mainly hieroglyphics but hidden in there I just discovered is a message which reads Apple has a lousy support service.

Gordon

You see, you should have taken its advice and not wasted your time in calling them!

swimfan

try calling dell..their all foreign and u cant understand them!

dub45

swimfan wrote:

try calling dell..their all foreign and u cant understand them!

Well the guy in Apple was definitely Irish but unfortunately his response may as well have been in a foreign language for all the help it was!

flywheel

what did he say?

dub45

DubWireless wrote:

what did he say?

He wanted the serial number of the computer I was using. I told him I was using the keyboard with two machines and I had not got their serial numbers with me and asked him what relevance they had as it was the keyboard I was complaining about. He said he had to have them to see if the warranty period had expired. Again I pointed out that it was the keyboard.....

He then said he needed to do some troubleshooting - I told him I had not got the keyboard with me etc etc so he told me to ring back when I had access to the keyboard and the machines. I asked did that mean maybe another 25 minute wait and of course you know the answer.......

Then there was the part where I asked him to convey to his management my annoyance at being left hanging on for so long - this he blithely ignored etc etc.

flywheel

are you running the latest Bluetooh software and firmware updates [check Updates box on right] on your machine...

best to be beside the equipment you are looking for support with when calling a help desk as they usually need you to help diagnose the problem or try something to fix it

dub45

DubWireless wrote:

are you running the latest Bluetooh software and firmware updates [check Updates box on right] on your machine...

best to be beside the equipment you are looking for support with when calling a help desk as they usually need you to help diagnose the problem or try something to fix it

Yes its updated. All I wanted to know was how to return it not troubleshoot.
It connects properly. i wasnt looking for technical support at all and i did not set out to call the helpdesk the Applestore directed me there again without in anyway enquiring what the problem was.

Anyway how can you have any confidence in someone who asks for the serial number of a computer when the problem has absolutely nothing got to do with that computer?

flywheel

suppose when he opens a case the system he's using prompts for a serial number?

you using a D-Link USB adapter or is the Bluetooth module built-in?

dub45

DubWireless wrote:

suppose when he opens a case the system he's using prompts for a serial number?

you using a D-Link USB adapter or is the Bluetooth module built-in?

Well when he opens a case i would hope he would record the serial number of the product that the problem is actually with which he appeared to have no interest in whatsoever in spite of me teling him twice it was the keyboard.

The powerbook has built in bluetooth.

anyway the point of my post was to ask what people thought was a reasonable time to wait on a response on one of these lines bearing in mind it was not a freephone number but a Dublin one.

flywheel

did the ghost typing begin after you applied the 1.1 Firmware update to the PowerBook or did it alreay come with it installed? take it you have checked the batteries in the keyboard?

you had the keyboard long?

dub45

DubWireless wrote:

did the ghost typing begin after you applied the 1.1 Firmware update to the PowerBook or did it alreay come with it installed?

It was fine when I got it but started before I installed the upgrade.

take it you have checked the batteries in the keyboard?

Yes

you had the keyboard long?

No

flywheel

heard of plenty of pairing and connection issues but no ghost typing before...

sure next time you call make sure you're beside the equipment you'll probably get it resolved quicker or work out how to send it back if he can't sort it out for you

deevey

Dont suppose there could be a gremlin hanging out around your window with his own wireless Keyboard just to p*ss you off?

dub45

deevey wrote:

Dont suppose there could be a gremlin hanging out around your window with his own wireless Keyboard just to p*ss you off?

No