Behind the scenes at Apple Retail
Alex Frankel, a reporter for Fast Company magazine, recently undertook a two-year undercover project to investigate the ways companies train their retail staffs. Among his targets was Apple, and he has concluded that "Apple Stores, with their aura of cool, were in fact living up to their mission to 'reinvent retail' and setting a high bar for other companies in the retail world." Frankel notes how Apple does things differently, treating new employees as adults, but most importantly positioning them as "sharers of information, instead of sellers of products."I've long thought that Apple basically gets retail right (even if there is room for improvement -- e.g. sometimes it takes too long to get help). It's interesting to see just how how they do things differently and why that makes them so successful.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Mann said 3:25PM on 10-22-2007
One thing i dislike about the Apple Store, well more so the workers... they are very... how shall i say... judgmental.
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Dan S. said 3:31PM on 10-22-2007
@1: Mann --
You're probably trolling, but I'll bite; how are they "judgemental?"
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Jonathan Tyler said 3:33PM on 10-22-2007
Every place in the world has judgemental people. People judge, it's how our society works. You dress like a hippy, you get judged and treated like one!
That's like saying you don't like the people at a store because they're all human. :3
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badtzmaru said 3:36PM on 10-22-2007
I have found Apple Store employees to be helpful but 9 times out of 10, they cannot answer technical questions. Benchmarks on the Mac line? Nope. How can I remotely log in to my Mac? Ummm, try google. How does this Compressor program work? Hmm, good question!
The Apple Store has gotten good at selling iPods and iPhones but employees are lacking on the computer knowledge.
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cromas said 3:37PM on 10-22-2007
One thing I've never liked about Apple Retail is how the staff don't actually know anything. They are, however, highly-trained in the art of question dodging, that was probably passed down from Steve himself.
Me: "So can I use International Keyboards on iPhone 1.1.1 like the Touch has?"
Apple Store: "International? Well, the iPhone does have a world clock, world weather, and Google Maps of the whole international world!"
Me: "Yeah but what about the international keyboards? I want to type in Japanese."
Apple Store: "Japanese? The iPhone is based on OSX, which has full international support built within. You can even view multiple languages at once on the iPhone!"
Me: "Can I type in Japanese?"
Apple Store: "Didn't we just finish talking about that?"
Me: :-\
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Yuri said 3:38PM on 10-22-2007
I agree. Customers can come across asking some pretty dumb questions; showing a lack of common sense. Being trained as an Apple employee will prepare you for almost anything customers can throw. But dealing with the same stupidity almost everyday like customer after customer asking "Are Zunes iPods ?" can really test ones patience. Look into the eyes of an employee at a flagship store and you'll see how hard they're trying not to answer your question before you ask it.
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Evan said 3:47PM on 10-22-2007
In defense of Apple employees' "judgementalness," consider this: when you are constantly asked "Is that an iPhone?!" (as customer points at nametag lanyard) or "how much heavier will this iPod be after I put my music on it?" it can get a little frustrating.
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Christina Warren said 3:47PM on 10-22-2007
I have had several friends who work (or have worked) at the Apple Store, and the whole approach seems almost identical to my brief tenure at Abercrombie & Fitch (I spent twice as much as I made - hence the brevity of that tenure), in that, with the exception of the Genius Bar, the employees are selling a brand and a lifestyle, by looking the part, rather than necessarily knowing what they are talking about (yeah, I can't count the number of times I have heard BS come out of the mouth of employees at the Apple Store - but to be fair, this is pretty common for almost all consumer electronic stores) or actively selling. I mean, I'm sure that the people at the Apple Store do more work than I did at Abercrombie (I basically stood around looking mildly interested, folding a clothes and occasionally getting people a fitting room - and if I tried to do more, I was chided for not remaining in the front of the store), but it's the same idea - part of what sells the product is the image created in the store. So your employees have to be taught to sell that image.
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Mann said 3:47PM on 10-22-2007
Re: 2 & 3
Trolling, no. One of those things where you have to be the one experiencing the situation. And this article was about the Apple Store, not every other store. And I still shop there, not every employee, but i will say it's more than 50% that do it.
When i bought my Mac pro, iPod Shuffle for my girl friend, my iPhone... I believe those 3 separate occasions. Each time i was not approached as a serious shopper. Ok, so it's not the Apple Store as a whole, but out of the stores I've been in, the ones here in Atlanta, and Ohio... it's always the same vibe.
Don't assume I can't afford a Mac. I could have easily said they seemed racist, but i wasn't trying to make that statement, but hell those types are everywhere too huh #3. And not like it matters, I go in the stores professionally, because thats the way i carry myself any day of the week. So none of those BS statements about it had to be something I was doing.
If it makes you feel any better #3, they do the same at Macy's, although Macy's is much larger, with fewer helpers per sq feet.
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kpfeif said 3:48PM on 10-22-2007
I've had a frustrating time at the Apple Store for the past several weeks. I WANT to buy an Apple. I want to know what this model vs. that model can do. I've looked at the Mini. I want to try things out, etc. The help I've gotten was rather limited from a technical perspective. If you carry a limited number of models (and they do), I expect the salesperson to know specs, pros/cons, etc. Instead, I've found that they walk up to a nearby Mac, bring up the Apple website, and show me the specs. I can do that myself. Show me WHY the Mini can't do this well, it can do this ok, etc. A website? Jeesh.
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mister falcon said 3:59PM on 10-22-2007
Having worked at a few independant Apple resellers, having friends who have worked at Apple stores, and ultimately moving on to bigger and better things - I can say that as an IT professional - dealing with the Apple store is a painful experience.
No, I don't want to hear the spiel on the iPod and iPhone - they're nice, but they aren't going to help me get my work done. The Mac Genius bar is a nice concept - and works well for individuals, but for institutional customers, or folks like me who need service promptly and efficiently because they know what the task actually entails - the Apple store falls flat.
In terms of getting help, and getting things done - a good local independant Apple reseller will provide you with a far greater level of support and consideration than the cookie cutter approach found at the Apple store.
In defense of the people at the apple store employees - they do deal with people asking stupid questions ... but then again - so does ANYBODY who works a job where contact with the general public is involved - be it call center or retail.
For my work - I drive 25 miles to an independant reseller instead of going to the Apple store that's less than a mile away. Why? Because I spend less time getting issues resolved with the independant than with the Apple store, and with far less of an attitude. Now, if I have to pick up an iMac in a hurry for a new user - I'll go to the Apple store, but that's only because Apple bars independant resellers from selling to academic institutions. (if the option were open to me - I'd do all my business with the independant)
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Zack said 6:24PM on 10-22-2007
As an ex-employee working for Comp USA, I will give my honest 2 cents when it comes to handling the customers that come through the doors asking for computer equipement.
I talked to a lot of people during my job time during the day, and I have to say, the majority of our society doesn't know shit about computers, the software, or what it takes to burn a damn cd for their illegal music their friend showed them how to do.
I tried my best to sell as much apple gear as I could, because as a mac user, I have seen the advantages over a windows machine. I think I sold more apple products WITH a copy of windows out the door than i sold pc products.
Employees do not get trained about the technical garbage. Mainly because our society does not care about that stuff, even I tried to be an information box to the customer about the products, they don't give a shit. All they want to know is, what is it, how is it going to help me do my work faster than my 1995 windows 98 upgraded pos machine, and whatever, you get the point.
VERY FEW people have ever come through those shops and requested technical knowledge about how fast a certain benchmark was. The people that DID ask for that information, was computer geeks that know the information already, they were just testing people to see what they knew.
I am going to be honest though, a lot of people I worked with didn't know shit about what they were selling. Our management gave us a cheat sheet to the questions we were supposed to answer about products, so we never knew any more than the letters to the questions.
I give props to the manager at the apple store here in Reno. When the iphone credit came out, the employees at the ATT stores were not issuing credits,it was stated in their policies to honor all business by apple. He called the ATT store and bitched them out for not giving this woman her credits and reported them to the suits and took the liberty of taking care of this woman even though this apple store was supposed to.
I do think apple is doing something good with their stores. Atleast here in Reno I see that. Every employee I talk to has knowledge to some degree.
I was flippin pissed off when I walked back into Comp USA to get my USB flash drive replaced, because I bought the 2 year tap replacement. The girl didn't even know wtf a flash drive was, at the tech counter! I am so glad I don't work for that shitty company anymore.
Point is, employees are tought to sale the products, have a basic understanding to the products, and that is it. They are not expected to sit behind computers at all times reading through blogs and forums of computer geek assholes trying to get information.
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Tanner said 3:59PM on 10-22-2007
#10,
I thiink what you are asking is very subjective. Anything that the imac or mac pro can do so can the mac mini, just a little slower. Would you like the employee to open photoshop and do a gaussian blur or something? What would an employee at best buy do? As for the quality of employees at these stores, how much do you think they get paid? Probably not very much, I would imagine less than $10 - $12 an hour. If you had any decent knowledge with computers you will most likely find a higher paying job very quickly. The apple store employees are 20 times better than best buy, circuit city or any other electronics store I have been in. The only stores that have more knowledgeable people are the mom and pop stores that are independently owned.
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punkassjim said 4:07PM on 10-22-2007
@ badtzmaru #4
9 times out of 10, the question you've asked an Apple employee is actually one they're not allowed to answer, or you've asked the wrong person. What happens if some dipshit comes into a store and asks a SALESperson about CarbonCopyCloner, the specialist tells the customer what he knows, the customer goes home with his half-understanding of what was discussed, and wipes his whole hard disk.
Asking a "Mac Specialist" about technical issues is the wrong move. They're there to sell stuff. And odds are, if you know more about the product than they do, you're pretty used to feeling self-important by now. And a teenage salesperson is not the person you should be asking for help. But if you go to the Studio, or the Genius Bar, you're much more likely to get a good answer if your question is one they're allowed to answer. They're obliged not to comment on things they haven't been trained for, nor things that aren't "officially supported." so speculation is often not easy to pull out of an Apple employee.
If you ever hear an Apple employee telling you something that you know not to be true, call them out on it. Prove them wrong. Their managers TRAINED them not to tell customers untrue things. They deserve to be set straight.
When I was at Apple, I was impressed with how pragmatic, honest, and sensible their training was. It was the stupid kids who aren't qualified for ANY job that ruined the whole deal. That ain't Apple's fault.
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Darnell said 4:09PM on 10-22-2007
Hey, I've been to the stores in Ohio and Atlanta (Kenwood, Legacy Village, Lenox (5th Ave. too:))) and I've generally gotten good responses from employees. My only gripe would be the wait times. Overall, the Kenwood (Cincinnati) store was the best/helpful IMO and experience.
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badtzmaru said 4:12PM on 10-22-2007
I Apple can't show me the difference in performance between an iMac 20" and a Mac Mini 2GHz/2GB then, they are doing a bad job. It's NOT subjective -- that's what benchmarks are for.
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Dan Parmelee said 4:14PM on 10-22-2007
I agree completely with the lack of technical knowledge by some employees. Granted, many customers are not asking those types of questions, but what is Apple doing to prepare for the ones who do?
When the latest revision MBP came out, I called several Apple stores asking if they had the Santa Rosa MBP. This was very confusing...I asked if they had the ones with the 2.2 or 2.4GHz. "Umm, we have 2.16GHz which is sometimes rounded up to 2.2."
*bangs head on table*
Maybe they need to have one or two people on staff at all times designates as "Experts".
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daddywalkman said 4:21PM on 10-22-2007
@ #5
http://pointatme.com/keyboards/
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Paul said 4:27PM on 10-22-2007
@14
I worked in Kenwood for several years, and I want to thank you for your kind words. I'm not sure how it is there now, I've been gone a while, but we always tried to let all the specialists know as much as possible about new products and the technical aspects of things whenever possible. That is not always possible, alas.
I know that the old timers at the store really believe in the brand, and so there's always an attempt to recruit that same enthusiasm in new hires.
Your milage may vary of course, I've heard good and bad stories about a number of stores both from within the stores and from the customer perspective.
They are trying, at least, but I think you'd be surprised by just how hard that job is, how much you need to know, and how little Apple actually tells you. You'll find that the employees get most of their information from web-sites like this one, so don't be surprised if there is an occasional lack of specific knowledge. Apple plays it close to the vest, even with its employees.
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Jonathan Tyler said 4:49PM on 10-22-2007
@ #8
Glad we don't have Macy's up here in Canada. :)
We also get stereotyped for owning Mac stuff too. It's frustrating, people will see my MBP in the library and just give me a snotty look. Ain't my fault my laptop looks good! :
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