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Thursday, March 03, 2011, 09:00 pm
Apple officially rolls out Joint Venture for businesses
Apple has officially launched its $499 a year Joint Venture support initiative for small businesses under the tagline "Get set up. Get trained. Stay running."Apple's Joint Venture retail support plan offers setup, training and continued support starting at $499 a year for up to five "systems," which are defined not just as Macs, but also iOS devices or Cinema Displays. According to the terms and conditions set by Apple, the service is only available to business customers at the time of purchase of a Mac.
The new support plan is inline with details leaked to AppleInsider earlier this week after Apple held a secretive all-hands meeting to announce the initiative to retail employees.
After a business joins the service, Apple Genius technicians will begin by setting up the newly purchased Mac, transferring existing data from a PC or Mac and installing software purchased from the Apple Retail Store or Apple Online Store. Joint Venture members will gain access to a personalized support website that they can use to schedule trainings and request technical support.
Businesses can schedule up to three two-hour training sessions at an Apple retail store, as well as send employees to attend monthly group workshops from Apple.
In order to help businesses "stay running," the Cupertino, Calif., Mac maker will offer Genius phone support to qualifying members for the first time ever. Members will also receive priority when making Genius Bar appointments.
Joint Venture will provide members with "anytime updates," including system diagnostics, software updates and keyboard and display cleanings, from its support staff. Apple will also offer loaner MacBook Pro or MacBook Air systems preloaded with iWork, iLife and Microsoft Office to members while their Macs are being worked on.
However, it does not appear that the service will include on-site support visits from Apple Genius technicians, as early rumors had suggested.
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Previous Comments View All
Quote:
Originally Posted by spliff monkey 
This seems expensive and too similar to the pro care plan. Did they get rid of that?
This seems expensive and too similar to the pro care plan. Did they get rid of that?
Supposedly, yes.
Quote:
I was a the Apple meeting this evening, we had to shut all of our phones off. JoinVenture is a way to keep our Business customers resolved of all problems. It offers OnetoOne-esque features, such as business workshops (from beginning to advance business software/exchange server help). Also, JointVenture allows businesses contact us in case of an emergency. There will be a genius telephone that they can reach a genius member at for personal assistance. If their computer needs to be worked on, for more than 24 hours, we will loan them a computer to use for the time being. Also, we are going to be offering special training for businesses for all employees to come in and attend training seminars on a personal level. I\\ll keep you updated the more information I get. This will be rolling out March 2nd. It will also be renewable. And ProCare is gone now.
http://www.9to5mac.com/54157/apples-...tails-revealed
Quote:
Originally Posted by penchanted
Supposedly, yes.
http://www.9to5mac.com/54157/apples-...tails-revealed
Supposedly, yes.
http://www.9to5mac.com/54157/apples-...tails-revealed
Yeah I couldn't find it in the store either. I never used it but a couple of times. What "joint venture" is is basically what pro care was for $400 less.
The words "ROLL" and "JOINT" really go well together.. Makes me want to get high.
So is Apple in the weed business now?
Too expensive! Not much more than what you can already get for free. They shoul be bending over backwards to get businesses not trying to gauge them especially in this economy. I am a small business owner and an Apple business customer and it will be a cold day in he'll when I hand over $500 for this. I rather buy an iPad and schedule a free Genius session through the free Apple Store app.
Quote:
Originally Posted by spliff monkey
Yeah I couldn't find it in the store either. I never used it but a couple of times. What "joint venture" is is basically what pro care was for $400 less.
Yeah I couldn't find it in the store either. I never used it but a couple of times. What "joint venture" is is basically what pro care was for $400 less.
I think it is for the group in the company, up to five equipments, plus you get the loaner equipment for use if repairs take more than 24 hrs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by spliff monkey
Yeah I couldn't find it in the store either. I never used it but a couple of times. What "joint venture" is is basically what pro care was for $400 less.
Yeah I couldn't find it in the store either. I never used it but a couple of times. What "joint venture" is is basically what pro care was for $400 less.
I think it is for the group in the company, up to five equipments, plus you get the loaner equipment for use if repairs take more than 24 hrs.
May be one should wait for the details than rushing into judgment
Quote:
Originally Posted by Y.M.S.BUSHAN
I think it is for the group in the company, up to five equipments, plus you get the loaner equipment for use if repairs take more than 24 hrs. May be one should wait for the details than rushing into judgment
I think it is for the group in the company, up to five equipments, plus you get the loaner equipment for use if repairs take more than 24 hrs. May be one should wait for the details than rushing into judgment
ok. I can see that. You don't get much service though. If I remember correctly Avid charges about the same for their service/ Tech support plan on one machine. So maybe I'm just comparing the plan to what it used to be essentially. I wonder what happens if your Macpro with boat loads of hardware goes down?
I'm sure you'd still be SOL. Obviously it's geared to small workgroups with a couple of MBP's and iMacs. The value seems minimal other than some security and preferential treatment. Seemed to be a better value at $100 and no mention of how many CPU's.Also I need to add what judgement have I made? I'm simply comparing this service at $500 to what the pro care plan used to be at $100. At $100 preferential "genius bar" treatment is worth it. That's all you seem to really get beyond what you would already have with Apple care and the warranty anyway. I suppose if a company had to train it's staff to use iwork they could dump it off on Apple and then it would be worth it. I used it for the preferential treatment. To me that's not worth $500 even with multiple machines. My crew knows how to use the hardware and software. We have no need for Apple to train anyone and we aren't using iwork. So i'm not sure why Apple thinks this would super-cede or replace pro-care when all a pro wants is a quick in and out of the service department not a tutorial.
Maybe you should rush to judgement and a double post.
Quote:
Originally Posted by miguelcho
Too expensive! Not much more than what you can already get for free. They shoul be bending over backwards to get businesses not trying to gauge them especially in this economy. I am a small business owner and an Apple business customer and it will be a cold day in he'll when I hand over $500 for this. I rather buy an iPad and schedule a free Genius session through the free Apple Store app.
Too expensive! Not much more than what you can already get for free. They shoul be bending over backwards to get businesses not trying to gauge them especially in this economy. I am a small business owner and an Apple business customer and it will be a cold day in he'll when I hand over $500 for this. I rather buy an iPad and schedule a free Genius session through the free Apple Store app.
What size of business do you run?
For some businesses this will make sense, for others maybe not. For $100 per machine, that seems a lot cheaper than maintaining an IT department.
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This seems expensive and too similar to the pro care plan. Did they get rid of that?