Dear Apple Computer,

I’ve had the most unusual apple experience since I switched back in 2000. First let me explain. I purchased an iBook on 02/16/05, I did not purchase AppleCare because I knew I had a year to buy it before the warranty expired.

On February 15th I called the Apple Store to purchase AppleCare. I explained to my representative that I needed to have it activated today as tomorrow the warranty expired. I was assured that it would in fact be activated and that it wouldn’t be an issue. He then transferred me to Kim in AppleCare. Kim explained that because I didn’t have an enrollment number she couldn’t help me but said that it would most likely be activated within the next 20 minutes and to call back in check. I waited twenty minutes and called back and I again spoke with Kim. She reassured me that it was activated and I was set to go. She gave me my computers serial number so I could check online.

I hung up and was satisfied that I had AppleCare on my iBook. I began to check online by entering the serial number into your support page. It kept returning with no AppleCare installed. This happened until I got home, and was nervous so I again called AppleCare. This time I spoke with Monique. Monique informed me that AppleCare was not activated on my iBook and that in order to have it covered I needed to purchase it with her so it would be immediately activated on my account. Again, I purchased AppleCare this time through Monique and she explained to me that I would need to call the Apple Store back and speak to Solutions Support in order to have the original AppleCare cancelled.

In this experience I spoke with with four different people five times. If I had believed Kim my iBook would not have been covered and I would have had AppleCare shipped to me that was unusable. I understand and will take some blame for waiting until the day before my warranty expired to purchase AppleCare. However, waiting until the day before to purchase AppleCare should not have ultimately ended in a very un-Apple experience that I suffered through. My suggestion would be to have anyone who is seeking to purchase AppleCare through the store at the same time your AppleCare experts are available to transfer them to that department so the warranty becomes activated instantly.

Please pass along warm wishes and my gratitude to Monique she turned this experience around and provided the excellent customer service that many of your AppleCare specialists should strive to achieve.

Sincerely,
Shawn