As mentioned earlier, the Apple "authorized" repair places in Bangalore all told me it would take a minimum of two days to get a logic board. So I left it with the original place that I had taken it.
I dropped it off on Monday, was told on Tuesday that it would need a logic board. Then on Friday they called and said it was ready, and that they'd delayed for an extra day "to make sure that the logic board was the problem". I think this means they swapped out my logic board for another one and verified that it would work. (Another 24 hours to do that? Wouldn't that have been part of the original investigation?)
So, I finally picked it up on Friday, and asked for my old logic board. If I'm going to pay 32000 rupees for a logic board, I want the old one back. They can be refurbished for about $350US at multiple places online, and I figured I might take advantage of that option to have a spare for the future. That's when I was told that 32000 rupees ($725 US) is the price for a "trade-in" logic board and I would have to leave my old one there.
So at this point, I'm very suspicious about the whole thing. Perhaps they just reset the memory chips and told me it was a logic board problem. Bang, instant 32000 in profit. So I asked for some proof that the logic board was actually replaced, and they refused. They wouldn't show me the old one, nor would they show me the order they placed with Apple for the replacement. They were really losing credibility with this one.
Then they informed me that I'd have to pay cash for the work. Excuse me? Rs. 32000 in cash on a Friday afternoon? If you know Bangalore, you know how difficult that would be. ATMs only dispense 10000 at a time. Then the guy working there said "I told you this on Monday" which was a complete lie. This is when I really went ballistic. Had he told me on Monday I would have taken my business elsewhere. What computer business today can't accept credit/debit cards? That's right, a clueless one.
Apple has no business giving these jokers an "authorized repair" license. If someone told you to pay in cash for a repair but then refused to show you proof that a repair was actually done, you'd tell them where to go, right? "Sir, your car has a new engine, but no, we won't let you look under the hood or see the old one. Trust us. And pay cash now please."
In the end the situation was sorted with the involvement of Apple India's sales/service leadership. I didn't like the outcome nor did I like having to escalate, but it was sorted. My laptop is up and running. I'm praying that it'll last another 7 months until I leave India and am forced to leave it behind. If it needs further repairs, I certainly won't take it to the same place. And I fear for all those Apple customers who don't escalate or have the options to escalate.
Bottom line: 32,000 rupees for a trade-in (possibly refurbished) logic board, payable only in cash and delivered after 5 days of downtime.
That is just unacceptable, Apple.
If you rely on an Apple machine for your livelihood in Bangalore, I suggest you look at a disaster-recovery plan. My experience tells me that Apple will not be there for you if deadlines are approaching and your hardware dies. I suggest you have a second machine ready. The problem is that most musicians, artists, designers, even software geeks I know here can't afford that.
I dropped it off on Monday, was told on Tuesday that it would need a logic board. Then on Friday they called and said it was ready, and that they'd delayed for an extra day "to make sure that the logic board was the problem". I think this means they swapped out my logic board for another one and verified that it would work. (Another 24 hours to do that? Wouldn't that have been part of the original investigation?)
So, I finally picked it up on Friday, and asked for my old logic board. If I'm going to pay 32000 rupees for a logic board, I want the old one back. They can be refurbished for about $350US at multiple places online, and I figured I might take advantage of that option to have a spare for the future. That's when I was told that 32000 rupees ($725 US) is the price for a "trade-in" logic board and I would have to leave my old one there.
So at this point, I'm very suspicious about the whole thing. Perhaps they just reset the memory chips and told me it was a logic board problem. Bang, instant 32000 in profit. So I asked for some proof that the logic board was actually replaced, and they refused. They wouldn't show me the old one, nor would they show me the order they placed with Apple for the replacement. They were really losing credibility with this one.
Then they informed me that I'd have to pay cash for the work. Excuse me? Rs. 32000 in cash on a Friday afternoon? If you know Bangalore, you know how difficult that would be. ATMs only dispense 10000 at a time. Then the guy working there said "I told you this on Monday" which was a complete lie. This is when I really went ballistic. Had he told me on Monday I would have taken my business elsewhere. What computer business today can't accept credit/debit cards? That's right, a clueless one.
Apple has no business giving these jokers an "authorized repair" license. If someone told you to pay in cash for a repair but then refused to show you proof that a repair was actually done, you'd tell them where to go, right? "Sir, your car has a new engine, but no, we won't let you look under the hood or see the old one. Trust us. And pay cash now please."
In the end the situation was sorted with the involvement of Apple India's sales/service leadership. I didn't like the outcome nor did I like having to escalate, but it was sorted. My laptop is up and running. I'm praying that it'll last another 7 months until I leave India and am forced to leave it behind. If it needs further repairs, I certainly won't take it to the same place. And I fear for all those Apple customers who don't escalate or have the options to escalate.
Bottom line: 32,000 rupees for a trade-in (possibly refurbished) logic board, payable only in cash and delivered after 5 days of downtime.
That is just unacceptable, Apple.
If you rely on an Apple machine for your livelihood in Bangalore, I suggest you look at a disaster-recovery plan. My experience tells me that Apple will not be there for you if deadlines are approaching and your hardware dies. I suggest you have a second machine ready. The problem is that most musicians, artists, designers, even software geeks I know here can't afford that.
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