Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/08/20) */
This complaint appears to be a simple matter of the customer misrememberingFortunately there are two signed documents for the work we performed, one that the customer signed when the order was first placed, and one that the customer signed
once all work was completesBoth documents clearly display the pricing that was quoted and charged
By way of background, we special ordered a vintage non-stock item battery for this customer at her sole insistence with pricing clearly described verbally and in writingThe total for parts, labor and tax for the work requested by customer was $This amount was even circled for the customer as is our standard practice when presenting an SRO (Service Repair Order) workorder to the customer for review and signatureThe customer signed the SRO work order as shown (attached)
The battery at issue is a vintage item and not something that our store or the Apple Store has carried as a stock item for several yearsThe battery can still be ordered through the Apple Service channel as part of a repair service processApple itself will not special order items such as this as it requires a fair amount of work and usually ends up being a financial loss as it was here
For battery replacements we charge a flat rate of $labor to cover the cost of the shop time for creating the work order, ordering the part from Apple, shipping costs charged by Apple, receiving and installing the part, and running diagnostic tests as required by Apple
The retail price of the battery is $as it has always been since When ordering a battery through Apple Service, a core exchange is required by Apple in order get the standard parts cost that supports a $retail priceIf a core exchange is not provided and the battery is ordered as a stock item, Apple charges its Service Providers a higher price for the partWe as a Service Provider will in turn pass *** additional cost onto the customerThis is exactly what happened here
We offered the customer the $battery standard retail pricing plus $labor and explained that Apple requires that the customer machine be in the shop during the course of the repair serviceCustomer did not want to leave here machine for the time period requiredAs an alternative we offered to order the part as a non-core exchange stock item for $plus $labor and install it for the customer on a rush while you wait basis at the customer's convenience
Customer chose the non-core exchange pricing of $for the battery plus the $laborThe total cost in sum was therefore $for the battery retail price plus the $non-core option exchange option selected by customer ($total) plus $labor and approximately $in sales taxThis amount is exactly what we quoted the customer and is exactly what was charged and shown on signed workorders (attached)
Thank you for your attention to this matter
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/08/24) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Yes, a new non-stock battery was requested and ordered, and I understood that the cost of "running the diagnostic" was included in the $labor fee
I believe what's meant by "core exchange" is that the old battery be left with ***, e.g"provided," WHICH IT WASTherefore, *** could, if required, ship it back to Apple for "exchange."
There was never any mention of a "rush" orderI returned to ***'s office several days later, after having been contacted by them that the battery had arrived having been ordered at their discretion AND after phoning them to confirm what day and time would best suit their schedule
The "repair" and "installation" then consisted of unscrewing one screw, dropping the new battery in, and replacing the screw
I was subsequently informed by an Apple Genius Bar technician that any additional fees, beyond the price of the battery and flat $labor fee, were inappropriate
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/08/20) */
This complaint appears to be a simple matter of the customer misrememberingFortunately there are two signed documents for the work we performed, one that the customer signed when the order was first placed, and one that the customer signed
once all work was completesBoth documents clearly display the pricing that was quoted and charged
By way of background, we special ordered a vintage non-stock item battery for this customer at her sole insistence with pricing clearly described verbally and in writingThe total for parts, labor and tax for the work requested by customer was $This amount was even circled for the customer as is our standard practice when presenting an SRO (Service Repair Order) workorder to the customer for review and signatureThe customer signed the SRO work order as shown (attached)
The battery at issue is a vintage item and not something that our store or the Apple Store has carried as a stock item for several yearsThe battery can still be ordered through the Apple Service channel as part of a repair service processApple itself will not special order items such as this as it requires a fair amount of work and usually ends up being a financial loss as it was here
For battery replacements we charge a flat rate of $labor to cover the cost of the shop time for creating the work order, ordering the part from Apple, shipping costs charged by Apple, receiving and installing the part, and running diagnostic tests as required by Apple
The retail price of the battery is $as it has always been since When ordering a battery through Apple Service, a core exchange is required by Apple in order get the standard parts cost that supports a $retail priceIf a core exchange is not provided and the battery is ordered as a stock item, Apple charges its Service Providers a higher price for the partWe as a Service Provider will in turn pass *** additional cost onto the customerThis is exactly what happened here
We offered the customer the $battery standard retail pricing plus $labor and explained that Apple requires that the customer machine be in the shop during the course of the repair serviceCustomer did not want to leave here machine for the time period requiredAs an alternative we offered to order the part as a non-core exchange stock item for $plus $labor and install it for the customer on a rush while you wait basis at the customer's convenience
Customer chose the non-core exchange pricing of $for the battery plus the $laborThe total cost in sum was therefore $for the battery retail price plus the $non-core option exchange option selected by customer ($total) plus $labor and approximately $in sales taxThis amount is exactly what we quoted the customer and is exactly what was charged and shown on signed workorders (attached)
Thank you for your attention to this matter
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/08/24) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Yes, a new non-stock battery was requested and ordered, and I understood that the cost of "running the diagnostic" was included in the $labor fee
I believe what's meant by "core exchange" is that the old battery be left with ***, e.g"provided," WHICH IT WASTherefore, *** could, if required, ship it back to Apple for "exchange."
There was never any mention of a "rush" orderI returned to ***'s office several days later, after having been contacted by them that the battery had arrived having been ordered at their discretion AND after phoning them to confirm what day and time would best suit their schedule
The "repair" and "installation" then consisted of unscrewing one screw, dropping the new battery in, and replacing the screw
I was subsequently informed by an Apple Genius Bar technician that any additional fees, beyond the price of the battery and flat $labor fee, were inappropriate