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Apple Continues to Provide Top-Rated Tech Support on Strength of Genius Bar

Friday May 29, 2015 9:38 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple had the highest overall customer satisfaction for tech support among more than 3,200 computer owners surveyed by Consumer Reports, unsurprising given the company has been top-rated for tech support since the not-for-profit organization first surveyed customers about the topic in 2007. Apple has also routinely topped multiple J.D. Power and Associates studies for customer satisfaction over the past decade.

apple_store_genius_bar_official
Apple earned high marks for the Genius Bar located at the back of most Apple retail stores, where customers can book an appointment to receive face-to-face technical support and troubleshooting for iPhone, iPad, Mac and several other Apple products and services. Consumer Reports praises the Genius Bar's free lifetime support as a differentiating factor over similar services, which generally require paying for help.

Windows-based PC makers did not receive the same accolades for tech support among survey participants:
"The help desks at Windows PC companies often didn’t live up to that name. For four of the six PC brands in the survey, tech support solved only half of the problems consumers brought to them. Even the best of them—Lenovo and Dell—came through just 61 percent of the time."
Consumer Reports found that most Windows-based PC users were most satisfied by phoning tech support rather than seeking online help through web, chat or email support. Best Buy's Geek Squad and Staples' EasyTech services were found to be a step behind the Genius Bar, given that Apple serves as both the retailer and manufacturer and is subsequently more knowledgable about its own products and support information.

Apple provides 90 days of complimentary phone and online chat support that can be extended for up to two years with an AppleCare+ Protection Plan for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV and other products. AppleCare+ also protects against up to two incidents of accidental damage with an applicable service charge, such as a cracked screen from dropping the device or water damage.

Tags: Consumer Reports, tech support, Genius Bar
[ 125 comments ]


Top Rated Comments

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Avatar
0815
46 months ago
no surprises here - in the rare cases I had go go the the genius bar, they never met my expectations, they always went way above my expectation.
Rating: 29 Votes
Avatar
AngerDanger
46 months ago

no surprises here - in the rare cases I had go go the the genius bar, they never met my expectations, they always went way above my expectation.


So they must have met your expectations at some point on their way up, right? :p

Rating: 21 Votes
Avatar
0815
46 months ago
I once brought my computer (27 iMac) in for a small repair - I didn't pack it well enough and the screen in one corner cracked and had a big spider web (it was hitting some hard part in my car - 100% my fault for being in a rush and stupid .... anyway they repaired that free of charge. I didn't even had to ask for this. Also, the machine was out of warranty, but I still didn't pay anything for the repairs.
Rating: 14 Votes
Avatar
adamw
46 months ago
Great to see the Apple Support Genius Bar team being recognized for their outstanding customer support.
Rating: 11 Votes
Avatar
rdlink
46 months ago

yeah, i lost a whole computer to a simple last-two-sits-of-a-bottle-of-beer a couple years ago. whole thing wasted, and i'm sorry, but i'm not about to sink another $1500 into replacing the insides over a 1-2 week period where i have to RENT a replacement as well. logical or not, when i get it back, i'm not gonna trust the thing for my heavy workflow on strict deadline when my rent depends on it.

i really expect some sort of water resistant seal that still allows heat dissipation on ALL laptops keyboards, soon i hope. it's just such an incredible achilles heel, i refuse to accept my $3k investments are in theory 2 seconds away from a liquid fatality.

plus, i'm pretty sure i couldv'e saved the thing if apple used normal goddam screws on the back. sometimes, your special 'apple screwdriver' is nowhere to be found. #fact


And I am not willing to accept not being able to have my toaster sitting on the edge of the bathtub while I'm in my bubble bath. :roll eyes:


Get real. You put liquids around electronics you accept the risks. Period.
Rating: 10 Votes
Avatar
unplugme71
46 months ago

yeah, i lost a whole computer to a simple last-two-sits-of-a-bottle-of-beer a couple years ago. whole thing wasted, and i'm sorry, but i'm not about to sink another $1500 into replacing the insides over a 1-2 week period where i have to RENT a replacement as well. logical or not, when i get it back, i'm not gonna trust the thing for my heavy workflow on strict deadline when my rent depends on it.

i really expect some sort of water resistant seal that still allows heat dissipation on ALL laptops keyboards, soon i hope. it's just such an incredible achilles heel, i refuse to accept my $3k investments are in theory 2 seconds away from a liquid fatality.

plus, i'm pretty sure i couldv'e saved the thing if apple used normal goddam screws on the back. sometimes, your special 'apple screwdriver' is nowhere to be found. #fact


I don't feel bad for you.

There are two solutions to your problem.

1) Don't drink/eat next to your computer
2) Place your MacBook (*) on a riser

http://store.apple.com/us/product/TN740ZM/A/rain-design-mstand-for-macbookmacbook-pro?afid=p238%7CSEu6kxuF-dc_mtid_1870765e38482_pcrid_52243346050_&cid=aos-US-kwg-pla-btb
Rating: 8 Votes
Avatar
Mad Man
46 months ago

no, they were conceived in the womb of the :apple: Store by the Rod of Jobs - there was nowhere to go but down. luckily, these Apple Offspring were born with zero defects and Jobs saw them and 'twas not ashamed.


I am very sorry to hear that no one loves you and that you had a bad day. Hope you feel better soon.
Rating: 7 Votes
Avatar
Mad Man
46 months ago

Mine too. They replaced two 15" MBP chargers, even though one of them wasn't in warranty - they just sorted it out as goodwill. In 2012, they replaced my Early-2011 15" MBP with a brand-new 15" 2012 after its Logic Board failed on two occasions.

I had a keyboard issue with my 2011 as well. Dropped it off at 1PM. Got a call at 10:30PM that very day to say it was repaired and ready for collection at my earliest convenience.

They replaced the Logic Board in my friend's 2011 17" MacBook Pro even though the case had suffered significant impact damage and the SD card reader was mashed. "You won't be able to use the SD card reader, hope that's OK". Later he chose to get the top case repaired for I think about £150. It was around Christmas time 2012. I went into the store with him after they did the repair. They handed it back. When they processed the receipt, the Genius shrugged his shoulders and said "well, looks like you don't have to pay". For whatever reason, it was just processed free-of-charge. I don't know if that was an error or whatnot, but boy was that a nice pre-Christmas surprise. :D :D


Thats the big thing for me - they are super generous with out of warranty repairs.
Rating: 6 Votes
Avatar
2457282
46 months ago

no surprises here - in the rare cases I had go go the the genius bar, they never met my expectations, they always went way above my expectation.


I agree that they are the best help desk in the industry from a consumer perspective. I have only had one negative experience when they were not able to replace my screen until the next day (even though I had made an appointment).

But as a fanboy and techy, when I go to them, I have already diagnosed the problem and just want it fixed. They of course need to go through the script and testing things out before agreeing with my conclusion. My only wish is that they had a genius bar for genius that was separate from the bar for the commoners. :D:p:cool:
Rating: 4 Votes
Avatar
Kaibelf
46 months ago

yeah, i lost a whole computer to a simple last-two-sits-of-a-bottle-of-beer a couple years ago. whole thing wasted, and i'm sorry, but i'm not about to sink another $1500 into replacing the insides over a 1-2 week period where i have to RENT a replacement as well. logical or not, when i get it back, i'm not gonna trust the thing for my heavy workflow on strict deadline when my rent depends on it.

i really expect some sort of water resistant seal that still allows heat dissipation on ALL laptops keyboards, soon i hope. it's just such an incredible achilles heel, i refuse to accept my $3k investments are in theory 2 seconds away from a liquid fatality.

plus, i'm pretty sure i couldv'e saved the thing if apple used normal goddam screws on the back. sometimes, your special 'apple screwdriver' is nowhere to be found. #fact


So it's Apple's fault because you failed to follow the most basic rule around computers: avoid eating and drinking.

Perhaps a machine aimed at the education market would be more appropriate? I don't blame BMW for not making cars the same as Fisher Price.

----------

thanks so much.

1) admirable ethic of yours, but not entirely plausible for everyone, especially for professionals who can sometimes spend 8-14 hrs on their laptop per day.
2) wouldn't have helped. i honestly don't see how this helps beyond a minority of situations involving spills. those tend to come from above, not horizontally or from below.


1. Really? Professionals who can't step away for 5 minutes to eat and drink? It's your desk, not La Amistad. Buy an Apple watch and it'll remind you just how silly it is to sit somewhere for 14 hours.

2. See #1.
Rating: 4 Votes

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