report a problem apple

report a problem apple

How to Report a Problem with Apple

1. Introduction

Writing a letter would be more beneficial than calling Apple because it will leave a paper (or email) trail. If you are not familiar with the issue of the trail and keeping Apple accountable, it has been a huge issue since the iOS 7 release. Many people had a lot of fun (I was one of them) talking to the iOS 7 automated assistant, Siri, asking her what her favorite color is. I was asking this because Siri’s response used to be “Well, my favorite color is… well, I don’t want to spoil the surprise!” Try asking it now, and you’ll get an interesting response. Siri will say “My favorite color is… well, I don’t know how to say this in your language. Sorry.” Now, this is not a major issue and the color of Siri’s non-existent anything is inconsequential. However, the deteriorating translation quality has hit some simpler people a little too hard, using Siri to translate speech to different languages. Instead of laying out the more complicated translation errors, we’ll simply jump to the fact that Apple has been unable to keep track of these issues that need fixing. Writing a letter will also allow you to more effectively plead your case, while documentation of your issue will allow follow-up.

For the past few weeks, I have been dealing with an issue with my iPhone. After visiting an Apple store a couple of times and speaking with some customer service representatives, it became apparent that Apple’s reps and mechanics are not directly connected. This caused a lot of repetition and made it much more frustrating to deal with. An idea to report the issue to Apple’s corporate headquarters via a letter was sparked by my college internship program. So, with the issue of my iPhone as practice, I decided that I could very well pave a way for others to report their issues.

Introduction

2. Step-by-Step Guide to Reporting a Problem

Make sure that you have checked the Apple support communities and discussions, as you can probably find a solution to the problem at hand. If you do choose to report a problem, first make sure that it is a problem that Apple can deal with. A good example of something Apple wouldn’t deal with is, say, your area is without power and you can’t use your Mac. This, while a problem, is not something Apple can change. A problem they would deal with is, say, the latest iMac has a fault where the screen displays vertical lines. If you live in the UK, ring Apple on 0844 209 0611. This number may vary depending on your location, so if this number doesn’t work, try their general enquiries number and ask to be connected to Apple Care. You will be asked for your product’s serial number. This is so they can check if your product is still under warranty. If it isn’t, they won’t help you. If all else fails, try calling Apple in the USA on (800) MY-IPHONE or (800-694-7466). Note that calling the USA should be a last resort, as it is very costly to phone internationally. Also, depending on the country you are calling from, you may not be able to get through to the US Support. If you can’t get through to Apple on the phone, or you simply don’t want to do so, you can fill out their Express Lane form. This is an online form which is used to request support from Apple’s personal advisors via email. Be aware that email support is much slower than phoning them. Email replies can take up to 48 hours, and even then the email may not be helpful. But the advantage of doing this is that you have a record of what you reported and what they said, and there will be no language barrier.

3. Tips for Effective Problem Reporting

– Reproduce the problem before filing a bug report. This will enable the developer to understand the issue fully and hopefully find it more quickly in the code. – Start with the obvious. Many bugs are filed on system components that are functioning as intended. Recap what you have done and the results you received. Often, you will figure out the problem on your own. – Be precise. If the developer cannot understand the problem, it is unlikely to get fixed. Steps to reproduce and a screenshot (if the problem is visual) are helpful. A good bug report is one that an engineer can duplicate and fix it, without having to ask the submitter for more information. – Prioritize severity. If your problem is a crash on launch that renders the software unusable, or data loss, say so. This will generally be looked at more quickly than a minor issue, so long as the developer agrees with your classification. – Provide a workaround. If you can continue using the software despite the problem or use a different method to achieve the same result, this information is helpful and can often mitigate the issue being fixed in a future release.

Apple developers suggest the following tips for effectively reporting bugs:

4. Follow-Up and Resolution

As soon as you communicate your problem, make sure you ask the authorized representative for a reference number. This reference number will be helpful to trace your conversation and problem. Keep this reference number safely. It is not authorized by Apple to give any deadline to resolve your problem, but you should always ask for expected time to resolve the issue. Make sure to know about the mode of communication which Apple Support will use to convey the resolution or to ask any update to your problem. Apple Support will always go to ensure that your problem should get resolved. But in some situations, if you are not getting any update or if you think your problem is pending for a long time, then you can contact the administrator to know about the status of your problem. You may need to provide your reference number to know about your problem. But do not worry in the case of delay, Apple provides the best support to its customers, it will ensure that the problem will be resolved. At last, your issue will get resolved. Now it’s up to you to check the resolution and to give your feedback. You can also provide feedback on the Apple Support services. Feedback from customers is always important and it is used by Apple as a parameter to measure customer satisfaction on support services.

5. Conclusion

If you have a problem with your Apple product, whether it’s under warranty or not, it’s always a good idea to let them know about your problem. By speaking up, you help Apple know which areas of its product line need attention, and you may even get your problem solved at little or no cost to you. But if you’ve ever tried getting help or filing a bug report with Apple in the past, you know that it’s not always an easy task. It’s true that sometimes the best way to contact Apple is to luck into e-mail correspondence with a high-level support or engineering professional. Often, though, these problems can be solved through persistence by working with the standard support or service channels. By following the guidelines provided in this document, most Apple customers should be able to efficiently resolve their issues by reporting problems with Apple. By learning how to adequately describe the problem and file a bug report, you’ll be well on your way to a solution. Knowledge of effective troubleshooting will allow you to better communicate with Apple support professionals, and quick resolution problems may be resolved without any direct contact with Apple. Overall, gaining knowledge of the most effective ways to contact Apple about a particular issue is key to getting your problem solved. Though each Apple support or service professional may provide different advice, following these general guidelines should lead to the most efficient issue resolution in the vast majority of cases.