Astonishing Effort in Customer Service

     About two months ago I purchased an iPod Touch.  I love it.  I use it all the time to listen to music, to play games, to watch movies, and when there's a wi-fi network around I surf the web... that is until I got a Droid 2 and have 3g coverage, but that's off topic.  My iPod battery died and I realized that I hadn't synced it in a while. So I created a playlist that I had been meaning to anyway and hooked up my iPod.  Lo and behold, an iPod software update is available.  I believe it was 4.1 IOS for those of you who were curious.  Anyway, it begins downloading and is simultaneously sync my iPod.  As you have guessed, something went wrong.


I'm not sure exactly why, but a few select songs didn't want to sync.  Ok, no big deal, I'll fix that later.  So everything else is fine and dandy and I unplug my iPod to put it in the dock so that I can listen to music while I clean my room.  I turn on the iPod and all of my apps are gone.  Some of them were free so they weren't worrying me but the ones that I paid for were also missing.  They weren't just not on my iPod they also weren't anywhere to be seen on my computer.  So I began doing some google research to see how I can reacquire my apps.  Now I'm not entirely sure if it was just my apps that were missing from my computer or if anything else was as well (but we'll get to that later).  All my music and movies were still on my iPod as well so that wasn't the concern either.  Google had links that offered many different selections many of which seemed helpful in any other situation but mine.  So I went to the Apple website to see what they had to offer.  Not a whole lot, at least not that would have helped me.  So I decided I would do the unthinkable.  I pulled out my phone.

     I dialed the 800 number for Apple Customer Service and was immediately put to an automated voice activated operator.  The AVAO (new acronym...) asked what product I was calling about and then gave me a list of options for common problems for my product.  I chose the "none of these" options.  Then the AVAO told me it was transferring me to a customer service agent that would be best suited to help me with my problem.  Then told me that all customer service reps were currently busy and that they would take my call as soon as possible.  So I was put on hold.

     In this day and age being put on hold is like a death sentence.  Typically companies have constant ads for their own services or products or muzak that is so painful to the ears that I'd rather have a chorus of two-year-olds who screaming inches from my ears.  Ok, maybe that's an exaggeration but you get my point.  And then after what seems like an hour you get transferred to an operator who is noticeably Indian or native to some other country and answers to the name "Bob" or "Peggy."  Then "Bob" and "Peggy" listen to your problem, whether or not they understand your problem is another issue entirely.  And after 30 minutes or arguing with "Bob" and "Peggy" you give up and hang up without an answer to your problem.  This is what I was expecting.

     It was a pleasant surprise when I was first put on hold to first off hear an actual song with lyrics and everything and then it happens to be a song I actually know.  I can't remember what song it was, unfortunately, but I did know it, and was actually singing along.  The whole song played and then a new one started.  I did not know this one, but knew that it was a popular tune with the kids these days!  Every song they played was recognizable and pleasant to listen to.  After a relatively modest 10 minutes or so of being on hold I was transferred to Andy who sounded like he was in an office somewhere in town, a local boy as it were.  Granted, he was probably in some Apple Corp corporate building wherever.  But he sounded native.  He then asked me a few questions regarding my iPod and such to verify that I was indeed the owner and had the proper iPod, SOP I'm sure.  From there I told him my issue and how it was all caused by the new update and what solution I was hoping for.  He then said that he will make a call over to the iTunes people and ask them to activate a re-download for me.  I was then put back on hold to listen to the same pop music as before.  However, this was a different set of songs.  Which makes me curious exactly how many songs are on the "Apple Caller Hold Playlist."  I was also confused as to why the "iPod Customer Service Rep" had to call an "iTunes Customer Service Rep."  I would think that it would make more sense to train everyone for every problem and have less people on staff.  But this is a testament to Apple's Customer Service and their dedication to customer service that they have a number of different reps for each individual software.

     This time I was on hold for quite a while.  So long in fact that I was tired of holding my phone so I tried the speaker phone.  But this only made the relatively pleasant music distorted and annoying so I connected my bluetooth headset.  Easy enough, until I tried to readjust the headset in my ear and accidentally hit the end call button.  Fail.  So I called the 800 number back hoping that I can get through to someone who can either talk to Andy or transfer me to Andy or something.  And while I'm answering the questions of the AVAO my call is interrupted from an incoming call.  It was a 916 area code which is Sacramento, CA.  So I answer it and I hear "Hi Jeremy, it's Andy from Apple Customer Service..."  WOW!  Never in a million years would I expect a customer service representative who was hung up on (accidental or not) to call back the client that hung up on them and continue to help them.  Andy then walked me through exactly how to get to the downloads that the iTunes people reactivated for me.  And after making sure I had begun downloading said items he then cordially thanked me for my patience and wished me a pleasant rest of the day.

     Unfortunately when I the 309 downloads finished that was ALL that was in my iTunes.  All of my old music had disappeared as well.  Granted this is less of a pressing matter because I had it all on my computer and it was all still on my iPod.  So I simple added the folder back and voila there's all of my things.  Now the issue is, that some of my movies which were ripped from Digital Copies of Blu-Rays (therefore only available to download once) were unchecked at the original sync and then since lost in this whole confusion.  So I began poking through all the folders on my computer and they were still not there.  Uh-oh.  Back to Google we go.  I found a message board that allowed me to breathe easier.  Apparently one person had a similar issue regarding their digital copies and upon calling Apple Customer Service were issued replacement registration numbers and were given their movies back.  So tomorrow I will be on the phone again with Apple Customer Service asking them for a similar solution.  I hope I can talk to Andy again, but I don't think it will be much of an issue regardless of who answers the call.

     In a world where most customer service telephone services are outsourced to foreign countries where a company teaches reps to pretend to act and sound American and pretend to know what they're talking about, Apple is leading the way when it comes to helping their customers.  With personal and friendly representatives who can actually help you, I can only hope that the rest of corporate America follows Apple's lead.  Doubtful, but it'd be nice.  So thank you Andy, and thank you Apple.  You turned my utter panic and hatred into mild frustration as now I have to go and re-fix my iPod and iTunes... but it won't cost me anymore money that I don't have.  And while, I still like operating with Windows better... you certainly have gained points in my book... and now if you want to know how likely my purchasing of a Mac is... well... take a look:






     I will update you all tomorrow as to whether or not I got my missing movies back... because I know you're all just dying to find out. Til then "I'll be right back. Don't you go dying on me!"