Dive Brief:
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CIOs say they are unsatisfied with Apple’s business-specific support service, according to CIO.com.
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AppleCare for Enterprise — which offers 24/7 phone, next-day device replacement, and one-hour response times for urgent issues, among other things — is only available to customers of both Apple and IBM. But few SMBs are included in that group, so AppleCare for Enterprise isn’t available to them.
- Apple claims it is working to expand support for iOS devices in the enterprise, but many CIOs say it’s not enough.
Dive Insight:
CIOs and IT professionals were excited to see Apple launch AppleCare for Enterprise eight months ago. But since then, many have been disappointed to find the program offers them little in terms of tangible support. Apple's Joint Venture program does offer some services to SMBs — such as setup, training and technical support — but it's managed by Apple retail stores and therefore not a viable option for many businesses.
Beyond that, some tech professionals have said Apple’s communication with CIOs is virtually nonexistent. "They're immature in their process and evolution of working with a business,” Stuart Appley, CIO of real estate firm Shorenstein, told CIO.com. “They've never reached out. It's not an easy thing to reach out to Apple at that level."
Overall, CIOs say it’s confusing to work with Apple as an enterprise vendor. CIOs therefore have a tough choice to make between appeasing employees who are clamoring for Apple products or choosing another vendor that offers better support.