Steve Jobs VS the Student journalist Steve Jobs is known for replying to random emails sent to his personal Apple email address. Well, a college journalism student from Long Island emailed him about a problem she had with Apple's PR department. Jobs' response? "Leave us alone." Long Island University senior Chelsea Kate Isaacs, 22, emailed Jobs Thursday with a complaint: Her journalism professor had assigned her a story on a new initiative at her college to buy iPads for all incoming students. She wanted to get a quote from Apple about the use of iPads in academic settings. But when she repeatedly called Apple's PR department, leaving six voice messages, they never got back to her. Isaacs wasn't expecting a response. While Jobs has a history of replying to members of the public who email sjobs@apple.com (there's even a website which collects his replies), it's safe to say most are lost in his overflowing inbox. "My friend just jokingly suggested I email Steve Jobs," Isaacs told us over the phone. "I wrote him a long email not expecting that he would get back to me." The lengthy email she sent yesterday was more of a symbolic vent: Isaacs explained her situation, expressing frustration that Apple, which markets itself heavily to college students, refused to help her in completing her assignment. She wrote: 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." But Jobs did get back to Isaacs. (Isaacs assures us these emails are "100% real, authentic and unchanged." A couple of technically-savvy people who looked over the email headers said they look legit.) About half an hour later he sent her this curt response: Our goals do not include helping you get a good grade. Sorry Isaacs was pissed. "I was a little surprised; it's just so unprofessional," she told us. "I was like, Wow, Steve Jobs, I get it. You made Apple, you have a shit-load of money but you have no class." So, Isaacs responded: 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. And Jobs responded minutes later: Nope. We have over 300 million users and we can't respond to their requests unless they involve a problem of some kind. Sorry. Isaac responded again: 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. And at 6:27pm, Pacific Standard Time, Jobs delivered his coup de grace in a final one-line email: Please leave us alone. Isaac's email exchange with the 136th richest person in the world left her seething. "Under no circumstances should a person who runs a company speak to a customer that way," she said. "I'm just enraged and I want people to know this was done." As for Isaac's assignment, she never got through to Apple, and the deadline is today. "The article can go on, but it just won't be with the quote that I really needed. I probably won't get an A, maybe I'll get a B." But Isaacs is going to be alright. A former hand model (she quit after getting sick of having to wear gloves to bed), she's certainly got the stubbornness needed for the career in journalism she aspires to. As for this Steve Jobs guy: What's his deal? Article source: http://gawker.com/5641211/steve- ... -journalism-student So, what do you think? Who's right? Who's been unreasonable? Is she right to mention her own "academic performance" in the initial email? Is she too self-righteous? Is he too self-righteous? Please discuss  |
