I don’t mean to sound like an Apple fanboy but once again they’ve managed to surpass my expectations and slap big fat smile on my face. A couple of nights ago, in the early hours of the morning whilst very tired and in desperate need of sleep for work the next day, I decided to download the iPhone app ‘Bloom’ by Brian Eno and Peter Chilvers. Which, by the way, is fantastic. But somewhere along the line I successfully managed to clear off all the apps on my iPhone, and I was not happy.
I’m not one for customer service emails or calls, I have no faith in that system. If something breaks, I throw it away and buy it again. But I decided to give iTunes the benefit of the doubt. I sent a rather rude, demanding email that was very unlike me and can only be put down to how tired and annoyed I was at the time.
Less than 4 hours later, which didn’t bother me as I was in bed, I received this response:
Dear Nathan,
This is Sasha with iTunes Customer Support. I would first like to thank you for inquiring about the App Store. I understand you are concerned that you lost your App Store purchases. I will be happy to help.
App Store purchases may be downloaded again at no charge, either from your device or using iTunes on your computer. Be sure that you are signed in to the same iTunes Store account that you used to shop from the App Store, and follow the steps to purchase any missing content again. You will be notified that you have already purchased the App and can download each missing item again for free.
For more information, please visit:
App Store FAQ
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/ApplicationsFAQPageIf you have difficulty downloading any applications, please reply to let me know or consult this article:
Troubleshooting applications purchased from the App Store
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1702Sincerely,
Sasha
iTunes Store Customer Support
Which is fair enough. A straightforward reply in a professional yet friendly and personal tone. I liked that. So I deided to email back and apologise for my initial arsey email, only to receive another response from Sasha only minutes later:
Dear Nathan,
You’re very welcome. No need to apologize. I know how frustrating these kinds of issues can be. I’m just so glad to hear that you were able to get your purchases back.
Nothing makes Apple happier than to hear that we have pleased our customers. I hope that you continue to enjoy the iTunes Store.
Remember, if you have any further questions or concerns please let me know and I will be more than happy to further assist you.
Have a wonderful day!
That really pleased me.
Why is this such a big deal? Because in this fast-paced world where huge companies spare no time for individual customers willing to dish out £1000′s on their products and services, the fact that someone in a service center on the other side of the world took the time out to craft a dedicated, friendly response goes a long way.
And personally, I feel it’s these touches that put Apple ahead of the rest of the game.
Wow, that was really kind of them. That’s the kind of customer service I’d love to see everywhere.
Congrats on getting your issues resolved, and props to whoever gave you the response.
As you put it.. apple may be an exception as far as customer services are concerned.. the second mail was surely unexpected.
I had the same friendly and wonderful experience from iTunes Support when I wanted my account switching from USD to GBP. There were a few cents left in the account and the customer service rep. even offered to send me a cheque for $0.08! I declined but thanked them nonetheless.
It’s always nice to hear about great Customer Service! It’s funny how it’s the small things that really please a consumer. Just a well-written appreciation email can go a long way…
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