Apple Store Manager Calls Autistic Guy A "Freak"
Joshua's MacBook was splitting along one side—you could push it back together, but after a few minutes it would start to separate again. When Joshua, who has Asperger syndrome, tried to get it repaired at his local Apple Store, he ran into all sorts of problems. First there was a two-hour wait to see an expert, then an assistant manager walked up and said, "I've seen you in here a lot with that laptop, what's wrong?" Joshua explained, and pointed out that he had a meeting to attend that evening and needed his laptop to take notes, so he was hoping to have it looked at in person.
"I'm sorry if I seem on edge or anything, I just.... I'm born with this"... The assistant manager then says "It's okay. It's the Monday before a full moon. There will be plenty more freaks like you before close". And tells me to calm down.
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Mr. Jobs,Summary: This laptop has had manufacturing problems before. At one point the area around the trackpad cracked, and although it was repaired the Mac people told him that he was holding his laptop wrong. This time around, after another 30 minute delay, the Apple genius tells him the laptop is "just within spec" and that he can't do anything about it. Joshua's been an Apple customer since the IIe and contacted Apple to complain, where he was told what the manager said was simply a "misunderstanding."I'm writing this to you understanding that this will probably never see your desk.
I've called to file a complaint, but was told "don't worry, it's a misunderstanding". Let me tell you my story, Mr. Jobs. Maybe you'll be able to help me.
Since the IIe I've loved your computers, as a person with autism they never failed me. I've been able to lean on them and they've come through. Applecare has always made it so I had my equipment when and where I needed it. So I had no hesitance buying a macbook 6 months ago. I love Tiger, and now leopard. However 2 months ago, my "top case" cracked. Where your palms rest for your mouse and such. I was told "I hold my computer wrong", but they'd replace it for free. I felt insulted that holding my computer wrong was even ABLE to be told to me, though I do hold it in a briefcase. I figured little of it, and moved on. Maybe I caught someone on a bad day. Plus a small smudge on the glimmering history of my customer service, its eventually to be expected.
Tonight, Sir, I was affronted and insulted. The left side of the seam of my laptop came apart. I tried pushing it back together myself. Hoping I could "resnap" the topcase. It sticks for a few minutes then comes back apart. (recent airport card problems have accompanied it and has connection issues but I let them slide.) This is the 3rd time it's been looked at for this swelling/crack. After a while, it's a concern. I figured the extreme heat may have caused the battery to swell. No big deal, Apple has an immaculate replacement record, and something has to be able to be negotiated. I unplugged it to let it cool. I immediately went to my nearest apple store. Easton Town Center, Columbus Ohio.
Upon getting there, I walk in and find the walk in wait will be 2 hours. I'm an attendant of a local Aspergers Syndrome club,(My autism), so I told them I could wait if it meant I still got there on time. They assured me they would. And just that time the assistant manager walks by, and says "i've seen you in here a lot with that laptop, whats wrong". I explain to him that I'm upset that my laptop keeps having this problem, last time it took 2 weeks to fix, and all i'm doing is trying to get seen if I have to wait another 2 weeks to get my computer seen. I go on to explain, I take notes at our Asperger Syndrome (AS/HFA) meetings, and that, I email those out. As one could understand, people with OCD would be unhappy. I say.. "I'm sorry if I seem on edge or anything, I just.... i'm born with this"... The assistant manager then says "It's okay. It's the monday before a full moon. There will be plenty more freaks like you before close". And tells me to calm down. He then presses my case, bends it and hands it to the Tech guy. The Apple Genius at the bar, then takes me off the list... and starts serving other people... 30 minutes later, he asks if I've been helped. In which case.. I let him know that he's taken me off the standby and reservation lists. He says he'll "see me because he's nice"... proceeds to see the gap in my case and says.. "its just within spec... I can't help you. Sorry". After EVERYTHING I'd just been through... He wouldn't help me, and even SAW the gap in my case and the manager press it, and watched it slowly seperate.
Needless to say, I brought my laptop home. I called Apple Help and filed a complaint. I was told.. "What the manager said is a misunderstanding". Which, excuse me sir, I've been labeled and called names my whole life. There are mistakes, and there is that. Thats the same level of Rush Limbaugh commenting on Donovan McNabb being a Black QB. It's the same as Roger Imus and the rutgers female basketball team. I was insulted when I'd explained my disablity Mr. Jobs. I love your computers, but I will never attend that store again. Never sir, as I could never look someone so intolerant in the face, ever again.
As for my computer? I can "Ship it off" and see it researched, as I still havent gotten it looked at. I end up losing my computer for weeks, after the 2nd time the case has cracked due to "swelling". Please Help, as I simply can't just lose my laptop. I can't... deal with every month and a half having my top case separate. You're the only company in the world, I depend on for quality. It means a lot to my syndrome, and to my daily life to have a computer I can count on. If it means I need a MacBook Pro, then so be it. I'll upgrade to titanium if I can ever afford it.
Luckily this ends on a better note. Joshua emailed "sjobs" and heard back:
Within 12 hours I got a call, an apology, and due to my disability they are letting me into the Easton store before it opens, so I can swap my computer out for an upgrade due to the hardship I've endured. I will say one thing for Apple, their corporate is every bit the nice and understanding company they claim to be.
(Thanks to Joshua!)
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Comments:
Why does it always seem that anyone that holds a management position is completely ignorant and power hungry.
It's great he got a new laptop though. Apple finally pulled through.
Might the manager have said "folks" like you?
Without a recording, it's impossible to tell whether the comment was delivered with a wink and smile, and in the stressful context of tech repair, then interpreted as an insult. (If he's got Asperger's, how would he be sure about its intent? Just asking.)
Also worth noting: When you hire low-level CS people and call them geniuses, and when your branding markets you as hipster Japanese-speaking Alpha Geekier Than Thous, you expect... what? Employees with interpersonal skills? An iota of humility? This is exactly why I'm (implausibly) proud to be a Windows user (um... linux dual install, okay). And I'm certainly not a genius.
@UpsetPanda: he said: "I go on to explain, I take notes at our Asperger Syndrome (AS/HFA) meetings."
Either way, you shouldn't have to explain anything to them.
Bravo apple corporate for fixing this promptly. I hope they have a little re-education for their retail employees.
This doesn't sound so much of a problem with Apple. It's a problem of one intolerant person. I believe there's a lot of them out there, too.
Sorry, I don't think the manager was paying attention to what was said, Aspergers and Full Moons are not related. I think it was a misunderstanding, an unfortunate one that seems to have been handled properly since the complaint. The manager should be more careful with their words.
@godawgs7: Whoops, totally didn't see that part.
I'm not sure you can trust the general population to be aware of conditions such as Aspergers. I'm not defending the 'geniuses' or anything, I'm just looking for ways that something might've been misconstrued, though the crack about the full moon sure does reduce the tech's credibility.
the power hungry peeps are usually the store management though. So sad, but glad the Macbook got repaired!
I bought my imac at that exact same store in Columbus, I liked their service. All it takes is one or two jerks though.
Glad you got your machine fixed, but the comparison to Rush Limbaugh / Don Imus was a bit over the top...
Also, if Macs are so easy to use, why do you need a "Genius" to help you with it?
@UpsetPanda: I dont know what Apergers is, but if you dont have something nice to say, dont say anything, especially if you are in CS.
I go on to explain, I take notes at our Asperger Syndrome (AS/HFA) meetings, and that, I email those out. As one could understand, people with OCD would be unhappy. I say.. "I'm sorry if I seem on edge or anything, I just.... i'm born with this"... The assistant manager then says "It's okay. It's the monday before a full moon. There will be plenty more freaks like you before close".
Sounds like it wasn't a misunderstanding...
I think the title Mac 'genius' has gone to some of their heads.
Maybe the manager had Asperger's with an extra s up front...
In this United States of the Offended we often overreact to unintended 'insensitive' comments. We often overcompensate for perceived wrongs. In this instance the consumer was completely right. There is NO way the comments could be construed in any fashion other than to be 'derogatory' to the customer, not necessarily to his condition but to the perceived fellatios nature of his repair request. Damn it the consumer is entitled to be served even if it is Friday and you have had a long day.
...before the p, of course
Umm it doesn't matter how the Apple manager may or may not have interpreted what he said or how they delivered it, you don't refer to your customer as a freak under ANY circumstances.
Bravo to the almighty sjobs for taking care of the issue so promptly.
It really doesn't matter if the manager knew what Aspergers is or not - what does matter is that he apparently lacks the brain cells and communications skills to be dealing with the public. He must be ten shades of stupid to say something like that to *any* customer.
@Transuranic: I think you've nailed it. Given the full moon reference, it seems the manager was just trying to add some levity. He had a customer who had just apologized for seeming on edge. The comment does not seem to have been directed at the customer's condition at all. It may have been a bonehead thing to say to any customer, but I don't think Joshua was being singled out because of his Asperger's. And the point is valid that an Asperger's sufferer might not have intepreted the statement correctly.
That said, commenters are jumping all over the manager, but not one peep about the Consumerist picture, which I thought was a little offensive before I even read the post. Making fun of the name of a disabling condition?
My bet? Since "Aspergers" has more than two syllables, the profoundly insensitive manager didn't recognize it was a medical condition. Tried to make a "joke" out of ignorance. Dude needs to be spanked hard. Or given drugs that mimic a similar mental condition and sent out for a week to see how the other shoe fits.
Nice that it all came out in the end. Shame it had to happen, though.
Aspergers is a low-level autism... It's characterized by a high degree of social awkwardness - like interpreting someone changing their mind as lying. It's also characterized by not knowing how to joke around. I'm positive the manager was just making a joke about full moons and weirdness. Heck, even if the guy had said Aspergers beforehand, I don't think the tech could be expected to know what that is.
Maybe he was calling him a phreak. Did he have a Captain Crunch whistle around his neck?
Seems cut and dry to me that the manager was just joking with him and had no idea that the guy had Asperger's. I'm guessing the manager feels like a total dick because of his faux pas...I feel bad for him.
Agreed. Even if the customer is perfectly healthy, happy, and well adjusted, referring to them as a freak is not recommended behavior.
Plus, if they happen to be disabled or sensitive, you end up looking like an even bigger tool.
Lose/lose situation - be nice, be professional, everyone is happy. Talk shit to your friends, not your clients.
And on a side note, the slide in quality control at Apple over the last few years is really disheartening. Last year, I returned two brand new iMacs that I bought for family members because the displays were faulty (a common issue, google it) and an iPod classic. I also have friends who are suffering through a myriad of problems on their MacBooks. Apple's reputation for reliability is questionable these days.
@CountryBoy: Not to be a grammar nazi, but I think the word you were looking for was "fallacious"...unless you meant to say his problem sucks p33n.
Seems cut and dry to me that the manager was just joking with him and had no idea that the guy had Asperger's.
I go on to explain, I take notes at our Asperger Syndrome (AS/HFA) meetings, and that, I email those out. As one could understand, people with OCD would be unhappy. I say.. "I'm sorry if I seem on edge or anything, I just.... i'm born with this"
Unless the OP is lying/exaggerating there's no way he didn't know he had Asperger Syndrome.
I spent quite some time in electronics retail, and this manager is an idiot.
A smart salesperson or manager never shows discomfort with a customer, and they especially never make a joke about a disability - even if it's intended to be light hearted -- you never know how a total stranger is going to take it. You treat everyone with respect, and you never let your personal discomfort with someone's disability show. Ever. Period.
I am happy that Apple corporate took care of this guy though. Now to find a way to smack the guy in the retail store.
Great to hear this was taken care of. My MacBook case has been cracking in exactly the same way for about a month. I'm self employed and haven't been able to part with it long enough to have it replaced. If a Mac employee told me it was cracking because I hold my laptop incorrectly I'd go berserker on them. I take ridiculously good care of my stuff and this problem is absolutely due to a design flaw.
@youbastid: Really? According to the letter:
"I'm an attendant of a local Aspergers Syndrome club,(My autism), so I told them I could wait if it meant I still got there on time."
or
"I go on to explain, I take notes at our Asperger Syndrome (AS/HFA) meetings, and that, I email those out. As one could understand, people with OCD would be unhappy. I say.. "I'm sorry if I seem on edge or anything, I just.... i'm born with this""
You're right, I'd never have guessed that he had Aspergers, after he told me TWICE.
@girly: Not that it excuses what was said, but the Apple guy probably wanted to try being chummy with a customer. It happened to me when I was returning a DOA MacPro: one of the reps said something to me as I was hauling the beast in and I snapped back at him. He realized I wasn't in a joking mood and did that "let me go out of my way to help you now that I know I messed up" thing. They ended up replacing the MacPro without an issue and gave me a $100 gift certificate.
My first reaction, the first time I heard the word "Aspergers" was to think "Gross, who would want Ass Burgers?"
A common homophone mistake. (They have their own phones? Who knew!?)
@Rectilinear Propagation: Or what semanticantics said and the dude was barely listening to what he was saying.
But then he's ignoring the customer, which is still wrong.
@nequam: Hopefully it's not as offensive after you read the post, and note the "Apple" logo on the crystal ball (that's one expensive crystal ball), and realize that it's making fun of a longstanding human impulse to assign supernatural causes to natural phenomena. Wolf, full moon, lycanthropy = Asperger syndrome.
Does it matter if the manager was joking or not?
It's just not very professional to say what he said.
I think the manager was just referring to Apple Fanbois as freaks. I know I often do.
@weakdome: Yes, we have our own phones, and we use them to call each other and make fun of ignorant people.
Aspergers is a low-level autism... It's characterized by a high degree of social awkwardness
The same could be said of those in the computer tech field.
I think it was misunderstanding and a poor choice of words. I hope the manager doesn't get fired over this.
No, no, no... The way to deal with this problem is to join forces with Apple, take their ideas, leave and then start a multi-billion empire using their own ideas against them! Worked for the last guy with (allegedly) Asperger's in the early 80's.
@weakdome: Me, too!
I'm glad Apple took care of him. Crummy manager, though.
Clearly this manager doesn't watch America's Next Top Model. Tyra Banks taught the rest of the world what Asperger's syndrome was a year ago. Screw the boneheaded comments, he should be fired for being decidedly uncool.
The Rush comment was not relevant as Rush never said that because he was black he couldn't be a quarterback. He just commented on the fact that the attention garnered on him was because he was black, the reality being that all of the great quarterbacks have been white so far and the media seemed to want to "will" McNabb into being great - whether he is or not.
My 8 year old son also has Asperger's. Any change in routine or frustrating situation can sometimes cause people who have it to become very upset. Sometimes way our of proportion to the situation. Since I wasn't there I don't know but the guy may have been more upset than he thought and that is why he was told to "calm down". That doesn't explain away the rest of how he was treated though.
Alot of Asperger's suffers have very awkward social skills but are very high in intelligence.
It's nice what they did, but it really shouldn't have happened in the first place. Playing devil's advocate, according to his account, he never actually said that he had Asperger's, he said he was "born with this." Did the tech guy mistake what he said and what he meant?