AppleInsider Staff
A report on Friday claims Apple will soon roll out a for-pay chat service to support those users who need help with products no longer covered by AppleCare protection plans.
Citing sources familiar with the project, 9to5Mac reports Apple will implement a new online chat payment system that would charge customers for live support in much the same way as the company's phone service operates.
Rumored to be coming as soon as next week, the system would would deviate from Apple's existing online chat service. Currently, users can be connected to a representative via Apple.com's Support webpage for no additional fee, even if the product in question is no longer covered by AppleCare.
As reported, the new system would essentially roll online chats into the same category as phone-based support, with customers able to pay a one-time fee for help regarding an out-of-warranty product. Users will be able to select a $19.99 "pay per incident" fee or purchase extended AppleCare protections. The change is said to affect chat support services worldwide.
In order to get the system up and running, Apple reportedly had to develop a new secure Web-based payments system that allows service representatives to charge customers within chats. With the payments method in place, customers will reportedly be able to expedite hardware repairs and replacements that usually require a credit card.
Apple first introduced live online chat support in August of 2013 as part of an AppleCare Support webpage redesign. Since then, the feature has been available for free.
Malcolm Owen
Oliver Haslam
Andrew O'Hara
Wesley Hilliard
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
28 Comments
I always use the old, my (out of support) device won't connect to my (not out of support) device approach.
(In the voice of Maxwell Smart.)
Haven't they always done this for $19.99 per incident (plus S&H as required)? At least, in my case, they have for many years now.
will be interesting to see if this ends up being positive or negative. I like the approach of having the customer say "no", instead of having the vendor saying "no". I do this all the time at work.
scenario A:
customer: Can you help me, I want you to do something for me which is not covered.
vendor: sorry, we can not.
customer: you guys are hanging me out to dry. will never buy another product from you ever again. Goodbye.
scenario B:
customer: Can you help me, I want you to do something for me which is not covered.
vendor: yes, we would love to do that for you. It will be $19.
customer: ah.. on second thought. never mind. Goodbye.
So... an issue for a recently out of warranty device or computer will cost a person $20 per incident to talk to someone from Apple? As a shareholder, I'm a little concerned about this rather customer unfriendly policy.
So... an issue for a recently out of warranty device or computer will cost a person $20 per incident to talk to someone from Apple? As a shareholder, I'm a little concerned about this rather customer unfriendly policy.
Unfriendly?! I think it's fabulous, considering that the typical Apple product for which I pay many multiples in AppleCare charges upfront barely merits one or two calls in the first three years.
I think customers are going to love it. (Unless, of course, you were being sarcastic and I missed that). My worry, if anything, is that it might make people hang on to their Apple products for longer, thereby delaying revenue.