Buyer Beware! You would think that because these people are in a tech business that they are techies - but you would be wrong! It appears they just bought into a franchise to make a buck and require no more skill than you or me. In addition, don't confuse nice guys with those who apparently have no appreciation for customer service when it really counts.
I brought my mini iPad into one of the 27 Cell Doc locations (I won't say which since I ultimately dealt with corporate on this issue to no avail) a couple of Fridays ago to replace the cracked screen. It was supposed to take 20 minutes. But the young man repairing it had accidentally broken the LCD. Now they needed to keep my iPad until Monday when they receive the replacement LCD. Not at all what I wanted but accidents do happen and I really had no choice.
On Monday I received call that it was ready, so I went to pick it up. The first thing I notice when I get to my car is that the home button is different. And the fingerprint sensor no longer works! I immediately call and am told that the new screen comes with a new button. I tell him I want my original button. He says that to detach and reattach the original button is too difficult, so he just replaced it with the new button that came with screen. I ask what about my fingerprint sensor? I am told there is nothing they could do!
Ok great! As aggravated as I am, I try to let it go - even though I use it multiple times daily and open several apps with it.
While at home a couple of house later, I go to take a picture, and - no image! The rear camera doesn't work!
I call the next day and speak with the owner. I assure him that it was working - I had taken multiple pictures after I had first called and spoke to him about fixing the screen, AND I took a photo approximately 2-3 hours before I brought it in. He tells me he doesn't know how it would have broken, and he's not sure if he could fix it.
We go back and forth, back and forth, with me primarily telling him that I would prefer my cracked screen over loss of these two key functions any day.
Then he says to bring it in and he'll "try to help me"! I said that's not good enough. I need assurances that 'you're going to definitely fix it'. He tells me it's not something that he can deal with anymore and that he'll refund me my money. I tell him again that's not good enough. Nonetheless, that is all he could do for me.
The next day I email what I assume is corporate - it's the Contact Us email on their website - telling them what happened. I encouraged them to do the right thing and - since they can't confidently make the proper repair - to compensate me for the fee that Apple charges. I told them that I didn't want to give them a bad review but that if they did not make good on their fault here that I would be compelled to do so.
There response: "Unfortunately, that is the best we can do for you at the moment. We cannot refund you the amount you are asking for. We are sorry for any inconvenience."
Inconvenience!!! Even forgetting about the fingerprint sensor - I can no longer take pictures and videos!!! Something I do all the time!
I am so aggravated that I've decided to take them to small claims court. At first I didn't want to bother because it seems like such a hassle, but this is such an outrage that they need to be held responsible.
And btw, the screen is substandard as well - its look and feel just doesn't match up to the original.
Be smart - instead of trying to save a few bucks, go for the quality and assurances offered by Apple - or just keep your cracked screen! read more
