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:
girl 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."
Jobs wrote:
Our goals do not include helping you get a good grade. Sorry
girl wrote:
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.
Jobs wrote:
Nope. We have over 300 million users and we can't respond to their requests unless they involve a problem of some kind. Sorry.
Girl 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.
http://gawker.com/5641211/steve-jobs-in … ue&s=iJobs wrote:
Please leave us alone.
He was probably in a bad mood. It would have been easier and quicker to just send a some crappy sorry with a half assed statement about how the ipad is for students.