Sometimes the way to get sweet consumer justice is a series of pushy calls on the phone with CSRs or even the EECB route. But other times, probably more often, a sugary sweet touch and some good luck will get you farther faster.

Such was Xavier’s experience when he searched for a replacement to his out-of-warranty MacBook battery. His feel-good story:

I realize that there are many positive Apple stories, but I would say this one is a bit above and beyond even for Apple, well, after a few hoops.

I purchase a 15″ Apple MacBook Pro in September 2007. Around July 2008, I had an issue with my battery and had it easily replaced at the Michigan Avenue Apple Store. Fast forward to a year later, and my battery began acting wacky. Obviously realizing that the original 1-year warranty on my MBP had expired but thinking the replacement battery carried its own 1-year warranty, I took it into the Apple Store in OakBrook, Illinois. Unfortunately, I was informed that replacement parts carried only a 90-day warranty, and although the part was indeed defective, I was out of luck regarding any complimentary replacement. Annoyed, but realizing I am extended another year of warranty through my credit card, I went home to start the process. My credit card company required proof from Apple that my battery was indeed defective and not just ‘out of juice’. I was out of the country for a few weeks, so I wasn’t able to get to an Apple Store until Sunday. I arrived at my appointment to the recently opened Apple Store in (redacted) fully expecting to leave with something saying that the battery was bad and a new retail battery purchased by me so I could be reimbursed by my credit card company. I explained what I needed to Sam, the Apple “Genius” helping me. He performed a check on my battery and told me that even though I was outside my warranty, there was no reason my battery should not be able to hold a charge since it was ‘so young’; it was indeed defective. He said as long as they had the battery in-store, he’d replace it on the spot free of charge. Luckily, they did, and he did! Very happy was I leaving the store with a new battery and all my money!

Maybe the Apple Store guy would still have replaced Xavier’s battery had he gone into the store with an Apple chip on his shoulder and figurative guns blazing, but I wouldn’t bet on it. It speaks to the old Wind and the Sun Aesop fable.

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