“Please leave us alone” College journalism student has a whine over not getting a comment from Apple PR
A Long Island University student, going by the name of Chelsea Kate Isaacs, allegedly received several argumentative e-mails from Steve Jobs after she criticized the company’s Media Relations Department, according to correspondence posted on Gawker. The student claims to have repeatedly called the PR department asking for a quote regarding iPad use in academic settings, but the company representatives allegedly did not bother to respond.
“Mr. Jobs, I humbly ask why Apple is so wonderfully attentive to the needs of students, whether it be with the latest, greatest invention or the company’s helpful customer service line, and yet, ironically, the Media Relations Department fails to answer any of my questions which are, as I have repeatedly told them, essential to my academic performance,” Isaacs wrote in her first e-mail to the CEO.
“Our goals do not include helping you get a good grade,” Jobs allegedly responded. “Sorry.”
Isaac claims to have countered the blunt response with another message denying that she asked for help getting a good grade. She then asked if the company considers it a duty to return calls from a client or customer. “But I guess that’s not one of your goals,” she wrote.
“Nope,” Jobs allegedly responded. “We have over 300 million users and we can’t respond to their requests unless they involve a problem of some kind. Sorry.”
The student continued the confrontation by claiming to be one of Apple’s 300 million users, and with a problem that can only be addressed by the Media Relations team. She again asked for a response for her school project and reminded the CEO that she is “on deadline.”
The purported correspondence ends with a final plea from Jobs, as he asks her to “please leave us alone.”
The entire thread between Chelsea Kate Isaacs and Steve Jobs
(Read from the bottom up)
From: Steve Jobs
To: XXXX@my.liu.edu
Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2010 18:27:36 -0700
Subject: Re: Mr. Jobs – Student Journalist Concerned about Apple’sMediaRelations Dept.
Please leave us alone.
Sent from my iPhone
On Sep 16, 2010, at 5:32 PM, XXXX@my.liu.edu wrote:
> You’re absolutely right, and I do meet your criteria for being a customer who deserves a response:
>
> 1. I AM one of your 300 million users.
> 2. I DO have a problem; I need answers that only Apple Media Relations can answer.
>
> Now, can they kindly respond to my request (my polite and friendly voice can be heard in the first 5 or 10 messages in their inbox). Please, I am on deadline.
>
> I appreciate your help.
>
>
> Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
>
> ——-Original Message——-
> From: Steve Jobs
> Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2010 17:10:12
> To: XXXX@my.liu.edu
> Subject: Re: Mr. Jobs – Student Journalist Concerned about Apple’s
> MediaRelations Dept.
>
> Nope. We have over 300 million users and we can’t respond to their requests unless they involve a problem of some kind. Sorry.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Sep 16, 2010, at 4:37 PM, XXXX@my.liu.edu wrote:
>
>> Thank you for your reply. I never said that your goal should be to “help me get a good grade.” Rather, I politely asked why your media relations team does not respond to emails, which consequently, decreases my chances of getting a good grade. But, forget about my individual situation; what about common courtesy, in general —- if you get a message from a client or customer, as an employee, isn’t it your job to return the call? That’s what I always thought. But I guess that’s not one of your goals. Yes, you do have a creative approach, indeed.
>> Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
>>
>> ——-Original Message——-
>> From: Steve Jobs
>> Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:19:13
>> To: XXXX@my.liu.edu
>> Subject: Re: Mr. Jobs – Student Journalist Concerned about Apple’s Media
>> Relations Dept.
>>
>> Our goals do not include helping you get a good grade. Sorry.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> On Sep 16, 2010, at 3:22 PM, XXXX@my.liu.edu wrote:
>>
>>> Dear Mr. Jobs,
>>>
>>> As a college student, I can honestly say that Apple has treated me very well; my iPod is basically the lifeline that gets me through the day, and thanks to Apple’s Final Cut Pro, I aced last semester’s video editing project. I was planning to buy a new Apple computer to add to my list of Apple favorites.
>>>
>>> Because I have had such good experiences as a college student using Apple products, I was incredibly surprised to find Apple’s Media Relations Department to be absolutely unresponsive to my questions, which (as I had repeatedly told them in voicemail after voicemail) are vital to my academic grade as a student journalist.
>>>
>>> For my journalism course, I am writing an article about the implementation of an iPad program at my school, the CW Post Campus of Long Island University.
>>>
>>> The completion of this article
>>> is crucial to my grade in the class, and it may potentially get published in our university’s newspaper. I had 3 quick questions regarding iPads, and wanted to obtain answers from the most credible source: Apple’s Media Relations Department.
>>>
>>> I have called countless times throughout the week, leaving short, but detailed, messages which included my contact information and the date of my deadline. Today, I left my 6th message, which stressed the increasingly more urgent nature of the situation. It is now the end of the business day, and I have not received a call back. My deadline is tomorrow.
>>>
>>> Mr. Jobs, I humbly ask why Apple is so wonderfully attentive to the needs of students, whether it be with the latest, greatest invention or the company’s helpful customer service line, and yet, ironically, the Media Relations Department fails to answer any of my questions which are, as I have repeatedly told them, essential to my academic performance.
>>>
>>> For colleges nationwide, Apple is at the forefront of improving the way we function in the academic environment, increasing the efficiency of conducting academic research, as well as sharing and communicating with our college communities.
>>>
>>> With such an emphasis on advancing our education system, why, then, has Apple’s Media Relations team ignored my needs as a student journalist who is just trying to get a good grade?
>>>
>>> In addition to the hypocrisy of ignoring student needs when they represent a company that does so much for our schools, the Media Relations reps are apparently, also failing to responsibly handle the inquiries of professional journalists on deadlines. Unfortunately, for a journalist in the professional world, lacking the answers they need on deadline day won’t just cost them a grade; it could cost them their job.
>>>
>>> Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
>>>
>>> Sincerely,
>>>
>>> Chelsea Kate Isaacs
>>> Senior
>>> CW Post – Long Island University
>>>
>>> Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
via: Gawker. Thanks Aris and Izuchukwu for letting me know!
If she just got to the point instead of writing a novel, she might have got what she asked for. Then again, she sent her messages “via BlackBerry from T-Mobile.”
well Chelsea, welcome to the “real world”!! even in the professional world, the professional journalist DON’T always get their responds even before or during the deadline. That’s why you will see news of journalists violating certain rights or laws to obtain the information their need. Let me as you, do you actually care about the person live down the street that if you don’t help him/her on curtain issue then that person will lose his/her job?
Bu that is rude of Steve Jobs, thought he is inspiring, but he has to remember without us, the consumers, who going to buy his iPad or iPhone or even iPod?
What do you expect? A long, flowery, affectionate prose? Get real. ALL CEO’s write mail that are short and to the point. For those of you who think that is rude, arrogant, etc. you have no concept of business or the responsibilities of being a CEO. If you want a long, extended conversation go visit your priest, rabbi, padre, or bagwan.
DIPLORABLE.
I think Steve Jobs rocks, I wish more people were direct and to the point. He said no. The end. I have never had a problem getting issues resolved with Apple, but I deal with the customer service dept, not the damn CEO of the company…..get real.
Jobs is right. How can you expect to answer 300 million peoples’ questions. He has a company to run…..
Actually she did get answers to her questions….She wanted to know why PR wouldn’t answer her – and Jobs responded that they only address problems.
She should have sent Jobs her questions – then maybe she would have a quote or response for her article….
i’d be pissed if i were ceo of apple and i had a person email me from their blackberry… i’d actually just ignore the email.
The responses to this article are grouped into two categories. The first, and most outspoken, are the diehard Apple freaks who think Apple walks on water and no one should question them about anything. They are the same group who e=accept Apples answer on reception and case on new apple. The second group are normal people who believe in the Principal that a company should provide good customer relations. And they also believe a CEO should have enough common sense to answer, or forward, the ladies questions to the right department.
Steve may be CEO, but I wonder how the other members of teh board feel about such negative actions bu the God of Appleland.
Personally, I could care less because I think Apple is 1) overpriced, 2) underpowered, 3) for computer idiots who can’t think for themselves and 4) needs better customer service and support.
LOL…You people take the marketing mindset of “customers needs always come first” to a narcissistic extreme. He was necessarily short, but not rude. Can a person not simply provide a response? Or do you expect the Apple CEO to bend over backwards to stroke her self-esteem?
Plus she got her quote! “Our goals do not include helping you get a good grade.” There. He answered her request.
Really? As if Steve Jobs has nothing better to do with his time than deal with a cry baby college student who’s sense of entitlement it so strong he feels the need to harass the CEO rather than using proper channels.
It’s not like Jobs has anything important to do with his time. I’m sure Apple runs itself! It’s not like Apple has a department where people can call or write or email to voice their frustrations. Oh wait, they do!
If I were Mr. Jobs, I would have told the student to put on his big boy pants and get to class!!!
Haha.. that was funny. I don’t know why a lot of people are complaining. Steve Jobs just showed that he’s a real person who doesn’t have the patience to handle spoiled college students. No PR departments to sugar coat words or inflate the egos of self centered customers who believes that they’re always right, just plain old straight to the point honest answers. I don’t even know why people think its rude, I find it rather refreshing.
In the end, either you’ll swallow your pride and still buy their products, or stick to your guns and never buy their products again.
Pride vs. product.
You think the girl will trash her Apple products?
I see what the problem was, the Student was sending the email via Blackberry(RIM tech) via T-Mobile! I am sure had she sent it via an iPhone, it would have been received as a legitimate problem, but since it came from someone not of Mac-o-Phile Status, there was no real need to answer in a courteous and respectful manner.
While i can fully understand that it is not their job to help her get a good grade, did no one think about the fact that a helping her could increase their sales? I mean her college already uses loads of Apple products, but i am quite sure that if they knew that the media department was courteous and helpful, they would buy even more products. And if not the school itself then how about the thousands of student since this had the potential to make it into her school paper. I’m sorry but that is usually my take on everything, if customer service is great i am more likely to buy a product and/or recommend it, but if customer service is horrible and wont even return my calls then screw that you dont deserve my business
Jobs needs two email boxes. One called lovesteve@apple.com, the other called hatesteve@apple.com. This way, he can identify the two emails that he gets in the first box from the 2 million he gets in the latter.
It’s pretty apparent his business PR skills need polishing, even after all these years. Think about it, it takes 2 million emails a day responded to in order to create a culture, but only one bad response in one email to cause a ripple. Bigger, richer men have been taken down with less words.
I guess this little princess student has learned life isn’t always going to unwind they way you hope for…welcome to the real world little girlie.
Many say he should have sent to the pr dept, and I disagree. If their policy is not to handle requests like this so that they can reply to people with actual issues, then as ceo he should support them. If people learn that to get what they want they just need to e-mail Steve, then that is sending the wrong message.
I am in the equity research space myself and find it difficult at times to speak with department heads due to extraordinary time constraints from their ends.
Those on this board who boo-hoo and express such shock and dismay over Mr. Job’s alleged behavior obviously are well outside the scope of the executive suite.
Jobs, for one, is arguably one of the foremost CEOs of our times. His seemingly curt, frank, and blunt messages are completely rational, warranted, and do absolutely nothing to detract from his personal image as a leader in the technology arena, nor does it hurt Apple’s reputation.
I applaud him for even allegedly commenting to this clueless, relentless student who offers no business, but only self-centered and naive requests that are utterly inappropriate. You would think Long Island is close enough to the corporate epicenter in NYC for this idiotic undergrad to know better.
Then again, my guess is this student is likely another status quo privileged American riding off mommy and daddy’s hard-earned money to enjoy four years of beer guzzling and hopefully graduate one day.
I don’t drink the Apple koolaid. iPads are cool but my 5 year old IBM laptop still works fine. You see, I can control my impulse spending.
Maybe she should have responded from an Iphone!!
steve jobs is nothing more then a stoned hippy. the main reason for his success was steve w. and if it was not for the other steve, Jobs would be in the gutter smoking crack instead of in his house. That girl was spot on emailing the ceo because 90% of the time when you email the pr department of any company there is never a response. most times emailing the ceo gets the response you need to go on about your day however when the ceo licks windows in there spare time its hard to get an educated response. My only advice is dont expect an educated answer out of someone educated more in bong hits then there actual job.
Are all of you apple fans daft…or blind. I am an apple user of 15 years, and I think his reponse is short of grounds for termination (if that were applicable).
His job as CEO is also to promote the company, not create a possible bad pr opportunity. In the time it took to draft “a go away email”, he just pissed off a customer and potential future customer. thats just piss poor, he could probably have answered the question without comprimising industry secrets in the same amount of time it took him to be a self centered, I make it they my drones buy it, attitude, but instead he took valuable company time to script a multiple go away emails…? If this is real, he certainly isn’t.
Another thought, Jobs owns the apple and “I” line, it doesn’t mean the Ipad was his brainchild; hell all he has to do is sign it saying he endorses it. How about this, go and talk to the Ipad users. Apple will give you biased answers any way. Users can identify any shortcomings and strengths honestly (their paycheck doesn’t depend on the answer) If this girl was a true journalist she would have found a way around this, simply putting “apple was unable to be reached for comment” strengthens your paper showing cowardice or an unwillingness to work with people. Don’t try to negotiate with them your whole “ooooh my ipod i buyed it through you pweeeeeaaaassssseeee can I has response”. You are ridiculous! With your mind, set every nobody should be able to rub elbows with the big somebodys, WELCOME TO LIFE… you may be a senior but you lack common sense and life experience. Good day to you.
The student is an idiot. Steve Jobs can afford to be nicer.
Seriously people?!? Get a fucking life this guy has a job to do and you are hassling him about the dumbest shit. I wouldn’t reply at all to those retarded comments/questions. He probably also has hundreds upon hundreds to answer every day. Lets see any of you respond to that many emails.
This little brat is a narcissist. Her condenscending and pissy attitude is insulting, and I doubt her grade would ever depend on another company’s behavior. She doesn’t really want an answer, just wants to ‘win’ and control the situation. I think Jobs handled her perfectly.
Customer service is a necessary and basic skill at nearly all levels of a company. I expect everyone from a janitor to a programmer to a ceo to be able to interact with their fellow human beings on a basic level.
The students tone was rather snotty, Jobs did fine up until the “leave us alone”. If I was considering an apple, that right there would be the end of that if the CEO himself is going to say that. If I was writing a paper, I’d make sure to give them some bad publicity. At Steve’s age and at his position, he should have known better. If he was giving up at that point, he could easily have responded with something like: “Sorry I can’t help you, I’m forwarding you to such and such.” It’s a few extra characters to text. If you can’t deal with a semi-difficult user, I wonder about the rest of your company
Mr. jobs looks as if he is a busy man so i don’t understand why he would be the one the young lady would had to contact out of all the people empolyed with this company.
it doesn’t surprise me that Steve Jobs doesn’t care about college students. He is a college dropout!
I think Jobs is absolutely wrong and right. He is right that they cant respond to all requests for a quote. However since Jobs himself responded to her email it would have been just as easy to send her a short statement bland response to her request.( thats just good customer service).
It is neither the Media Department’s job, nor Steve Job’s to answer homework questions, which is essentially what this is about. It was not mandatory for her to have a direct quote from Apple. If so, then this was self-imposed and she was doomed at the start. This is a self-centered, spoiled student that politely wants to force her will on a business. No means No. She was lucky she got a response at all, and Job did her a favor by letting her know that the world does not revolve around herself and her grade.
I wonder if Steve Job realizes that had he just given a quote it probably would’ve taken less time to come up with it than to read and reply to all the emails.
I think it’s funny. I love those kind of responses. Just plain funny. That girl must be stupid to think the CEO of Apple was actually going to give her quote. Was Google broken that day?
Good business = good communication & relations with your customers.. ALWAYS.
Perhaps Mr. Jobs, and all consumer-product-businesses, need to remember that we pay their electric bills & fancy cars by purchasing their products.
Who holds the key to their wealth? The consumer. And what the consumer builds up, the consumer can tear down.
I have to echo what’s been already said. She got a response from Steve Jobs -not one of his handlers- and that in of itself shows that he actually cared enough to bother.
She wanted homework help? From the CEO of Apple? From the CEO of ANY company is an absurd concept. If you don’t get what you want, keep digging like you are taught to do, but don’t harass the company head then expect a pat on the head for doing so. He doesn’t owe you a thing and the only people that seem to be riding this dead horse are frustrated PC users full of nerd rage.
News flashes for Ms. Isaacs:
1. The world (including Apple, Inc.) does not revolve around you. If you didn’t get a call back, do what other professionl journalists do. Simply write: “Apple’s Public Relatinos Department did not respond to repeated requests for comment.” I don’t think those journalists are losing their jobs. 2. If you think that calling Apple hypocritcal and inuslting their employees is a way to “politely ask”, you’re either a fool or an idiot. No wonder nobody wants to help you.
3. Um, sent from you Blackberry? And you’re trying to paint yourself as a loyal Apple customer? Hardly.
I have to believe it has everything to do with “Sent via Blackberry from T-Mobile.” If I was going to email the CEO of Research In Motion, I would take 2 seconds to remove “Sent from my iPhone” if I truly wanted a serious response. Like others have said, it doesn’t paint this person as an Apple customer, but suspiciously like a Blackberry customer fishing for information. What would be HILARIOUS is if Steve Jobs was actually replying from his Mac and added “Sent from my iPhone” as a dig…
I have to believe it has everything to do with “Sent via Blackberry from T-Mobile.” If I was going to email the CEO of Research In Motion, I would take 2 seconds to remove “Sent from my iPhone” if I truly wanted a serious response. Like others have said, it doesn’t paint this person as an Apple customer, but suspiciously like a Blackberry customer fishing for information. What would be HILARIOUS is if Steve Jobs was actually replying from his Mac and added “Sent from my iPhone” as a dig…
Does it occur to anyone else that this girl is actually taking a corporate PR class, and succeeded beyond the wildest expectations of her professor?
Did anybody notice that this girl is sending the emails with her Blackberry (as automatically posted at the end of her emails)? That may be one reason why Steve Jobs is reluctant to give her the quote she wants. LOL
Why would anyone buy a phone that logs every key stroke and stores it on the phone or tries to patent a program that records your voice and heartbeat and stores it on Apples servers???
I don’t have a problem with this. She’s lucky she got a response at all. Most CEO’s are off limits to all but their inner circle. Kudos to Jobs for even replying.
use an iPhone
steve didn’t have to answer her qn’s, yet he did.
he’s right about everything he said.
politeness is overrated.
ps: not an apple fan, haven’t bought apple products, and won’t buy due to philosophical reasons. own a gifted nano.
For someone on a deadline, she sure has a lot of time to write self-righteous e-mails.
Heheheh funny, i can picture Steve typing those emails. Hasn’t lost his bark yet.
Apple is long over, since iPod its sucess has turned it into another big corp who has turned evil so now surprises there, eventually all good corps turn evil if you give them too much of your money.
Get a regular mp3 player and hack tunes to use it for music its just software for God’s sake. The iPhone is the same thing with a bad phone with a better mp3 players.
The iPad is a Newton reborn and i loved the Newton the iPad lacks so much connectivity that regular PC tablets have today. With Windows 7 apple doesn’t have the edge it claims and still Flash is supported 90% of the websites run this ! so pass. I will go Windows 7 – HP/Sony/Acer Tablet PC and Blackberry or even Android is an equal good choice. Here is a prediction Steve is so crazy, he has no sucession plan and when he goes he will take apple with him!
I think consumers in North America have been spoiled rotten by corporations. They expect unreasonable efforts from the corporations to meet their stupid, individual, cry baby needs.
If *I* have an Apple product and *I* am a journalism student and *I* have an assignment due and *I* want a quote from Apple, they better give me one.
Dude, who do you think you are?
Sorry but the college student is in the wrong on this one. I’m not a fan of aplle, in fact i’m writing this from my droid, but if you have a problem with a company you go through the chain of command to get help. You don’t send a passive aggressive email to the ceo. That’s like going to the executives at your company if you have a problem with your coworker. They don’t care and all you are doing is tattletaling because you wanted to get them in trouble. She opened the email with a snarky tone and got a snarky tone back. Maybe if she had been more tactful she would have gotten a tactful response.
@Jim Campbell:
“DIPLORABLE”? Are you referring to your spelling ability?
Who honestly e-mails the CEO of a company about a quote?