Last Wednesday, my daughter Rebecca turned 6. Her big present from her dad and I was an iPod touch. I know, some of you are thinking that’s too young, but I actually find the games on the touch are easier for her to navigate than the DS. Yes, she also has a DS.
Anyway, I digress. So, she got the touch, and we knew she was getting a protective case from her aunt at her birthday party on Saturday, so we didn’t bother to get one for her.
When she opened it, she was ecstatic, and she immediately wanted it synced with all our music and apps. Once that was done, Rebecca was in heaven. I think I heard that Jessie J song “Price Tag” about a million times.
Saturday finally came, and she got her Hello Kitty protective case. After her party, I said “go upstairs and get your case for your iPod, so we can make sure it doesn’t get wrecked.”
Off she went, iPod in hand.
I started going about my business, as well as anyone can be expected to with post birthday party trauma, and I was in the kitchen when I heard this blood curdling scream. I went running, thinking that Rebecca had hurt herself, but when I got upstairs the only thing damaged was her iPod touch.
She had needed a bathroom stop on her way to get the case, and as she went into our en suite, she slipped on a towel that was on the floor and dropped the iPod on the ceramic tiles. She was beside herself with grief.
She had only had her (much coveted) iPod touch for 4 days. It still worked, but the screen was shattered and the glass was rough, so I wouldn’t let her touch it.
As I always do when things like this happened, I went to Twitter to ask what to do.
Most people said it wasn’t covered under warranty and it was going to cost upwards of $100 dollars to fix. One person said call Apple Care and plead your case, and another said empty it and return it to the store where you bought it claiming it was like that when you got it.
That last answer seemed like the easiest option, but my husband reminded me what a horrible liar I am, so off I went to the Apple Store.
When I got to the store, I was immediately greeted by one of the workers and I explained what had happened. She told me that the damage was not covered by warranty and there was a fee to replace the screen, then she said she was going to make an appointment at the “Genius Bar” (that’s their customer service desk) for me and I could come back in half an hour to talk to someone. I liked that I didn’t have to stand in line. She then told me to be sure that I told them exactly what I had told her.
So, I went and got a chai latte at the nearby Timothy’s and returned. I signed in and was seen immediately.
I told the customer service representative (Shari) my whole story, the birthday present, the slipping in the bathroom, the Hello Kitty case, and how new the iPod touch was.
She told me “cosmetic damage is not covered by warranty” to which I said “I know, but I’m hoping you can so something for me”
She took the touch and said she would have to talk to her manager to see what they could do. I waited… she wasn’t gone long, but I was nervous so it seemed like ages.
When she came back, she presented me with a new iPod touch and said “wish your daughter a happy birthday”
Tears sprang to my eyes.
In a world where we are so often numbers, and generally are met with automated voices at the end of our phone lines, a world where too often the humanity is removed from customer service, it felt good to have someone listen to my story and make a decision based on emotion rather than cost... and this is why I will always shop at the Apple Store.
Tom, did I mention that I want an iPad? Mother’s Day is right around the corner!
Printer-friendly version