Should You Join Apple’s Joint Venture Program For Business? We Don’t Think So.

No doubt, you’ve heard that the Apple Store has announced a new program for business called Joint Venture. Apple has priced Joint Venture at $500.
Apple says they will “Set You Up” and work with you from beginning to end to set up new computers so that they are ready within 24-hours. Generally speaking, the same service from MacMedics can be obtained in the same amount of time, plus we offer either in-lab data transfer and set up or we can do the same at your home or office. There’s no reason to pay a premium to quickly get a new computer set up.
The $500 fee that Apple charges is for only five computers, so if you have more than five computers you’ll need to pay more. Also, many Apple customers have fewer than 5 Macs, so by paying for a subscription to support for more, you’re likely wasting money. At MacMedics we can design a Mac service and support program that’s right for your situation and at a price that’s affordable for you!
Apple’s Joint Venture program also has a training aspect, which is great in theory, but will you ever use it? Have you ever been to the Apple Store? It’s not usually well suited for corporate training.
MacMedics can perform training for you and your staff at our office or yours. If you need us to train you or your staff, you can be sure that you’re getting the very best in real-world Macintosh experience and that the information we convey will be custom tailored to your needs and not “cookie cutter” general knowledge training. Pay for the training that you need when you need it, and IF you need it. There’s a reason why MacMedics has been selected for training for organizations such as Network Solutions, Under Armour, and the Salvation Army.
Apple says “For the first time ever, you can speak to an Apple Genius over the phone”. Well, this is nothing new to us. You’ve always been able to call MacMedics and speak to a Macintosh Certified Expert over the phone. To us, it appears that Joint Venture is primarily designed to give you “paid access” to your local Apple Store. At MacMedics, we love to talk shop and if you need basic support, advice, or guidance, just pick up the phone and give us a call. There’s never a charge to speak to technician. If you need advanced support and/or remote desktop support you can pay for just what you need and you don’t need a contract or a subscription to call. In fact you don’t even need to be a MacMedics client to pick up the phone and call us!
The Joint Venture program also offers a loaner MacBook Pro or MacBook Air that you can use if you computer is in for repair. We have two thoughts on this topic:
1. If you really need loaner protection, why not enroll your Macintosh in our Service Partner Program. With this program we’ll come to your office, loan you a computer (if needed) and fix any hardware issue for free. Our program offers more valuable benefits (like free covered repairs) then Apple’s Joint Venture and if you only have 2 or 3 computers our Service Partner Program can cost less then Joint Venture!
2. If you need a rental unit while your computer is in for service, we can supply a low-cost rental (if you enroll in Service Partner then this is free). The other thing to remember that is that A. we never send computers out to Apple Depot Service so our repairs are usually much, much quicker than the Apple Store Genius Bar, and B. MacMedics is so fast, you may not even need a rental computer.
MacMedics has two very affordable service programs for our clients to use.
MacMedics Walk-In Service Plan:
This ultra-affordable service plan is designed for clients who want to come to us and have one or a small group of computers they want to have protected.
There are several great benefits:
1. Low Cost – It’s priced at $99 or $149 depending on your computer
2. Priority Service – If you’re a WISP member, your repair moves to the front of the line!
3. Covered Hardware Repairs – Any part that fails on your computer (minus the battery), we replace it for free! No Part cost AND No Labor cost.
4. Free Technical Support – With the WISP program you get three 15-minute technical support incidents per year. On the phone, in person or via remote desktop support.
5. Free Data Migration – If you buy a new Mac or your want to move your data to a new computer while enrolled. We’ll transfer your data for free. (Limit 1 time per year)
Pricing:
$99 for MacBooks, Mac Minis, and iMacs
$149 for MacBook Pros, and Mac Pros
MacMedics Service Partner Program:
For MacMedics clients that need Advanced On-Site Mac Support, we proudly offer the MacMedics Service Partner Program.
There are three main benefits:
1. 6-Hour On-site Response – Got a problem? Hardware or software, we come to you and in no less then 6-hours.
2. Free Loaner Equipment – If we cannot fix your computer on-site, we’ll supply a free loaner Mac while we get yours all fixed up.
3. Free Parts & Labor – All hardware repairs are covered. All parts and all labor
Pricing:
$99 for Mac Minis
$199 for MacBooks and iMacs
$249 for MacBook Pros, and Mac Pros
Plus if your Mac is still under AppleCare or under Apple’s Warranty, and you want to enroll it in our Service Partner Program, we do offer a discount.