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How can I avoid waiting hours for the Apple "Genius Bar"?

I love Apple, and have done since I bought my first Quadra Mac years ago, and I really love wandering around the Apple Store in my neighborhood too, but I gotta say that whenever I need to get help from someone at their Genius Bar it drives me completely crazy. I waste HOURS waiting for my turn. Is there some secret to getting prompt service?

Dave's Answer:

Boy oh boy, do I hear complaints about the wait time at Apple Genius Bars. I know the feeling myself: I've more than once gone to my local Apple Store (Cherry Creek Mall, in Denver, but there are new ones opening in Broomfield and then, a few months later, here in Boulder, Colorado, my own community), put my name in the queue, then had to stay within 20 feet of the Bar while waiting 90 minutes or more for attention.

Blech!

Here's something you might not realize, however, and it's a critical snippet of information to know: you can make a reservation for your local Genius Bar online, before you ever leave your office or house.

Here's how you do that...

First off, go to the Apple Store Web site and look around closely. What's missing? Any information about how to learn about retail store outlets here in the real world. Interesting, isn't it?

Fortunately, I already bookmarked the site Apple Retail Store Locator and you can easily go to that page and type in your zip code to find the closest store. Alternatively, you can also go to the Apple Retail Store Directory and dig around, but that's less efficient to me.

I'll type in "80306" to the locator tool, as it's my area's zipcode, and here's the result I get:

A bunch of closer options for bringing in a computer that's not working (and you should be able to find alternatives to the Apple Store too!) and, down a bit, the closest Apple Store, at Cherry Creek Mall in Denver. Click on "website" and, confusingly, it takes me to the Apple home page, where I now see that they've added a pop-up entitled "Visit an Apple Store".

Round and round we go...

I choose "Colorado > Cherry Creek Mall" and am taken to The Cherry Creek Apple Store Web Site, focused on that particular store. Stuck in the middle of the page - not particularly easy to find - is the following:

Apple Computer: Genius Bar Reservations through the Concierge

Looks good! Click on it and now you can self-categorize your request:

Apple Computer: Cherry Creek Apple Store Reservation System

I'll click on "Mac" since that's most likely what you're having problems with, but you can see the other options. Once that's done, it's time to sign in:

Apple Computer: Making a Genius Bar Reservation at Cherry Creek

and then request a time for an appointment:

Apple Computer: Cherry Creek Genius Bar is Too Busy?

Jeez. That's not what I wanted to see. Yeah, we could buy "Apple ProCare" and reserve a time up to seven days in advance, but that's not exactly what we want. On the other hand, since it's 11pm on a Sunday night, the results might be dramatically different at 9am tomorrow morning too, so it's worth another try.

In any case, I hope this suggests how you might be able to avoid your frustration and make a reservation, or at least try to make a reservation at the local genius bar or find a different authorized Apple repair center for your computer gear.

Good luck to you!

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Categorized: Mac OS X Help (Article 6014)
Tagged: apple computer, apple store, customer support, genius bar
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Comments

They also neglect to say on their website that you have to report to the Genius Bar reception and register upon arrival. I turned up on a crowded Sunday to the London, UK bar and was told to 'wait over there' by a "Genius". I watched my name go from #7 to #1, waited patiently, only to realise ppl at numbers 2 thru 9 were getting in ahead of me. I checked with the desk, and even they admitted it wasn't clear you needed to check in. Doh!

Posted by: grayskull at March 7, 2006 7:41 PM

It's a little simpler to reach the reservation page than Dave's convoluted method makes it seem. I just went to the apple.com front page, clicked where to buy, and they provided a pull-down on the following page with a list of Apple stores. I selected my local one and it took me to the store's web page where the box about the concierge service was pretty high up on the page.

I made a reservation for 2 hours later and it went through fine. Then I cancelled it, since I had no intention of keeping it.

Posted by: Greg at March 27, 2006 4:35 PM

So here's a surprise... In some cases, if you are a Procare member and try to book a Genius Bar appointment, you actually have a *higher* chance of being told that there is no availability than regular support customers! This is because Procare members appointments are presumed to by 1-on-1 and have to be matched to a particular genius.

I've proven this emperically, by first attempting to book at a busy store on Sunday using my Procare number, and being told that there is no availability. I then tried the same store without Procare entry just as any other user, and got the appointment!!

Apple's come up with the ultimate product: people paying more to get net less support!!

/John

Posted by: John Curran at June 11, 2006 10:20 PM

I am also really frustrated and disappointed with the "Genius Bar". I had to drop off my PowerMac G5 there yesterday (which I purchased from them). I've been having problems with this system (It was Refurbished) since I bought it. I purchased AppleCare, so they seemed indifferent to the fact that my Hard Drive is completely screwed up and just suggested that I do a Clean Install (which I have already had to do a couple of times already). I practically had to plead with them to do a diagnostic test, run a 'tune-up', and reinstall the software themselves (In case the problem was caused from my software). Then, the 'genius' behind the bar started trying to push the 'Procare' service to me. This really got to me; they sell me a defective product and then try to push me into paying more money (Shouldn't AppleCare be sufficient), so that I'll be able to get my system back before people who didn't purchase it, and won't have to wait in line when I make an appointment. Isn't that the purpose of making an appointment, so you don't have to wait in line?

I have been a loyal customer to Apple for the past eight years, and every time I have the slightest problem and go to the 'Genius Bar' to get it resolved, I am told immediately that the product is too damaged (without even taking offering to thoroughly check it out, which I would have gladly paid for) and that they can give me a 10% discount to exchange it.

Instead of focusing so much on pushing 'Procare', maybe it's time to focus on what was originally intended: On solving issues with customers who purchased their products. Oh, and since they're so strict about us being on time for our appointments, how about practicing a bit of professionalism and be available to assist us for the time that we took to actually make the appointment. We shouldn't have to buy our way to the front of the line!

Posted by: Eric at September 12, 2006 12:22 PM

Tonight, Ive have yet again tried to make an appointment at the Genius Bar, after being told twice already that there were no more available slots 'today'! While a Apple fan, and user, for almost 12 years!! I regret to say that my first experience with Mac Support has been dis satisfactory, while their phone service was presently helpful, getting down to the problem and getting it fixed remains unsolved.

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