Apple Twelve Oaks — Local services in Novi

*My review is subject to change depending on the outcome of my scenario.

Short version: Don’t get a repair done here and if you do be weary of the quality of work and attention to detail. As well as the sure fact you’re getting old used parts installed and the possibility that the “certified Apple repair tech” may damage your device or overlook an important aspect of the repair. My initial report states no notable damage to device. They may have altered it.

I made a 3:30 appointment at the Apple store today to inquire about my iPhone 7 gold 32gb’s camera violently shaking and making a buzzing noise. I have heard of this happening 3 times to phones in the past month my sisters both have the iPhone 6 Plus with the same issue and their phones are immaculate otherwise, mine when I walked in.

This is besides the point but I believe it’s a camera stability hardware issue that Apple has not owned up to (just like the SIM card error and the 6 abominably weak aluminum, I had my 6 plus swapped out 4 times until they finally gave in and gave me a normal size 6). The tech knew that when he put it in slo-mo it would stabilize.

The initial tech Joe (who was amazing) did some normal debugging and other textbook checks and informed me that they could repair it for $59, which honestly is a great price. Last night I contemplated buying the camera OEM Apple from a friends repair shop for around $30 and the sealant for $5 and doing the repair myself, but I said what the heck $59 for the certified Apple repair and it saves me time (not really), let’s do it.

Two hours later I return receive my phone and pay the $62. While in store I was examining the phone and near the sim slot the screen was raised, almost popping out of the aluminum. I asked another associate to speak to the manager about it.

Minutes later I am showing the screen to Keith the manager, he responds with, I’m sorry let me take it back there for you and have them fix that it’ll just be a few minutes. 10 minutes later Keith returns with my phone, hands it to me and explains that my phone is bent and the glass won’t seat properly, as he’s speaking I’m inspecting the phone and immediately cut him off to say THE SCREWS NEAR THE LIGHTENING PORT WERE MISSING! He responds with let me take that back to them and have them fix that.

So much for certified Apple repair, I couldn’t believe it. Keith returns with the screws in place, after we chat back and forth the only thing he can offer me is my $62 back because my phone was bent and there is no way the techs could have done that (hard to believe). I stayed until after 9 (closing time) and read all the terms of the “certified repair” to which I made some points how they should provide me with a phone in the same condition I brought it in but I was refused anything more than my payment back and stuck with a broken bent phone that’s sure to fail soon enough if a mist hits the screen.

I refused the refund and left to immediately write this review (although Keith said I can return and he will honor the $62 refund). I plan to return tomorrow and waste maybe another 6 hours in hopes of getting my original condition phone returned or a replacement.

Keith was still a cordial person to speak with besides the fact I am at...

Honestly I experienced some of the worst customer service in my life. The store was so poorly managed I was in awe. I had to come in for a new battery because my iphone wont hold a charge longer than 10 minutes... which is another story in itself... anyways, I have been trying to make an appointment for the past week but there are no open appointments in the near future... literally you just cant make an appointment. So I call Apple they tell me the best time is around 2pm if you can't get there right when they open. I go around 1:45pm. I go up to a man who looks like he knows what hes doing and ask if I can speak with someone regarding a battery. He tells me that I will need to wait in line. I ask how long and he responds 2 hours. I let him know I can't wait that long and if he knows if I will be able to get a battery today. He told me that they should have some in stock so I wait... After standing in line for a good 20 minutes I come up to a new person. This person checks me in and completes a number of useless tasks on my phone. When I ask why he turned off my find my iphone app he responded with "I dont actually know that's a good question." (Update: you don't need to turn this feature off unless you are actually installing the battery... so basically a pointless line and a waste of time. That person could have helped people at the end line) ... um okay.. so anyways I ask him about the phone battery. He puts my name down and says someone should call me when its ready. I take that as, oh they have confirmed there is a battery in stock and will be able to fix it. So I wait. I have now waited an hour for the next line when I noticed multiple people getting helped before me, when I bring this up the man says, well there are also some people with appointments. After he says this a man next to me says thats not true, my appointment was at 1:30pm and its 2:20pm and I still have not been helped. He then leaves to go "check it out". After that the lady in front of me asks to speak to a store manager regarding this line. He assures her there will be more people coming out to help... 20 minutes later, still no one comes to help. FYI there has only been 1 to 2 people helping with the battery situation since I arrived at the store, however, around 27 employees are working on the floor... a good 5 of them doing nothing. Finally when it is my turn to be helped the guy lets me know that there are no more batteries in stock... Confused (because why would I wait 2 hours in line for something I could have LITERALLY done online) I say, "oh no! When did you guys run out" he replies with "about 2 days ago..." So basically I stood in line for 2 hours so someone with an ipad could write down my name to order me a battery that would come in 3 weeks. If I would have known that up front (AKA the very first guy I spoke to who said they still have some in stock), if ANYONE would have known that up front... I am guessing a good 75% of the line would have left. I needed you to help me install the battery not order one.

Thanks for literally nothing but a...

Purchased 2 iPhones (1-SE) and (1-13) on December 4, 2022 from the Spectrum store in Fenton as Apple decided no one north of I-96 is worth having business with. Matches Samsung and Google I guess. Today, May 15, 2023 the SE-3 dies. We go to the spectrum store and they inform us to go to the Apple Store nearly 40 miles away where construction makes travel a nightmare. I make a call to make sure they have a replacement as this is a five month old phone under warranty. Of course I get the privilege of an AI answer the phone. It sends me to sales. I explain “EXACTLY” the situation … simply put… “do you have a phone to exchange?” The sales person tells me I need to speak to someone in support and transfers me. The support person answers. I explain the entire “EXACT” situation to the support person who says he is not at the store and has no idea if they have a phone. The support informs me he can transfer me to the store. He says this as I am looking at the store phone number on my phone as I was transferred by the store. I remind the support person of the transfer from the store and he asks if I still have the store phone number. 🤪 I now realize I have entered the TWILIGHT ZONE. 🙈 Realizing the transfer might create an integral inside a derivative, I declined. So the person at the Spectrum store called this Apple Store on my behalf searching for some kind of intelligence. None was found. Apparently they are not allowed to say whether or not they have any phone in stock. It’s a secret 🤫 I understand the possibility of conflict, that a phone may be sold before I could drive there. However, since this would be a warranty claim, the device identification number could be given to have it set aside to do the exchange. Apparently that would be too much common sense. Perhaps there is an honesty or security problem between Spectrum and Apple. That would be scary since I have Apple phones and Spectrum cell service. My ancient Samsung Galaxy S-8 I had for many years never ever had this kind of issue. It simply worked. The conversation with Apple tech was right up there with the “who’s on first” comedy routine by Abbott & Costello. That commedy🤣 was for entertainment. This was not. Not really sure if this is just lack of education, lack of knowledge or just a big middle finger to people that need Apple to fulfill a warranty. Perhaps all three. Or maybe it’s just making the fulfilling of an obligation under warranty as difficult to the customer as humanly possible. Never planned to go to an Apple Store since they abandoned northerners years ago but like getting AirPods in a giant box full of plastic bubble rap, we will have to add to the environmental pollution and use of precious resources and hope they have a phone. It’s a secret. 👌 It’s just...