Apple Tech Support

Somewhere resembling Day 4 with the MacBook, I noticed that the charger wasn't charging.  Jiggled the cord and it worked fine.  Over the next day or so, I had the same problem and ran my own personal diagnostics involving different electric sockets and swapping in and out the extension cable.

Jiggle the cord seemed to be the fix.

Late-ish last night, I called tech support to make sure that "take the bad cord into a retail store" was the correct answer.  It took 30 minutes and two techs to tell me it was.  But I was to take the entire machine with me also, just in case.

Just in case of what?  In case it isn't just the cord and they have to replace the entire machine.   Apparently, Apple has a 30 day DOA policy.  In fact, last night, the guy offered to send me a new machine right then. But that seemed like a waste.

They made me an appointment in the store by my office.  This store is in what I think is still the largest shopping mall in the state of Illinois.  The store was packed at the lunch hour, so they were a few minutes late to my appointment.  Nothing tragic, but it bothers me to have an appointment and then be sent to the queue.

Appointments are for the purpose of avoiding the queue.

The tech in the store didn't ask to see my machine, she just said that she would go get me a new charger.    Several minutes later, she came back and said they did not have any in stock.  She would order one and call me when it was in.

Um..no.

I asked her to call the store nearest my house.  Several minutes later, she confirmed that they had one and they would put my name on it.

I arrived at the store after work.   The store was packed.  The first guy that intercepted me had no record of a call on my behalf, so he put me in the queue.  20 minutes later, a guy arrived to help me.  Then another customer, one who had made an appointment, got to budge.  Whatever.

When it was my turn, I explained the problem.  Tech wanted to run a diagnostic.  He said, "if it is the charger, we will replace the charger.  If it is the computer, we will replace the computer."  He gets a network cord, plugs it in, then thinks again.  Test the charger first.  Mine - bad.  Store sample - good.

"I don't think I need to run a diagnostic."

He made all of the notes on my original case file, gave me a new charger and sent me on my way.

Summary:

Sunday night:  Two techs, 30 minutes
Monday lunch: One tech, 30 minutes
Monday night:  Three greeters, one aborted attempt, one tech - 40 minutes

Every single person I spoke with was perfectly pleasant.  They were all interested in solving my problem.  But really, this was a lot of time and effort for a charger.  I guess I should be happy that they were all trying to be absolutely sure the problem was solved the "first time", and not taking the User's word for it that it was just a charger cord.  But really.  A lot of time.

Note to self:  The thing costs $61, in case you just want to buy a new one and be done.