5 Ways Apple Proves They Really Care About Customer Service

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There’s a reason why Apple is a leader in not only technology but customer service too.  They actually provide the vehicle(s) needed to service their customers’ needs.  It’s not based on what Apple wants but on what their customers’ need. Here’s how I found out.

Really Care About Customer Service

I purchased a new iPhone 6 Plus on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.  After the initial plinking with my new toy I put it to rest so I can visit family for the holiday. On Friday I returned to my investigation of my new gadget.  All went well.

But then it happened…

Just like the old dreaded “blue screen of death” from a computer running Windows 95, my phone froze-up and I was left with an expensive paperweight.  Oh no!

I contacted my trusted friend named Google.com to find an answer.  But I didn’t like what I was told. The operating system needed to be rebooted.  Oh no, again.

I just finished adding most of my contacts to the phone as well as many setting changes – I didn’t want to lose them.

By now it was after 5pm on the busiest shopping day of the year.  There was no way I was going to be able to reach anyone at the Apple customer service for help.  But I had to try.

Note: I consider myself a “realist”, someone that understands when something can reasonably happen or when it is all a fantasy – a pipe dream and never to come to fruition.  But I “had” to try…

I went on Apple’s website and entered my phone’s serial numbers and identified what the issue was.  Then, I received a prompt asking if I wanted a call back from a customer service rep.  Yeah sure, “they’re never going to call me back” I thought.  I entered my number and pressed “OK”.

Three (3) seconds later my phone rang – you guessed it.  It was a recorded message from Apple’s customer service department.  This can’t be…

I was thanked for contacting Apple and given a choice of music styles to listen to while I waited.   Wow, that’s a nice touch.  I pushed the button for classical hoping it would calm my nerves while I wait forever on the phone only to probably get disconnected an hour later.

Then it happened: 3 minutes later “Edward” came on the line saying hello and told me he was here to fix my issue.

Now, to say the least I was impressed; not on how quickly Edward walked me through the needed steps to reboot my phone and get me back up and running but for this:

On the busiest shopping day of the year, Apple has enough employees working their customer service phone lines to answer my call after 3 minutes and provide me with a prompt fix.

No wonder why Apple’s considered one of the top customer service businesses.

Now, let’s go through the steps of service that Apple provides

Their website is designed for easy navigation and to collect the needed information to address the issue.

Too many businesses design their store or website based on the “look” or brand image they wish to express.  But the actual shopping experience must take precedent over the look.  If you can accomplish both, you have a winning design.

You’re given the option to use multiple ways to contact a service representative.

  1. Online chat
  2. Send email to the support team
  3. Have them call you for direct vocal support

Full service support must consist of numerous methods of contact.  You can’t just provide an email address and expect your customers to sit back and wait for your return message.

Their support software allows for an automated call back. 

This is a tough one. I doubt most businesses can provide this unless they have deep pockets like Apple.  But for those that can, do they?  Are they actually interested in an “immediate” remedy for a customer’s problem?

They have enough employees working to service the anticipated business volume.

This is one of the biggest measures of customer service success.  Who cares how good your service is if you don’t have the employee coverage to offer it when needed?  Then, are you really even providing good service?

Too many businesses focus more on the upfront sale and not how to provide the post sale service.

Their service team members are trained properly and empowered to see the issue through to its resolution.

When revenues fall training is postponed or eliminated.  You must understand the value in highly skilled employees and provide the motivation and positive work environment needed to have them service your customers in need.

Your products, brand image, store location, uniqueness and price are all major factors leading to the success of a business.  But, 


never forget that service and the customer experience is the driving force behind a GREAT business.
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Thanks, Apple!

Republished with author's permission from original post.

Steve DiGioia
Steve uses his 20+ years of experience in the hospitality industry to help companies and their employees improve service, increase morale and provide the experience their customers' desire. Author of "Earn More Tips On Your Very Next Shift...Even If You're a Bad Waiter" and named an "ICMI Top 50 Customer Service Thought Leader" and a "Top Customer Service Influencer" by CCW Digital, Steve continues his original customer service, leadership and management-based writings on his popular blog.

4 COMMENTS

  1. I can only second the experience.

    I’ve lived in multiple countries and have had to call the service desk. Sometimes for minor things, because I knew how quick apple is when it comes to responding to my query. But I also called them in my role as a Customer Experience professional to really nitpick the details. Truth is, I tend to be a tough critic, but I also know when kudos are well deserved. And Apple is certainly a great example for other businesses.

    It’s especially great to feel the experience being the same all over. I’ve called Apple Customer Service in Canada, Australia, The Netherlands, and the UK. Same excellent customers service in all those countries. And one also gets the feeling one is talking to someone on the ground, and not just an outsourced call centre where someone simply misses that ‘local’ knowledge.

    It’s impressive to experience how Apple has (and is) spent attention to seemingly every little detail in the customer service.

  2. Hi Michael,

    Your last statement says it all…”Apple has spent attention to seemingly every little detail”. That’s what great customer service is all about. Thanks for your comment, glad you liked the article.

  3. My experience with apple is very bad as they can handle a little issue but any thing of some degree of difficulty it becomes despicable as I have been three months trying to get a password as when I changed phone it was changed with out a password my phone is not totally functional when i have called I have just got verbal jumbo and no help except wait until and you will get a password, I have been with ATT since 2004, and also was over charged and was to have a credit but it comes up i owe the credit for charges i have all ready paid

  4. I have to agree with Lowell, worst customer service ever! Bought this I-12 direct from Apple primarily for my wife to use monitoring her glucose levels with the Abbott Labs developed Libre 2 system. I already had an I-12 mini and we enabled the system to communicate any alarms to me, as my wife is almost deaf and often doesn’t hear the high or low sugar level alarms. Worked great for a couple months until Apple upgraded the iOS from 13 to 14. This completely broke the communication between the phone and the sensors (NFC). Apple was condescending and did not care about our problem. They refused to help me go back to the 13 version until Abbott could research the problem, and of course Apple wasn’t going to help solve the problem. Apple broke this but couldn’t be bothered to help a customer. Bought an Android phone for 1/3 the cost which is working great. Not buying Apple ever again.

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