SaudiMac Saudi Apple Macintosh Users
Do you remember the story titled “Apple in Saudi Arabia: 2 years of frustration” which was about Talal Bakry’s experience with Arab Computers in Saudi Arabia that we shared here last year? The story had a good conclusion a few months later where Apple Inc has promised him a new replacement MacBook Pro (before the unibody macbooks were released) whenever he goes back to Canada.
Talal had to stay in Riyadh, he said “I had to stay in Saudi Arabia last summer and couldn’t go to Canada. As a result, Apple couldn’t replace my MacBook Pro until I go to a country where Apple has direct presence.” Apple doesn’t have a presence in the Middle East until now, currently only relying on VAD (Value Added Distributors).
“However, I contacted Apple again last March asking them to find a way to have my MacBook Pro replaced here in Saudi Arabia” continued Talal. “So, for the last 2 months, Apple has been in contact with Arab Computers and ABM to negotiate a deal. Finally, last Thursday, I got a phone call from ABM in Dubai. They apologized for the bad experience I went through, and promised to have my MacBook Pro replaced tomorrow Sunday. I also got a confirmation e-mail from Apple for the replacement.”
“The replacement I’m getting is a new 2.4GHz Unibody MacBook Pro, which is quite an upgrade from my current 1.83GHz first generation MacBook Pro” a jump from the first generation Core Duo to a Core 2 Duo with 6MB cache and DDR3, that’s a nice upgrade.
“I just got a phone call from ABM Dubai” as in today, 24th of May 2009. “He told me he will be calling Arab Computers tomorrow Monday to arrange the replacement. He also said I should have got the replacement today, but they were too busy or something.”
This is very good news indeed. After 3 years Arab Computers finally admitted that it was their mistake (although it was from the higher up ABM). It’s also ironic after what Mr. Amjad Matar said in this blog comment about the situation and our site reporting it. Saying (in Arabic):
الاستشهاد بقضية مذكورة ÙÙŠ مواقع غير مقروؤة هو من قبيل دس السم ÙÙŠ العسل، Ùالقضية المذمورة ÙÙŠ الموقع سعودي ماك قضية ثبت ان صاØبها لا ØÙ‚ له ÙÙŠ استدال الجهاز وهو ما اصر عليه.
Simple translation: “The owner of the computer (Talal) has no right in having a replacement.” and in the next few days Talal will have his replacement, 3 years later. We will keep you updated.
اقرأ الموضوع بالعربي ÙÙŠ موقع سعودي ماك العربي.
Glad to hear there was some movement on the issue.
indeed. Hopefully it’s been settled by now.
In view of all the above, so I take my 2.4 aluminum Macbook Pro that I bought back in 2007 from Global Store, to Arab Computers.
The problem is the good old logic board being dead.
I’ve been told that apple announced a recall to certain batches for a free replacement.
(By the way, I’ve been earlier to iTechia and they never mentioned anything. They simply wanted me to pay the $1000. They just enjoy ripping ppl off)
So I took my Macbook Pro with the dead screen to Arab Computers Service Center. The reception was great and promising honestly. I had my hopes high. (that was on Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010)
Ibraheem at the service center receives it and gave my receipt document and explained that they have to contact Apple to get a confirmation for the replacement. He added, “it takes about 5 days”.
We agreed that I’ll call him on Monday to check.
I called yesterday and there was no response from Apple. He, Ibraheem, advised me that it’s possible to take it to Jeddah to do the same repairing.
Now I called today as I was leaving work to check if the approval came and there’s time to repair before my flight tomorrow.
I’ve been calling since 3 pm and no one answers. Then finally he answers the phone at exactly 4:20 pm. His name is Seif. He takes my reference number and put me on hold to check on the apple feedback. Now, I work in SABIC and we pretty much rely on insane email exchanges like any other corporate. However, it’s just impossible to believe that Apple might take about a week to reply.
Then it hits me! maybe the delay was from the sender :D. Ahuh!!
While I was mentally investigating and throwing conspiracies, I realized that I’ve been holding on the phone for 8 minutes!!
I hang up and kept calling back for 12 times with no one picking up.
Finally, Ibraheem (who received my Mac last week) answers the phone and told me that Apple didn’t reply yet.
I was so pissed, I asked him to pass Seif on the phone. So I asked him why would you keep a customer holding for 8 minutes?? And then I call back for 12 times and you don’t pick up?? Maybe I’m a perfectionist but there are job ethics and that is totally unacceptable.
Obviously he just forgot me on hold because he kept silent then said “I’m so sorry” in a “Live with it” tone.
You see that’s the problem when a certain group of people (Starting with Mr. Amjad) takes over a company and they got each other backs. It is literally a Mob. Consequently, a service center employee who is total ignorant of the concept “Customer Service”.
Please keep us updated 🙂 the 2007 2.4MBP had an issue an Apple extended it’s warranty
I just read Matar’s comment in that blog.
Honestly, he should be attending a course or something ASAP. It’s shameful that a so called Deputy GM or whatever, comment thee Saudi Mac as an unpopular site.
Dude, R U 4 Real?!
Even if it was as you said. You mean that all members of that site, who are mac users, who might be potential customers to you; know nothing?
Well bravo on such an approach.
What a snob?!