[rdl]

Since the front-line genius bar employees have so much discretion to go beyond the minimum required, it's really worth treating them well.

Showing up on-time for your appointment, not being a pain if they have a backlog and you have to wait a few minutes, having everything backed up if possible first, and being consistent and clear in describing what the problem is (at whatever level you know -- you don't need to actually know what the problem is, but describe the symptoms) -- will probably go a long way to getting a better than expected result.

My 3,1 MBP fan broke while I was in Iraq, and I bought a new i7 MBP to replace it. When I brought the 3,1 MBP in the day after AppleCare expired, they were great, and basically replaced the entire system, incidentally fixing cosmetic case, keyboard, etc. damage.

They've been equally good every other time I've gone in with a problem. They also have a great program for business users which gets you expedited service.

My only complaint with the AppleCare service model is that it's not so great outside the USA.

[jonah]

> They also have a great program for business users which gets you expedited service.

Yes, be sure to setup a business account, they'll expedite, etc. Plus a meager 3-7% discount over time.

[pavel_lishin]

> it's really worth treating them well.

> Showing up on-time for your appointment, not being a pain if they have a backlog and you have to wait a few minutes

Sweet juicy Jesus, that's not treating them well - that's just the bare standard minimum expected behavior, isn't it?

[rdl]

It is retail and it is customer support. The minimum standard for acceptable human interaction is several sigma above observed behavior, unfortunately.