[WinMac] Becoming An Apple-Authorized Self-Servicing Account

John W. McCarthy(jwmcmac[at]flash.net)
Fri, 22 Jan 1999 00:19:56 -0600

I probably am stretching it to post this (it's too large), but this
information is not common knowledge and might be of use to some of you
since it has been made clear by Dan that sometimes Mac Service is less
than we hope for.

Also, this information (this web-page) has gone off the air (I saved
it), so this information may be even less available than it was at the
time I ran across it.

Personally, I've been lucky with Mac Service. I've gotten a Performa
motherboard replaced on two of the faulty performa's (630 & 6220) and
one or two monitors fixed in less than a week each time by Fed-Ex mail.
I do consider that to be more lucky than not. Getting to the right
person on the phone is an art, not a science, with a lot of luck thrown in.

Anyway, I don't believe Apple has arrived yet with this new initiative,
but it is a step in a very positive direction and do-able for many of
you out there.

costs too much . . .

Here goes:

& God Bless us all . . .

Pat Kelly McCarthy

> Becoming An Apple-Authorized Self-Servicing Account
>
> This report is based on my personal experience and Apple
> documents. If you operate in a deadline-oriented environment,
> becoming authorized to perform your own repairs on Apple
> equipment could save you lots of time and frustration. Please give
> me your feedback. I'll answer your questions via additions to this
> report each day until next Friday. After that, I'll turn this report into a
> PDF which you can download. Keep checking back for updates!
>
> The Concept
>
> Have you ever lamented the fact that you had to rely on Apple, an
> Apple-authorized retailer or an Apple-authorized service provider to
> fix a Macintosh? Have you ever lost valuable time waiting for a
> warranty repair on a Mac to happen? Have you ever had a technician
> "fix" a problem and have the problem reappear as soon as the tech
> leaves? Well, if you meet certain criteria and can spend some
> money, you might be able to become an Apple-authorized self
> servicing account. That means you could get the training and
> certification to perform your own in-warranty and out-of-warranty
> repairs on Apple branded products for your organization. Think of
> the time you could save and the hoops you wouldn't have to jump
> through to get your Apple equipment back on line.
>
> The Criteria
>
> According to Apple, in order to be granted self-service authorization,
> your site must meet ONE of the following four criteria:
>
> have an installed base of 300 Apple/Macintosh CPUs or more,
> OR
> be geographically remote from the nearest Apple Authorized
> Service Provider, OR
> require special security clearance for service personnel, OR
> have other special circumstances approved by your Support
> Services Manager.
>
> In addition, a Self-Servicing Account must comply with the following
> basic service requirements:
>
> 1.have at all times at least one employee who has satisfactorily
> completed the Service Certification Exam given by Sylvan
> Prometric for each of the product families you intend to
> service. Self-paced exam prerequisites are available through
> Apple. I've included more information on becoming certified
> below.
> 2.subscribe to the following required Apple authorized service
> provider subscriptions:
>
> Service Source CD Subscription - The primary source
> for all Apple service and technical information, the
> Service Source CD contains over 500MB of information
> designed to help technicians perform fast and accurate
> repairs.
> Macintosh Family Diagnostics - Primarily composed of
> the MacTest Pro diagnostic software, the Macintosh
> Family Diagnostics provides the most advanced
> troubleshooting and testing tools for Apple products.
> Service Training Update - Although Apple's Service
> Certification Training provides technicians with the
> basic skills they need to service Apple products, each
> year Apple introduces new products that are complex
> enough to require follow-on product-specific training.
> The Service Training Update subscription provides
> ongoing training that technicians can complete at their
> servicing location.
>
> Prior to taking the Apple Certification Course, a Macintosh CPU with
> hard disk, minimum 8MB RAM, a CD-ROM drive and a 9600 baud or
> faster modem must be available to the service technician. Initially
> this would be used to run the self-paced Macintosh training package
> which is supplied on CD as a prerequisite to the formal Macintosh
> Service Training. The system would also be used when doing repairs
> to access the Service Source CD technical procedures, accessing the
> Service Source Online, placing service orders via Apple's online
> ordering system, and accessing other online information from
> Apple's Service Provider web site.
>
> Also, ensure that the technician(s) you are considering for Apple
> service training has knowledge of basic computer electronics, logical
> troubleshooting skills and can use related service tools such as a
> multimeter. Technician(s) need to be mechanically inclined enough to
> take apart and reassemble CPUs and peripherals to a modular level
> and to make printer and CRT adjustments. Most graduates of one or
> two year computer electronics courses would meet this criteria.
>
> The Standards
>
> Understand that if you can meet the criteria, Apple is granting you
> special access to some pretty amazing stuff not the least of which is
> access to Apple parts and modules. In exchange for this, you must
> abide by some standards (pardon the legalese):
>
> 1.Service providers shall only perform service on Apple
> products at the applicants location. This means you can't sell
> yourself as an Apple Authorized Service Provider for anyone
> else's Apple stuff.
> 2.Service providers will comply with Apple's warranty
> validation, reporting procedures for warranty reimbursement
> and administrative procedures.
> 3.All repairs on Apple products must be performed by an Apple
> Certified Service Technician.
> 4.Service Providers agree not to represent Apple service
> modules as "new."
> 5.Apple service parts are not for resale.
> 6.Service Providers will purchase and maintain current Apple
> service documentation, diagnostics and materials for all
> products on which they perform service. Service Providers
> will keep service personnel apprised of all revisions and
> updates to these materials.
> 7.Service Providers are required to maintain an electronic mail
> system in order to receive relevant information and notices
> from Apple. They must also have access to the Internet and
> the Apple Service Web Site to obtain confidential information
> required to conduct business.
> 8.Service Providers will devote adequate floor space and
> facilities to the service of Apple products.
> 9.Service Providers will participate in any Apple product,
> hardware or software update, or Repair Extension
> Authorization Program.
> 10.Service Providers must use electrostatic discharge prevention
> equipment.
> 11.Service Providers will comply with all the standards and
> procedures as stated in the Service Programs Manual.
>
> In addition (more?) Service Providers must:
>
> verify product warranty according to Apple guidelines
> submit the proper paperwork with each repair part requested
> and/or returned to Apple.
>
> The Stuff
>
> As mentioned above, Apple requires a subscription to some
> information sources and recommends you have others. Here's a list
> of what they require and recommend with the prices.
>
> AASP+ Subscription Bundle - Required - $1,495.00
> This bundle provides one-stop shopping for service
> subscriptions, containing all of the necessary diagnostics,
> technical publications and training subscriptions. You must
> purchase this bundle. It contains:
> Service Source CD Subscription - The primary source
> for all Apple service and technical information, the
> Service Source CD contains over 500MB of information
> designed to help technicians perform fast and accurate
> repairs.
> Macintosh Family Diagnostics - Primarily composed of
> the MacTest Pro diagnostic software, the Macintosh
> Family Diagnostics provides the most advanced
> troubleshooting and testing tools for Apple Products.
> Service Training Update Subscription - Although
> Apple's Service Certification Training provides
> technicians with the basic skills they need to service
> Apple products, each year Apple introduces new
> products that are complex enough to require follow-up
> on product-specific training. The Service Training
> Update Subscription provides ongoing training that
> technicians can complete at their servicing location.
> Apple Service Guides - The Apple Service Guides are
> compact "best sellers" that are loaded with the
> information you need to perform fast and accurate
> repairs. These portable, rugged, spiral-bound guides
> are invaluable to technicians while on-site and in the
> shop.
> Apple Service Price Pages - Recommended - $80.00
> The Apple Service Prices Pages are the one-stop shopping
> guide for up-to-date pricing information on service parts,
> service training courses, business support products,
> AppleCare products, diagnostics and tools. Organized in a
> convenient and easy-to-use format.
> Apple Restoration CD System Software - Recommended -
> 129.00
> This Restoration CD includes every version of Macintosh
> system software from System 6.0.8 through System 7.5 for
> Power Macintosh. These self-booting CDs feature Apple's
> familiar installer interface and a one-button install capability.
> The subscription begins with a multiple CD starter kit with up
> to four updates per year.
> AppleOrder - Required - $Free
> AppleOrder is an order management system used for
> ordering service parts and processing warranty claims
> electronically with Apple. Additionally, AppleOrder provides
> quick and direct access to information regarding order history
> and status, warranty claim submission and approval, and
> even allows you to return a good part. The AppleOrder
> software and connect time are provided free.
>
> Also, you should seriously consider purchasing Apple's Support
> Professional Solution Series. It's benefits include a searchable
> support library, System Software CDs, limited access to Apple
> Service information and access to senior Apple support engineers via
> phone. The 500 Series is $2,000 and does not include phone support.
> The 700 Series is $3,400 and does include the phone access.
>
> Getting Certified
>
> Only Apple certified technicians may provide warranty service on
> Apple products. All Self Servicing providers must have technicians
> who are certified on Macintosh and Printer technology. PowerBook
> certification is required for technicians repairing PowerBook systems.
> In order to become certified, you must get trained and take the
> tests.
>
> To make it easy for technicians to become certified on Apple
> products Apple has created three self-study training kits, one for
> each technology area (Macintosh, PowerBook and Printers) and one
> super-set bundle which is a complete set of all self-study service
> training kits. The individual kits cost $275 each and the super-set
> bundle costs $750.
>
> The self-study training kits contain all service course materials
> related to that technology area. They typically consist of training
> booklets and videos which cover parts and functions, take-apart,
> reassembly and troubleshooting. Some training kits also include
> interactive training on a CD. Training kits may be shared by all
> individuals at each service location.
>
> Technicians must then pass the tests at an authorized Sylvan
> Prometric Testing Center to become Apple certified in a given
> technology area. Sylvan Prometric has testing centers located in
> most major metropolitan areas nationwide. There are three tests,
> one for each technology area. The Macintosh test takes an hour and
> a half to complete and costs $125. The Printers and PowerBook tests
> each take an hour and fifteen minutes to complete and cost $100
> each. Payment for taking the tests is to Sylvan Prometric, not Apple.
> The tests are taken on a computer and you find out if you pass
> immediately after completing them. If you pass, Apple will mail you
> a nice certificate suitable for framing.
>
> The tests are definitely not a slam-dunk. Even if you've taken apart
> Macs for years, you should buy and use the training materials. Apple
> wants their service technicians to work in a very deliberate and
> consistent manner. The tests also check your competence in using
> the literature and troubleshooting guides. I've worked on Macs since
> 1984 and can take apart and put together an 8100 with my eyes
> shut. I would have failed all the tests if I did not study. Count on
> spending at least two weeks studying the materials if you want to
> pass on your first try.
>
> How To Get Started
>
> Obviously, you must meet the criteria outlined above. Please do not
> bother Apple unless you legitimately feel you qualify. The process
> can seem daunting but it is worth it. Apple has no web page
> describing this process except for one for the K-12 education
> market. In order to obtain the application materials you must ask
> your Support Services Manager. I believe these people cover
> regions of the country. You should be able to obtain the name from
> your Apple Sales Representative. Please do not ask me for help
> finding out who your rep is. If you do not know or do not want to
> take the time to find out you should not consider this program.
>
> Answers & Questions
>
> I've received some great feedback on this report. One reader
> lamented some sad facts:
>
> "Thanks for your article on Apple Certification, it brought back great
> memories of studying PDFs for weeks before taking those damned
> tests (on a PC!). [Yes, the tests are given PC! - mark]
>
> As an Authorized Tech in my midsize Oregon town I feel lonely.
> There aren't a lot of techs in our town and when I talk with them its
> usually about upcoming products and not about "hot issues." If there
> were more CERTIFIED techs in the world maybe then customers
> would quit the know-it-all attitude and come to my shop with a more
> open mind- knowing that I studied hard to pass all the test modules.
>
> Right now I seem to get three types of customers:
>
> 1) "I have never heard of Norton or Tech Tool Pro and I think its
> normal to bend serial pins when plugging in my printer"
>
> 2) "I know everything, and despite your access to priveledged info I
> STILL think I can diagnose the problem better than you!"
>
> 3) "I hate Mac, and even when it has a UNIX command line it will still
> be too good looking and not complex and archaic enough for me!"
>
> If we had more CERTIFIED techs this might change!"
>
> One reader has a question about how to become authorized as a
> VAR:
>
> "I have questions regarding the following portions of your article
> Becoming An Apple-Authorized Self-Servicing Account.
>
> We are an Apple Authorized VAR with many installations in the
> prepress trade all over New England. We have had need for
> warranty service that has left our customers down for as much as
> two weeks. This is totally unacceptable. A production house that is
> dependent on a particular Mac to perform a critical function can't
> remain down even for a day. It is an embarrassment to us as
> resellers to not be authorized to service what we sell. Our technical
> staff is certainly capable of most of the repairs/warranty
> replacements that would be required.
>
> According to the criteria in your article, we can't get this type of
> authorization. Is there some other route we can pursue?"
>
> It is my understanding that Apple VARs may receive Apple
> Service authorization. If someone out there knows for sure, please
> let me know
>
> Another reader has an interesting idea:
>
> "Great story re: becoming an authorized self service agent!
> Unfortunately the underlying Apple arrogance will ultimately spell the
> end of Apple. These are only computers (albeit great ones), not state
> secrets.
>
> Why shouldn't I as an Apple customer be able to order a set of
> repair "manuals" (CDs or whatever) and take my chances? I can do
> that for my cars which are far more expensive and complex than my
> Mac..."
>
> Hmmm. Perhaps something like "Chilton's Power Macintosh 8100
> - 1997"? If you subscribe to Apple's Support Professional programs,
> they will send you the Service Source CDs. I don't think Apple is
> really being arrogant in this instance. Most of the major PC
> manufacturers have the same requirements for authorized repair as
> Apple. Remember, the key to all of this is access to Apple parts. Just
> as if you had a busted Compaq, you would need access to Compaq
> parts. Although I understand in the PC world you could have many
> more options with regard to generic parts. Apple parts are Apple
> parts.
>
> And now for an unfortunate situation:
>
> "Thanks for the info. but i have a question. I live in the West Indies
> (Jamaica to be exact). At the moment I don't think there are any
> authorized Apple dealers much less any currently certified Apple
> Certified engineers. We have had varying companies that have held
> the dealership. We have throughout the years had two dealers at the
> same time, and up to three years ago still had two dealers. The
> dealers here also support and sell Wintel PCs and as such since the
> Mac market is not considered large enough they don't actively
> pursue or support the Mac user here. How do i become Apple
> certified? I currently provide support for most of the mac user, but
> when i come across a defective Mac (for ex. i just finished setting up
> an iMac which has a defective keyb'd, keeps restarting at shutdown
> (automatically). if keyb'd detached from iMac, it shutdowns fine) i'd
> like to be able to access Apple parts and warranty service that way i
> could just replace the keyb'd and be reimbursed for it. Now I have to
> tell the client to ship the entire iMac back to the States or hope that
> whoever supplied them will replace the keyb'd which could be a
> lengthy process. I don't fit into the catgories you outlined except
> geographically remote and i'm definitely going to resell the service
> as I'm not making any money since i didn't sell the mac in the first
> place. this is common in the work i do, this is not the only time that
> such a situation has occured."
>
> This is hard. Becoming an Apple VAR in this situation might help.
> Right now, there's no way to become just Apple Authorized to repair
> for the general public unless you are attached to some sort of Apple
> reselling situation.
>
> Here's some more valuable information:
>
> "Kudos on your "Becoming An Apple-Authorized Self-Servicing
> Account" report.
>
> We've been a self-servicing account for 5 years now. I thought your
> article did a pretty good job of explaining what is required to become
> self-servicing. And I agree with your emphasis on why anyone would
> want to do it (to save time, not necessarily money).
>
> Perhaps you could have provided a little more detail about how the
> account actually works once you're all set up. Maybe an example of
> an actual repair? I think it would be most enticing for those who are
> thinking about this to learn that in most cases you can place the
> order for the repair part you need and it will show up the next day.
> In addition I've always been very impressed with how easy Apple
> made the part ordering process (AppleOrder).
>
> Also, the $1495 price of AASP+ subscription might be a jolt to some.
> Knowing that the annual renewal is only $750 might take some of the
> sticker shock away."
>
> Your Help
>
> Do you have an experience you'd like to share? Does some of what
> I've presented here not make sense to you? Does it make perfect
> sense? How can I make this better for you? Please let me know and
> I'll add your input.
>
>
> An e-mail list has been established for Macintosh printing pros.
>
> To sign on, send any e-mail to: macprint-on@beloit-kansas.com
>
>
> You are the 8,773rd person to visit Macink since Nov. 2, 1998

* Windows-MacOS Cooperation List *
* FAQ: <http://www.darryl.com/winmacfaq/> *
* Archives: <http://www.darryl.com/winmac/> *
* Subscribe: <mailto:winmac-on@xerxes.frit.utexas.edu> *
* Subscribe Digest: <mailto:winmac-digest@xerxes.frit.utexas.edu> *
* Unsubscribe: <mailto:winmac-off@xerxes.frit.utexas.edu> *

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.0b2 on Thu Jan 21 1999 - 22:21:09 PST