Let me start of by saying I’m a Mac user. That being said;
I’ve had 2 intense run-ins with the support of both M$ and Apple recently. The attitude and service I got was … safe to say, hysterically different.
**Microsoft:
**Problem 1: Xbox broke.
Solution: Called support. They picked it up with UPS 3 days later and sent me a brand new xbox with a 6 month subscription to xbox live! as an apology. Total time: 12 days.
Problem 2: MSN (on mac) refused to work
Solution: Had a bunch of chats with the support staff. They were very experienced, helpful and polite. Even though we were unable to solve the problem I still feel they did a really good job. MSN on mac is a free service they have just for the hell of it. As an apology of not reaching a solution, they sent me a game card for 1 month of xbox live!.
Apple:
Problem1: Airport Extreme refused to recognize printer
Solution: Called support. Got connected to a guy that barely spoke English. He did not know what Airport Extreme was. I asked to be transfered to another person and got disconnected. I called again. Another guy with poor English answers. I explain my problem and he refers me to a non-apple information site made by some non-apple guy with a list of printers that are incompatible. When I asked why apple is not informing customers about this themselves I got disconnected.
Problem2: Needed to upgrade from 10.3.9 to 10.4 (OSX) on my powerbook.
Solution: I was unsure if I qualified for an upgrade on my license, so I called support. Again, I was connected to a dude with very poor English. (I would like to note here that I’m Swedish in origin so I am generally pretty forgiving when it comes to others that do not have English as their primary language… but cmon. He asked me If I spelled “Eric” with a I or an E …) it all ended with him saying “Maybe you should go to the closest apple store and ask”
HELLO!? I’m asking YOU!
Holy cow, I like my Mac and I LOVE OSX… but Apples customer care is a big F’n Joke. Microsoft has my renewed respect.
