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Open Letter To Steve Jobs - I'm Worried About Your iPhone Launch

steve jobs and iphone Steve,

I love you, man. You know that already. I love your products and I love your customer service. So, please read what I have to say here in that light. I want what is best for Apple and for your iPhone launch on Friday.

In advance of buying my own iPhone, I traded in my faithful Verizon Wireless card for an ATT/Cingular Wireless card. It was not being seen by the Mac, so I went to my local ATT/Cingular wireless store and asked for help. The girl at the counter couldn't help me, I knew that would be the case. The first technical support person they called couldn't help me. I wasn't really surprised by that either.

But I was surprised by this portion of the phone call with the "advanced" technical support guy. I thought you'd like to see how the conversation went.

AT&T Support

Me: Yes. It's version 10.4.10 to be exact.

AT&T Support: Ok, well just so you know we don't really support Macs.

Me: Really? You know you're launching the iPhone on Friday right?

AT&T Support: Yes.

Me: You know that's a Mac product, right?

AT&T Support: Yes, but Apple is going to do most of the support for that. [I am now silently thankful]

Me: Yeah, I get that, but you realize others like me will be buying peripherals to consolidate accounts. Right?

AT&T Support: Yes, let me go see what I can find out for you.

[VERY LONG WAIT]

AT&T Support: OK. I'm back. I'm being told by my office neighbor here that you need to update your operating system.

Me: Really? That's odd. To what?

AT&T Support: He's telling me you need to update to OS 9.

Me: Is your office neighbor an IV drug user? Or have they ever been an IV drug user?

AT&T Support: Excuse me?

Me: I'm asking if the person who told you this is or ever has been an hard core drug user.

AT&T Support: Why?

Me: Because they are either trippin' right now or having a flash back. OS 9 hasn't been the most up-to-date OS for Mac in years.

AT&T Support: No. He's not on drugs.

Me: Well then, no offense, but he's an idiot.

AT&T Support: Well, I don't know about that.

Me: Really? I told you my OS version is 10.4.1. When was the last time any company went backwards in numbers in their upgrade path?

AT&T Support: [Laughing] OK. I see what you mean. I'll be back.

Steve, can you see why I'm worried?

In the end, the person who put the SIM chip in the phone put it in the wrong way. The problem had nothing to do with my Mac or the software. But it concerns me that your beautiful new iPhone may be left in the hands of folks who don't understand what we Mac users expect in terms of customer support, ease of use and technical knowledge.

I'm begging you. Please call up your contacts at AT&T and tell them not botch this for you. I've waited a long time for a new phone. I really want this to work for both of us. I just don't think I can handle another conversation like the one above.

Thanks for listening. Good luck with the launch. It looks like you're going to need it.

Jeff

P.S. I'll be driving to West Virginia with my family at the time of the launch. Is there any way you can have one put on hold for me at an AT&T store in Morgantown. Thanks!

Posted by Jeff Turner on 06/25/2007 05:47 PM

Comments (74)

Originally posted at: Turner's Perspective: Open Letter To Steve Jobs - I'm Worried About Your iPhone Launch

Post is included in group: Active Rain MacUsers Group

74 Comments on Open Letter To Steve Jobs - I'm Worried About Your iPhone Launch

JUN

2007

Hi Jeff,

Yea, I am waiting to upgrade my mobile set as well and I am also interested in an IPhone. Here in Canada we'll get it through Rogers. I don't know what the tech support service is going to be like, in the last 10 years I haven't had any real problem with them. Please post a Realtorview of the IPhone once you get one. We will have to wait an extra 30-60 days for it's release in Canad.

If you let Steve know that you feel this way he will abort the launch and immediatly call you and ask for advice, and he should. Time for tea?

I would definitely want to know what support the will have. We are suppose to get them on Friday and can see where this is heading!!!

This is exactly why I wait for the second or third generation to come out. Avoid all of the kinks, bugs and crappy phone calls.

Scott

CRACK SMOKERS :-)

I about spit my soda all over my computer when you asked what drugs they were taking

I'm thinking about finding an agent here in the OC who is crazy enough to stand in line to buy an iPhone. THen interview them and post it to my blog

Sorry Jeff but I can't drive up to hang out with you while you wait for a new phone that doesn't do anything more than mine does and i've had mine for 2 years. Sorry just had to make a stab at you.

Loren
www.futureofrealestatetechnology.com

Priceless. This is pure genius... Thanks for sharing this..

My kids asked me if I'd get the new iPhone. I reminded them that I had already fallen for the Volkswagon Touareg and didn't plan on jumping onto the next, cool, "hot new thing". I'll let the guinea pigs suffer through the snags, I'm too old for chic, anyway. :)

Chris I don't think you can never be to old for new things. Its what keeps you young!!

All... this is my current phone. It is over 5 years old. That is an eternity in cell phone time. This is why I want an iPhone. And, Loren... it's not about the technology. It's about the experience. :)

jeff's phone

I forgot you told me your phone was as old as a dinosaur. I feel your pain.

Yes I agree it is more about the experience and not the underlying technology. And to further that experience I hope that Apple does ALL the support for the iPhone.

Personally I think it will be a great device but I think there will be issues with such a new device only because it is a new device.

To bad your so far away from me
i'd come up and hang out with you and line ( i assume your going to stand in line 4 it)

Loren

Loren... LOL! I'll be in a car on the way to West Virginia. I'm going to try to get one in Morgantown, WV or Charleston, WV. I'm going to miss the hysteria... I hope. Given my luck with cell phones, my bet is they'll run out and I'll be waiting still by the time I time Real Estate Connect rolls around. :) We need to get together for lunch.

And, Jeannette, you can never have to many Apple products.

Five year old cell phone? How can that be? LOL

I can't make it 6 months without dropping mine in the toilet or running it through the clothes washer.

And, Jeff, the next time you call AT&T, make sure someone takes 6 shots of your facial expressions. Make a great 30 second show....

Jeff,

Gee you mean that conversation was unusual? Sounds like most of mine when I call in for help. However I did find someone that knew what I needed when I called "the geek squad." :) Let's pray they get up to speed before Friday.

Oh I want one...sooooo bad, but I think I'll wait a few months and pray they have worked out the kinks! You conversation sounds alot like the one I had regarding my zerox printer last week, lol, but I was not nearly as nice.

I have kids telling me to put them to bed, they have camp tomorrow. Quickly -- have a safe trip -- WV is happy you're coming home!

Ok, I'm wallowing in a fit of Warholian jealousy (Andy claimed that his right hand was jealous of what his left hand was doing, and vice-versa). I want to go visit Sarah Cooper, I want to hang out in line with Jeff, (even if he isn't going to) and I WANT AN IPHONE!

Looks like I will have to wait for all of those things, I am thinking of ways to kill my 8125...

Jeff - I don't envy you being one of the pioneers here - tech support is always so much fun - in more ways than one!

Wow, that phone should be in a museum.

How does one install a sim chip wrong?

Great post Jeff! I submitted it to Digg. I think this is the link if anyone else wants to digg it.

Hey Jeff - I can't wait until you get the iPhone also. I'm planning on living vicariously - I want to hear about every minute detail ad nauseam.

If anyone is in Orange County, California and is going to stand in line for an iphone leave a comment here or at my blog and I will come out and keep you company and take pictures and video and then post to my blog to talk about your first experiences

Loren

From Kim Komando:

ANTICIPATION IS MAKING ME WAIT
Apple's much hyped iPhone will be in stores this coming week. AT&T is hiring an additional 2,000 people to handle the rush of buyers. They'll be handing over $500 or $600 and signing a two-year contract. No, I won't be one of them, in case you're wondering. Among the things that could be better: The iPhone only works on the EDGE network. That's a cellular network that accesses the Internet. I have a tip on my site about the various cellular networks.

If you want information on the iPhone, Apple posted a 20-minute guided tour. Apple says you'll need a week to learn the iPhone. That sounds about right.

FORWARD ALERT: Know anyone who wants to get an iPhone? Help them out. Click the Forward button on your e-mail button now and send them this newsletter! Thank you!

Jeff, this brings me back to many, many unsuccessful trips to my Cingular, oops AT & T store. How I feel for you! Good luck... BTW, thanks for a good laugh!

Jonathon... thanks for the digg! :)

Mike... it's hard for me to believe as well. I've just never been excited about getting a new phone. When I saw the iPhone at MacWorld in January... my heart skipped a beat. :) Watch the 20 minute video. The user experience should be world class.

Roberta... it's an unusual experience for me with anything related to a Mac. I was shocked. Dismayed even.

Michelle... I like kinks. :)

Sarah... if we come across Kentucky, we'll be heading right through Hurricane. Not sure if we're going to be stopping in Chicago this time yet. If we do that we'll probably come down through Indiana and Ohio. So, we'll hook up during the visit.

Michael... that cracked me up!

Tony... like I say, I like the kinks. It helps me appreciate things when they get worked out.

Gary, I kid you not, they put it in upside down.

JUN

2007

Maureen... you can bet I have some plans for it already. :)

Alisa... thanks for the info.

Irina... I hope to show it off at our mini gathering. :)

i read your blog post and i was like... "you're kidding right" ?

is that really a CELL Phone? ... looks more like a cordless to me.. .how did that sucker last for 5 years... I do good for 5 months!

Wow, scary, reminds me why I left AT&T a few years back..........good luck! I'm curious to see how it all shakes out! The i phone looks amazing!

Katrina... yes. It's really a cell phone. :)

Ana... I can't wait to touch it!

Jeff,

That's Cingular. The old AT&T people were sharp. Apple needs to get it's own customer service people; Cingular is just plain bad.

Well, I guess Cingular is ATT again. The more things change, the more they stay the same

LOL!!! As a Mac user and a Realtor whose software is of so often not compatible, I feel your pain and share your worry. I use Tmobile because, to me, they are as close to Maclike as you can be (love my blackberry Pearl). This was too funny in a black comedy sort of way. THnaks for sharing and keeping us up to date and ahead of the curve.

Brian... amen to that. I've been told that customer service on the phone itself will be handled 100% by Apple. That shouldn't be confusing to folks at all.

Janie... I had to pause a moment when he asked me to upgrade to OS 9. Luckily the pause allowed me to try and be somewhat humorous and not bark back, since I had been on hold for about 10 minutes. :)

Tool Boy... 5 Years Old? How's your VCR? Still blinking 12:00? But you do have the most current OS version! LOL have a safe trip.

Bob... If I took a photo of my television you'd be even more shocked. It's 9 years old. But I refuse to buy a new one until it dies! :)

Oh, I am literally laughing out loud. I didn't think just lol would cut it here. I had to spell it out. At one time I had att for my long distance service. ...Long story...didn't work out well so I switched my long distance to bellsouth (my local phone provider at the time). I should also mention I have cell service through Cingular. Well we all know what happened next... yep the company I left, merged all in together and now I have long distance, local and cell through att. ---I am keeping my internet separate.

It's all too often you contact big company support and end up going through the never ending chain of people who don't care about your account, and don't care to create an answer that's not on their script. I know there are reps out there that are not like that. At least I keep hoping there are. I just have never been put in touch with one. That's why I keep hoping...one day I'll make a call like that and have my question answered in say 2 minutes with the first person I talk to :)

ok - after this really long comment.... I'm jealous you're getting an iPhone. You'll have to write a post about how cool it is.... here's your title: iPhone: Is it really all that?

HAHAHAHAHA damn i laughed out loud at this. It's so typical of tech support from major companies. Thank god I have never had to call microsoft tech support. They have a tech support division where I live (i think it's the only one NOT in INdia) and some of the people there scare me and that is saying something.

I will be on the sidelines for the launch --I am sure you'll keep us informed once you get back.

I must be technologically challenged. I can't get excited about this iPhone.

<<ducking the flying debris!>>

Never have been much of a gadget person. I must be a dinosaur. LOL

Angie... the part of the story I didn't tell was after they walked me through uninstalling and reinstalling the software. That didn't fix it. So I said, "is it possible the person here in the store put the SIM chip in wrong." They said anything was possible. So I pulled out the card and pulled out the chip with the person in the store watching. I then asked, "Is this the right way for the chip to go in?" They looked at it and said yes. I put it back in, same result. I pulled out the card again, turned the SIM chip around, plugged the card back in and voila... it worked. I'd love to have that 50 minutes of my life back. :)

Christian... I'm just praying the AT&T guys have almost no role in the iPhone support.

Aziz... I'll be sure to do so!

Carol... nah, you're not a dinosaur. You're just not a gadget gal. Perhaps one day. :)

Hi Jeff,

I just love reading your posts. They always bring a smile to my face.

I live in Charleston, SC and the nearest Apple store is in Charlotte, NC. I went there a couple of months ago to try to get some more info on the iPhone, and I took the opportunity to bring up a dilemma that I've been having when doing Open Houses with my laptop. Sometimes I can't get access to a network and therefore am unable to bring up my local MLS. I went to Verizon and Cingular but just didn't want to pay yet another monthly fee and have to sign a 2 year commitment with anyone. So the man at the Genius Bar told me that when the iPhone comes out I will be able to use it's Internet connection to get access via bluetooth to my laptop. I don't think I've explained that very well but the end result is that from what the guy told me I won't need a wireless card for my laptop and no extra monthly charges. Is this what you've heard as well? I'm also confused about where to camp out for the phone. The people from the Apple store in Charlotte were pretty adamant that I get it from them but then the people at Cingular said I have to get it from them. Any idea who is right?

Have a safe trip!

Jeff, great post! I have the experience with just about every tech call I make. I don't know what it is about technical support, but it seems that you either can't understand the words they are speaking, or the are entry level support and you need to go up at least two levels before you get any intelligence! Sorry, but true!

you are correct, the iphone looks AWESOME, but I really don't have the time to learn a new electronic device. I still can't figure out my TV and surround sound...

Diane, I believe that is correct. The bluetooth will connect you. Now, as for waiting in line, I know that here in So. Cal, the lines are forming at the AT&T stores. But I've seen photos of people lining up in NYC at the Apple Store there... since Monday. This post about is has my favorite headline: Only A $600 Phone Away From Homelessness. They have a completely different activation strategy. You don't activate in the store. You activate via iTunes. So, you can wait at an Apple Store or at AT&T. It doesnt matter. Here's how the phone gets activated.

Now, there are also those paying for others to wait. Because even industry big wigs will be waiting it seems.

JUN

2007

David.... yeah. It's unfortunate, but the rule, not the exception.

Jennifer... well, I just finished watching the video on how to sync and activate and it's just way to simple.

But Jeff ... At least it sounds like your customer service rep was a an on-shore native-english-speaker. Can you imagine having the conversation with some poor out-sourced soul in a distant country who can barely pronounce i-pod (ee-poohed, maybe?) <s>

Cheryl... very true. I'm less worried now that I've seen how the phone gets activated. It's brilliant. Truly.

Here's how the phone gets activated.

Jeff, Thanks for the open letter. I feel your frustration!

If you really are running 10.4.1, then you are pretty out of date. 10.4.9 has been out for a while, and 10.4.10 came out a few days ago.

-james

Caleb... thanks.

James... I mistyped. I am running 10.4.10 on all of my machines. Except for the kids old iMac upstairs.

JUN

2007

that's why they should have partnered with T-Mobile.

JUN

2007

Oh the stories I can tell about the tech help at Cingulat...er At&T. I think you have to flunk the dumb test to be hired.. The only guy they had with a brain in the South bay quit and went to work for Farmers Insurance

Oh but I shouldn't talk...I'm sure we'll be getting more Safari calls...:) we'll have to look into this!

JUL

2007

Jeff, Didyagitit, Didyagitit????

JUL

2007

Jeff,

Thanks for the post. No wonder Real Estate Shows works the way it does. Nothing like seeing your product or service from the eyes of the consumer.

JUL

2007

Jeff -

How's the phone? Just had my first iPhone sighting here in Blacksburg VA and it saddened me that I had to up my contract with Verizon four months ago when my phone died out. Sigh ... but, March 2009 will be here soon. How do you like yours so far?

Jeremy, I'm loving the iPhone. I'll have a complete review soon.

Jeff: I understand this is no laughing matter. But truly you arent surprised, right? Since when companies like this take you by the "good, excellent, employees know what they are talking about" type service.

And yes, you deserve an iPhone. Soon, you'll be able to put your current cellphone in the museaum..... I have some of those I could contribute too.....

Jeff - I've tried, with frustratingly mixed results to link from my blog to yours. Does Active Rain discourage links?

McCaw became AT&T which became Cingular which became AT&T... and that's the short version, really. What is it about this that comes as a surprise? Oh yeah, the part where AT&T ponies up part of the development costs in exchange for the initial network exclusivity and then thinks by writing the check they've done enough.

Steve Jobs is the largest shareholder of ABC Disney. I hope his holdings don't rub off on him.

You know-

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E !

JUL

2007

Jeff - Only because you are the "tech" guru on here... did you get the IPhone and if so what's your take on it?

Ooooh I hate to say this but the day before it launched I finally saw that you had to be an AT and T customer if you had an iPHONE. It depressed me! My excitement waned lol. Now I read this and it makes me think for sure I am waiting....like buying a new model of car before it's been out long enough to get the bugs out. I am still an Apple girl in my heart so I want this to work!

Desiree... yes, I did get the iPhone. I got it in Des Moines, Iowa... no line, no waiting. Loving it. I will review it once I've spent more time with it.

good to know... god knows I want to know what the hype is all about that people actually camped out overnight in line to buy one.... come on now .. this was a Cabbage Patch Doll!!!!

JUL

2007

haha you are so funny. i love how you asked if the tech person is on drugs.

i have also read that quite a few hackers also have declared that they will hack it soon so you can use the sim card with other services. the article proceeds saying that it's actually already a fairly common practice anyway so there is no issue.

great blogs!

cheers,

cindy

After my fiasco today with AT&T a hacker might come in handy. :)

Jeff - I had always heard that AT&T stood for "all twists and turns". Same way they do business, IMO.

JUL

2007

I am in serious pain for two reasons:

1) My face hurts from laughing about the drug user comment...seriously I am using that every time a support desk person makes an idiotic comment..."Are you now, or have you ever been, an intravenous drug user?" That is the best!!!

and

2) I just got used to using my Blackberry Pearl (I love it!!!). And while I am an ATT customer, and a 24 year MAC USER, I just can not justify buying it...my excuse...I am waiting for version 2.0. Then I will have a reason and I must have it to go along with my next, hopefully soon to be released next OH-MY-GOODNESS, Apple MacBook Pro.

In the meantime I will just be jealous of The Waz who now has 2 iPhones because he couldn't wait a day for Jobs to send him one. :(

Jeff.

I'll have you know that Linda takes offense to your comments of IV drug use. She's been a user for 3 weeks now and is not nearly as dumb as your support operator.

We regret to inform you that stupidity and idiocy are usually present long before the drugs ever kick in. In some cases the drugs can actually help..

So call the help desk again and tell them to up the dosage..

JAN

i have i-phone, model A-1203. I am facing few problems in that. The battery back up is very bad and sound system is also not proper. is there anything you can help me with?

My e-mail id is-ranchi@mikiwire.co.in

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