I would like to know,if I bought my mac from machines,do I still have to pay for service charges even though my warranty still covers the hardware?

No. As long as your still covered by warranty any mac reseller can repair/fix your equipment -- apple has global warranty. Good service.

one question,

even if the mobo spoiled, can repair without 1 cent if still have the warranty?

@Balok,
Yes that should be right, even for mobo's (i'm assuming it stands for motherboard?) *grins*

If they insist on the service charge. Bring the faulty item to the official service center directly.

Here's the details...

VR Technology
Megan Avenue II, Ground Floor, Block B-0-7
No. 12, Jalan Yap Kwan Seng
50450 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2163 2020

well Machines sales assistants knew squat about the payment of service charges as their technicians weren't there but when I went to Smack in BVII,not only were their service worse than a baboon high on blue magic but they insisted that I pay the service charges of RM50 (Machines only charges RM20 for its service) unless I bought the hardware from there.

So a few more question,is it normal practise to pay any charges if I send it back to a different reseller?Also,is it best to just send my mac directly to the service centre which is VR Tech?Lastly,if there is hair and dust underneath the screen,will they replace it under Applecare?

Here's a hijack: If I bought my iPod from US and brought it here, how do I claim my warranty? I asked Machines staff and she said that must have receipt.

Well, If ur machine is still covered by warranty, they cant charge one cent for any repair/service. Bout ur hair and dust underneath the screen, i will check with the technician for u tomoro. Cheer.


No matter where u bought ur ipod, u just bring along ur ipod to the service centre as they can check it via internet.

Lets say I haven't register yet and I register one year after using it. Will they accept?

voxe
the date of registration isn't the most important thing.
AFAIK,
your serial number is encoded with the week of manufacture. so if there's a dispute about when your warranty ended (or started) the service center will ask you to provide a proof of purchase (receipt, sales docket, invoice).

if you don't have any, then you'll be referred to Apple Customer Service...

thanks,would prob drop by tomorow evening at around 6.30 pm.Another issue that just cropped up,its taking an extremely long time to boot up,but I guess its best to talk to the technician.

wow iPod seems to have serial number register online, if u did that they can track ur warranty period.

Which outlet u heading? Just curious hehe..
Just to add on, even though u bought ur apple ipod/laptop/desktop in north pole, u can still claim ur warranty in malaysia if it is still covered by the limited warranty.

you no longer need to send to VR Tech as Machines have our own service centre and we can do servicing on the spot

@knuxed

When I found some dirt inside the LCD screen, I sent my MBP back to Epicentre at Pavillion (I bought from them). They changed the LCD within 3 working days. It's FOC after some arguing with them. Fyi, my MBP was only 3 weeks old when I found the problem.

that i know,i did it in Australia but just over here,they seem to create unnecessary problems

They shouldn't be charging you. I got my motherboard replaced on my macbook for free...it wasn't at Machines, but at another mac reseller (now shut down).

I have my battery being checked out at Machines right now, they better not charge me for service or i'll be pissed.

well the technician said nothing about service charges today but they sure treat your laptop with no concern at all,simply holding it with one hand and please,if u want to criticize your customer,do it behind closed doors,not out in public.And yes,I do understand malay.

This post has been edited by knuxed: Jan 22 2008, 08:22 AM

I never really liked Machines either.

Why don't you write a mail to Apple Malaysia and tell them how the "premium reseller" is serving its customers.

Curious bout which outlet u mention.. will go and take a look when i m free..

Dear Knuxed,

If your machine is under warranty, they are not supposed not charge you for service, that is if it is a hardware problem. However, if it is a software problem, it is possible to incur a charge as the warranty is only for the computer's hardware.

Dust and hair in the screen is not covered by Applecare as that is not a hardware defect.

I apologize for any inconvenience you have faced when coming to our outlet and I sincerely hope this experience does not cause you to think lowly of our outlet. If there are any complaints, please send an e-mail to info@machines.com.my. Please be assured that your feedback is taken seriously.

If you have any other enquiries, please do not hesitate to PM me.

Regards,
Nadia

Couldnt agree more. I went to 2 of the 4 Machines outlets. Such attitude that I almost couldnt tolerate. Hell, was I the customer! the good side is, the rest of the employees were ok.

lol. nadia you have my mb battery, came in last week to get it swapped out. is it ready yet?

This post has been edited by OmniAtlas: Jan 23 2008, 05:11 PM

Miss Nadia,

I do not have anything against Machines and I applaud your efforts to bring a more "Apple-like" experience to Malaysia and especially in the major spots in Malaysia e.g Midvalley and KLCC.I must say that whilst you have achieved it with the layout of the shops and the way you display hardware and accessories(Though why you have a display of Mac OSX Server on your Mac Pro the last time I came in,I dont know,the prospective Mac OSX Server customer does not just waltz in and ask your sales staff on it).

On the other hand,some of your staff could be improved a bit,especially the way they treat customers.Multiple times,I have seen sales staff either too busy talking to their colleagues or just messing about on the macs displayed.Also,there has been one or 2 cases i have seen where the dressing dictates the service they get.I come in in shorts and i get looked at whilst I come in a tie,shirt and pants and i get the red carpet.Odd,dont you think so?.

All in all,I have nothing against Machines and its management(I met one of them during the opening of machines midvalley and she seemed awfully receptive to new ideas) but what I see is improvement is needed with your sales staff.Remember,at the end of the day,the products that you and your competitors sell is the same and the only way to differentiate yourself is Sales and Aftersales(which Machines can improve in that area).If you improve it even more,people would rather approach Machines than anyone else.

Regards,
A fan of Machines

PS Sorry about my bad grammar,this was written in a hurry

Just to add to knuxed's post, I too share the same experience. Sometimes the sales people hound you once you step in and browse, making you feel you uncomfortable. Other times they just congregate on one corner and chat among themselves while you try to get their attention.

And please get the sales people informed of new developments, new products and their features inside-out. It's a shame when the customers know more than people manning an Apple store.

To just summarize what I said in that paragraph,we,Apple users,want an Apple experience in the shop.Apple thrives on consistency with its ecosystem and sadly,your shop doesnt provide it.

This is so true, been to a few Machines stores like MidV, KLCC, and Sunway..the sales staff are so bad in product knowledge, even customers are better than them. I guess most the sales staff are fresh from school or college, and none of them have the passion in the products they are selling

Let me share my experience at Machines Lot 10 on last weekend, went there to survey the ipod touch 16gb price and the sales staff told me it is rm1739 with no free gifts where i already asked a few shops at LY selling at rm1499 with free gifts. So end up buying at LY, but later went to Machines Lot10 again and store manager told me it is selling at RM1499. If only i am informed i would have bought from Machines with rebates with my Machines member card.

Neekun,

I am actually a new sales staff as well, and sadly.. I too must admit that sine if the sales staff here are not native Apple users and their knowledge of the products is lacking, however I assure you that they are learning and the Midvalley outlet especially has been trying very hard to improve customer service. There is a team of us who are working with management to give customers a better experience when they come to our stores.

It may not be an immediate improvement, but we truly are working on it. I do encourage you all, however, to e-mail in your feedback to info@machines.com.my. This is the best way to ensure that your concerns are heard.

I sincerely apologize for the bad experiences you all have had at any of the Machines stores and we are working very hard to ensure you get the best out of your visit to Machines.

Again, I do urge you to forward any feedback you have to info@machines.com.my. This is one of the ways that you can help us serve you better.


To add on, I am sorry for the wrong information that the sales staff has given you, I am sure that it was not intentional and I hope you understand that. We are working to make sure the staff pay more attention to our promotions as well as to the customers.

Regards,
Nadia

---

Added on January 23, 2008, 9:31 pmKnuxed,

Please be assured that we are definitely working to try to improve our service at our stores, especially at the Midvalley outlet. It is a process and will take time. Sincere change does not happen overnight and I hope that you understand that. There are a few of us sales staff who are very passionate Mac evangelists, but not all are. Don't worry, for we are definitely, definitely working on it.

If you have any more feedback, please do forward it to info@machines.com.my.

Regards,

Nadia

---

Added on January 23, 2008, 9:33 pmDear Voxe,

You do not need to present a receipt. Once the technical staff has checked your serial number and ensured you are covered under the limited warranty/AppleCare warranty period, you will be able to make a warranty claim, no questions asked.

Regards,
Nadia.

---

Added on January 23, 2008, 9:36 pmYung Ming,

We only service on the spot if it is possible to be serviced on the spot. Other than that, you will have to leave the machine at the service center and they will call you once the machine has been serviced.

---

Added on January 23, 2008, 9:44 pmJokersson,

We are making sure that the staff are reading up sites like TUAW, AppleInsider and MacNN to make sure they are up to date with Apple's new developments . Sadly, it is also hard for management to find staff that are well-versed with Apple products as there are very few people who work retail that are Apple users. However, we are all still learning. Although the salesperson might not know the product that well, if he takes the initiative to find out for you and help you, that is the best he will be able to do. But rest assured that we are making sure our staff know what they are selling as we do product training at every meeting we have. I certainly hope that your next visit will be better.

Regards,

Nadia.

This post has been edited by MissMoo: Jan 23 2008, 09:44 PM

I just asked Machines staff today at the Sunway Pyramid Branch. He confirmed that if under warranty you don't have to pay unless you don't have a receipt of purchase. He also told me that warranty covers internationally.

This is correct.
However, the receipt is only really needed if there is a dispute in the date of purchase.
Other than that, if they find your product is still under warranty,
You will not need the receipt.
It is recommended that you keep it, though.

Nadia,

For your information, dust or hair under screen is covered under the hardware warranty. It is clearly a hardware defect and I don't really understand why you said it's not a hardware problem. Some MBP users experienced this and had their MBP lcd changed for more than once. I managed to change mine too when I bring it back to the store. Pls check.

so which machines is the best now?

Apple's warranty is standard international warranty...

I have just double checked with the technical staff and one said is covered, the other said it isn't.
So.. that wasn't much help.

But after thinking about it, I think Crusader is definitely right. Hair and dust shouldn't be able to have gotten into the screen unless it was during manufacturing, hence that would be a manufacturing defect thus it is covered by warranty. If hair and dust got into the screen AFTER manufacturing, then there must have been something wrong with the LCD display itself because it's not supposed to allow dust in.

I will bring this up with the service and tech manager.

-deleted-

This post has been edited by knuxed: Jan 24 2008, 04:58 PM

hullo? so which machines is the best in kl now?

I wouldn't say that there is a best,
But Machines Midvalley outlet has the most knowledgeable senior staff.
If you want to know the good people to look for when at an outlet,
Do PM me and I will let you know.

Nadia,can I call up Machines and check the status of my machine?

This post has been edited by knuxed: Jan 24 2008, 11:22 PM

Sure.
You can also give me your service report number and I can check the status for you.

since so many here are telling of their bad experience with machines...ibeg to differ. i've been to all the branches except lot10 with no problems at all. the staffs at sunway were helpful. the store manager himself entertained me. thats good enuff for me. he even helped checked my mbp which has a problem.

yesterday i went to check the problem at the service center at MV. again i received a good service from the staffs there. especially from the service counter. i'd like to name the person here, bcoz he did a great job and helped me to get covered under warranty eventhough my warranty is just out 2 weeks ago. he is ariff from the MV branch.

so my experience wit machines so far have been pleasant, be it buying from them or servicing my machine. hope this will remain and be better in the future.

peace machines!

btw, nadia r u working with them? HQ? bcoz if u do, it'll be easier for me to check the status of my machine if i can contact u directly. =)

Hi Xandman,

I actually work at the store itself, but it's rather easy to find out repair status as everyone is very close knit. Technicians in hq as well as the people at the store.

Arif indeed is a very good technician. Do look for him if ever in the store and if you ever have any trouble with your machine.

yeah i used to buy a adapter in machines as well. That day i just wear normal T Shirt and tell him i want to buy adapter. That idiot don even want to look at me and tell me it cost rm380+ and his look don aspect me will buy. Damn arrogant! i just took out whatever golden, platinum, gold card i got and tell him i need the adapter right now. Than he only smile to me and ask me to wait.

This post has been edited by yawhong: Jan 29 2008, 08:03 PM

Some of the staff members are just very unprofessional; or immature; thats the vibe i'm getting at. Perhaps further staff training could help -- but hey when does Malaysia NOT have bad service? I get shitty service in restaurants all the time. I wish asian countries would implement tipping; that way there is an incentive to serve better.

Theres better service in singapore but thats because singapore has done tremendously to raise their service sector.

haha u are rite... tips is really crucial to increase the quality of service... i hardly encounter this problem in uk too..

Question is.... Are the staff in Machines as bad as this too? I mean, they treated me fine with my brother's iPod purchase there, quite helpful, in fact. I wouldn't know as well as you guys though, perhaps they aren't as 'friendly' with warranty cases...

Well, we really are trying to improve the customer service at the store.
Hence, vigorous internal customer service training.

Guys, please do understand that any sort of "look" conveyed by the staff may not necessarily mean anything.
I can really assure you that at our outlet, we don't intend to ignore the more casually dressed customers.

No offense to anyone, but if you go into a store with "they're ignoring me because I'm dressed like this" mentality,
That is what you will feel.

I know some of the staff have the lan si look, but they really do have good intentions.
I did ask my colleague once why he looked so lan si when serving the customer,
He didn't even realize it.

He just merely responded.. "Ngo ma sang dou ngo lan si yong.. mm guai tak ngo ge maaaa. "
Translation: My mom gave birth to a son with this lan si face, so you really can't blame me maaaa.

No, I disagree. When I was getting macbook repaired one of your staff members started nodding his head in disagreement when a customer (middle-eastern might I add) walked into the store to get her ipod fixed. He started going into his whole immature routine which went something along the line of "oh for christ sake not her again" -- come on, show a little bit of professionalism, or at least do it behind the counter where your customers can't hear you.

I know I'm not speaking for all the staff -- but from my experience, the ones I've run into have been quite rude (well, besides you Miss Moo, and whats his name -- the guy with the cap that runs the service counter).

Everyday I run into rude and overly-aggressive drivers (does everyone speed in this country) and this probably translates appropriately into the service sector as well.

Some people have different opinions when it comes to customer service requirements, I noticed. Some companies insist that the staff be extremely polite and 'a$$-kissing' to everyone alike just to make a day's worth of sales. Others, more exclusive/premium retailers believe in only attending to obvious potential customers, leaving the 'look n' see' crowd to sulk in a corner.

I don't know about you guys, but I'd usually prefer less-aggressive promoters who don't drown you with crap when you merely look their way, yet always ready to attend to your inquiries the moment you ask for attention. Not everyone enjoys having salespeople trailing you around, nosing in whatever you're looking at when it's uncalled for.....

Well, the next time we go to Machines, I'll hope MissMoo can attend to us

sorry to disturb what u try to fix .
but although u said that machines is trying to fix the customer service .
i cant even see it at all , wetnt to lot10 mac and MV mac last few days, nothing much different , still so bad .
well , a person is lansi looking sure is cool . but when a lansi person is freindly ,he will look friendly . smile is easy .
if i were to buy , i wont go to machiens . please try to fix the customer service , i am not being rude . but i had travelled all the way up to AmcorpMall just to buy my BlackBook because even on the phone , the customer service is good .
i called up all apple retail seller before continue to my buying .

On another note,I finally (FINALLY) got back my macbook.Ariff and Lavanya seem to be pretty nice people though the others,well they need some thorough lessons in all things mac.

Let's just put our hopes in MissMoo's promise to rectify the problem, give her some time.... I was pretty ill-treated during my last trip there too. I asked about membership discounts and promotions, the guy shook me off as if it didn't matter....

Well, I guess that's as much as you can expect to get from a 3rd party reseller's salespeople. Now if it were Apple's own staff, this sorta thing would get them fired the moment they get a complaint.

my opinion, the buyer usually has an expectation that they want from the seller.
too bad, not many people can read the buyer's mind.

If the buyer is polite, I bet the sales in any stores. even the hawker will serve his/her customer well.

the problem with most people expectation are not met therefore complains take place.
I choose to be nice to people so will get the same respond.

sorry to say that in singapore , the hawkers at chinatown are friendly and serve you well . it doesn't mean what race you are , all it matters is the mentality .
i cant believe such big retail store can give out some crappy services . do note that one macbook is not cheap . near to 6K . what type of service has been given by the store is really a matter for me . Crappy service and lansi with the apple tag on the t shirt ? my foot . i have seen quite some .

btw , miss koo ... please take out the mac salesperson at the pavilion centre . that guy over there is really helpful . that is the only one . nice one at pavilion .

MidValley Machines ? nope . especially those who are at the counter .

Hell yeah. Them Pavilion EpiCentre people are very good so far. Made a couple of accessory + iPod purchases from them already. They do know their products fairly well, besides some stock depletion issues. Very satisfied as things are, hope they keep it up. Machines, it's time to make the extra effort to improve customer interaction. No one likes an arrogant salesperson.

Actually the ones in KLCC are not to bad also. The minute I stepped into the shop, I was greeted and asked if I needed any help.

The mac shop at the curve is horrible. Stay away.

Noted. The salesperson in machines klcc is reli frenly. The staff greeted me even im in my lovely sport attire. But one problem with machines klcc is always out of stock. Hope they will improve or solve this problem asap.

i have to support u there bro...
Ariff is sure helpful...he even helped me get extended warranty for my MBP!
N i got a free service after that!

again...i have to agree...
Machines klcc people are frenly...although some of them a bit blur on the products...but i dun mind that...as they are frenly...
even the promoter girls...which i assume not permanent...are frenly...
in fact...i have been to almost all machines outlet...i dun seem to have any problems with lansi-ness...=)

xandman , probably u look upmarket and u always bring ur nikon DSLR there ...

Probably true to some extent. They just ADORE ignoring us el cheapo-looking guys...

This post has been edited by Samanoske Akechi: Feb 9 2008, 02:22 PM

The best service I had was with the Apple store in Atlanta.

A couple years ago I had originally ordered a Powerbook 12" -- the order was delayed so I went to the store instead and bought it there. I then checked out the website and there was an offer for a free printer -- disgruntled that I wasn't made aware of this offer the Manager discounted $100 USD off the powerbook and gave me the printer and apologized. I don't remember but I think the iPod was also part of the package and that was included with the powerbook.

Couple months later I saw thrown in a river (happens when you win rowing regattas) with my iPod. Sadden, I took it in for repairs and told them it did not work. No questions asked, they replaced my ipod ON THE STOP with a refurbished one. Now thats service.

After those two incidents I recognized that Apple goes quite a long way to make their customers happy -- not too sure about their resellers as this was an official store.

Over here I had my macbook black 13" motherboard replaced (happened within 11 months of purchase), and just recently got a brand new battery for free. So the service is still good, but the staff could be better.

hahaha. well.
"adore el-cheapo looking guys" is a bit exaggerated.

I went to Lot10 Machines to buy ipod classic just now. The salesperson greeted me and very polite.

But when I asked him what's the firmware that ipod classic that he's selling, he show me a very confuse face.
He managed to say something like "Wait, I'll ask my senior".

He came back 3 minutes later from the counter (where a bunch of senior looking people standing) and said "Sorry, sir. Our ipod don't have firmware, you have to download it yourself from the net."

I asked him again, "You mean Ipod Classic don't have firmware installed? You have any idea what is a firmware?"

"Yes, I do. You have to download it yourself." I just smile to him and walk away.



I ended up buying from Epicentre.

But to be fair, the salesperson was very polite.

This post has been edited by Crusader: Feb 21 2008, 07:31 PM