Speak to an Expert

Apple is well known for its best in industry customer service and support, and today I was able to enjoy experiencing it (at least in a small way).

In the beginning of May, I purchased the 24" LED Display - which I love. Its big, bright, build in iSight camera, USB hub - no ugly cables in the back. It is developing a problem where after I've been using it for a while, the brightness changes about 10 or 15% down, then up, then down - at random intervals. It doesn't happen often, so the first couple of times I thought I was working too hard and needed a break.

But today, it started doing it and it was annoying. So I visited apple.com to grab the phone number for AppleCare to call and get some help. But I noticed a link for something they call "Speak To An Expert". I clicked that and logged in using my MobileMe account (which I've had for a couple of years, back to when it was called .Mac). It presented me with a list of every product I've ever purchased - including the serial number.

This was neat to me because I've never one time filled out a registration card (I don't mean for Apple, I mean in my whole life - I hate those cards!). Because when I buy online, I'm logged into my account, but even when I buy in the store (where I got the display) I let them email my receipt - I don't even have to give them my email address because its linked to my account with my credit card. 

So I'm at the store making a purchase. I don't wait inline to check out, they come to me with a handheld device that scans the barcode of the product I purchase and swipes my credit card. The credit card is linked to my MobileMe account, which means that my product purchase and serial number is linked to my MobileMe account. Before I even leave the store, I have a receipt in my email box (I know because I get me email on my phone). That is very cool.

Back to today's experience....after I selected the product from the list of purchases I've made, it walked me through a wizard which let me narrow down what might be wrong, then asked me if I wanted to A: Have Apple call me now, B: Have Apple call me later, or C: Let me call Apple later.

I picked A and within 20 seconds my phone was ringing. When I answered, I heard "Hi. This is Apple. Press 1 to speak to an expert or 2 to reschedule the call." Pressing 1, I waited maybe 5 more seconds before an agent was talking to me. He had already read my case information and was ready to help me solve my problem.