I have been fighting Apple over the past 5+ years to change the self
service and they finally have this past summer if some of you don't
know.
There is no fee anymore......the only payment is getting certified
which is roughly $300 the first year for all the tests then $50 a
test for the following year and after. Depending on what you want
to fix, laptops, desktops or whatever, you don't have to get both
the Desktop and Laptop certs.
As much as the machines are updated I think this is somewhat fair
Apple forcing us to keep updated with the latest. Its better than
having to pay a premium every year at $799 like it used to be.
There are different accounts as well now....I just signed our school
up for the basic just so I have access to GSX and Self Service
documents and to order parts for out of warranty machines. But if
you want to be able to fix in warranty machines you have to be
certified (Desktop, Laptop, OS).
I personally don't agree with Certifications because any idiot can
go and memorize the book and take the tests and pass, but Apple is
somewhat different, I think its good for the techs to know what has
changed over the past year.
Here is the link for more info:
http://www.apple.com/support/programs/ssa/
Thanks,
Dan
------------------Original Message------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2005 15:25:38 -0500
From: Romeyn Prescott <email@hidden>
Subject: Re: Applecare or Self-Repair
To: Client Management <email@hidden>
Message-ID: <p06230931bfb117672e4d@[192.168.0.3]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"
We don't bother calling Apple anymore. We simply ship any defective
unit to our closest AASP and let THEM figure out what's really wrong
and order parts/fix them.
We DO buy AppleCare, so it's all "covered." But it's NOT worth our
time to talk to flowchart monkeys. If we had a way to call real
techs, that might be different.
We USED to be a self-servicing AASP, but that was before Apple
started requiring an annual fee to prove we still knew how to use a
screwdriver.
This might not make sense, but I LOVE Macs. I just don't like Apple
very much.
...ROMeyn
