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My Three Complaints About Apple Retail Stores
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Overall, I enjoy the Apple Store experience. In fact, tomorrow I’ll give the three things I like about Apple Retail Stores. But these are the three things that could use some improvement.
And this certainly isn’t a knock on all Apple Retail employees. I enjoy current friendships with many Apple Retail employees across the country. Whenever I travel, I’m always sure to visit the local Apple store, snap a photo and chat with the workers. I’m up to 24 photos in front of different locations.
To avoid complete negativity, I’ve tried to be helpful with these complaints by offering suggestions.
1) Apple Stores usually have folks that really know their stuff. But, it seems like those who know the least are put on phone answering duty. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to call and explain to the person what they should ask for in the inventory room. Take this recent conversation.
“Hi, I’m calling to see if you have any copies of OS X Server. This is for an Intel machine so it’d have to be version 10.4.7.” I informed.
“Sure, we have Tiger here. They are ready for all Macs.”, she answered.
“Great, do you have the ten client license in stock?” I returned.
To which she replied, ” We have the single license and the family pack which can go on three machines.”
“I think you’re talking about the Mac OS X Client version.” I countered, “I’m looking for OS X Server. I’d like the ten client version.”
“Oh, the XServes? We don’t carry those in retail stores. You’ll have to order it online.”
The conversation went on, but you get the point. This is not a one time thing. There’s just so many Mac users out there that love Apple’s products and know them inside and out. I know quite a few that have been trying to work at an Apple store for quite some time. I just don’t understand why the show floors aren’t covered with knowledgeable staff.
2) There seems to be an inability to personalize the message. Just like in number one, there are some folks that do a good job at this. But, the majority of Apple workers are too programmed. They think everyone is a switcher. They assume all customers need the basics taught. It seems it’s a consistent “talking down.” There are too many pre-planned questions and answers. Especially answers.
The most effective way to sell is to:
- First, build a relationship with a customer. Find out their current knowledge state, their needs, and the concerns. This is also the chance to build a frienship and common trust. Instead of asking, “Do you have any questions?” ask them “What brings you in today?” or “Can I show you our best selling products?”
- Second, present them a message personalized for them. Once you know what they’re in for, show them the product or the application that can meet their exact needs.
- Last, Ask if there is anything not clear then ask them if they’d like to purchase. If they say no, find out their concerns.
If the products were presented like that, it’d be much more enjoyable for the customer.
Also, the after sale questions about Applecare and the free printer would be much more effective. The way they are asked now are more of a nuisance than a helpful offer.
Apple Retail, give me 30 minutes with all new Apple employees. It’ll help. I promise.
3) Location is hard for residents. It seems that the majority of Apple Stores are in great retail locations, but they often cater to visitors and tourists. That is certainly the case here in Las Vegas.
Our only location is right on Las Vegas Boulevard. The parking is busy and it’s out of the way for anyone who lives here in Las Vegas.
There is a rumored second location being built at the Town Square mall. This is also on Las Vegas Blvd about 5 miles South of the current Apple Store location.
These are good locations that will always be full of customers. But unbeknownst to most of the country and certainly to Apple Retail Scouts, there are 2 million Las Vegas residents. Of those residents, 1.9 million rarely go down to the Strip at all. There are high scale shopping centers on the West and East end of the valley. It’d be convenient for us not to have to travel to the busy strip each time.
I think this location concern will take care of itself as more and more Apple Stores open up. Once the tourist places are taken care of, perhaps the Apple Stores will make their way out to the common folk.
Conclusion:
Like I wrote earlier. For the most part, the Apple Retail Stores are enjoyable places. I’ll tell you why in my post tomorrow.
Anything that irks you about the Apple Retail Stores?
September 13th, 2006 at 11:08 am
Nice points.
1) That is frustrating, I admit. I worked at an Apple Store for a time and the phone operators, as far as I know, aren’t really trained on product knowledge. Unless they have a detailed inventory spreadsheet on the iMac in front of them, that’s a problem.
2) All sales people are told exactly that, over the course of a week in training. Unless you are a stellar trainer I wouldn’t bother. The problem is with individual employees and general store attitude. Some don’t care, some don’t understand, some think that everyone who walks in IS a Switcher (see 3 below). And, by the way, AppleCare and the printer should come up LONG before the end of sale.
3) Apple Stores are aimed at switchers. That’s why they’re in high tourist traffic target areas. That’s why they’ll ship your computer to you. That’s why most people who walk in think its an “iPod Store” not “The Apple Store.” For all us Mac junkies, yes it’s annoying, but think about how it has expanded brand visibility. You can’t do that being a specialty shop on a neighborhood street corner.
September 14th, 2006 at 10:48 pm
I would agree on the locations being problematic. The Michigan Av.location in Chicago is full of tourists. Thats not bad in itself. How about locations spaced out better? All the locations in the Chicago area are north and west of the city (some only a few miles apart). None that I would say are very convenient. No location in the south suburbs or northwest indiana. They need to place them in underserved Mac areas (no third party apple resellers in this part of Chicagoland either).
September 15th, 2006 at 10:51 am
Please keep in mind not many people working at any store know about every product. It’s possible the phone person could be a expert in photoshop or logic. I’m sure I could list off every product on the apple online store and there are at lease a few items you are not familiar with.
September 15th, 2006 at 11:30 am
Derek, I do agree with you there. not everyone should be an expert in everything. But, if you’re working for the company you should at least know the names of the products and whether you have them in inventory. That’s day one stuff.
September 15th, 2006 at 12:24 pm
I just bought a mac the other day from an apple store. The folks there are the same as they were at best buy. The fact that they sell exclusivley macs doesn’t make them any different
September 15th, 2006 at 7:42 pm
“First, build a relationship with a customer. Find out their current knowledge state, their needs, and the concerns.â€
Please…in what world do you currently live? Have you been to a Best Buy or a Circuit City, or a CompUSA in this lifetime. In fact have you been to ANY retail stores lately? This sort of service exists in two places: your dreams and very expensive, high end stores. Nordstrom’s, ten years ago, comes to mind. Lately, even their service level is mediocre at best.
The Apple Store experience is head and sholders above the average retail store experience.
Get real.
Bob
September 15th, 2006 at 9:34 pm
Bob, thanks for the comment. I’m not saying how it is, I’m saying how it should be to be effective. I’m not talking about collecting information to write a biography on them. It only takes about 60 seconds to get to know a little bit.
September 16th, 2006 at 8:34 pm
i think asking a customer “what brings you in today?” or “can i show you the best selling products” caters to switchers just as much as “do you have any questions.” if you know what you are doing and have used a mac, you would probably know to go to the genius bar or not even deal with the generally air-headed floor people.
i have been approached by a floor employee and asked what i was interested in and they are able to tell you about whichever computer you might be interested in. i think they do that well enough. but yeah they are only trained to deal with switchers, so just don’t talk to anyone there except an apple genius
the phone service thing…i agree with that. but i dont think that they might have only specific knowledge of something like photoshop. if they don’t know what mac os x server is they probably don’t know anything about software. except how to tell potential customers how great ilife is
September 18th, 2006 at 2:05 pm
The flip side of the ill-prepared-floor-associates coin is…
they probably feel a little more intimidated than most other retail staff - knowing there’s more chance of running into customers who are more knowledgeable and passionate about the products they’re attempting to sell.
I swear that the more knowledgeable employees have a totally different look in their eye - a different walk, a relaxed air about them. They stride up and down the floor, slipping between counters and customers like they were born there. It’s an extremely unique and telling dynamic to see.
September 18th, 2006 at 2:29 pm
Carlo, great observation.
September 25th, 2006 at 11:13 pm
I agree with you. I was working with apple recently and the people who anwer the phone are usually cashiers who have not been trained on each and everything yet.Me for instance, I was trained (for working at the register )for 2 hours and sent out there the next week. I was told to grab someone to answer questions that I do not know. But no help. The second week they trained me for 2 and half days to learn every policies and all products. Ppl have to realize most of the time cashiers are
checking out customers when talking to you and it m always really busy and when someone asked for which product are available in stores we have to call back of house to check it and the priority is to bring products for the customers who are purchasing in the stores. For example someone ask me if we have any macbook pro as refreshed in stock.I ask her which one she wanted. She said she did not care. I made the call and where i was told we have a few , got back to her let her know. Then she ask which one do we have? So I call again for her and no one anwer me back as they were busy. In case like this nothing can be done …..prirotity are given to ppl in the store. Technical assistance are not given over the phone from the store…you can only have it if the store is empty…ppl usually call and want a lesson over the phone…that is expecting too much.
August 12th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
Apple retail employees are there for one purpose only: Close sales. Specifically on services such as Apple Care, .Mac, and other store services. You already are a customer and know what you want, so there is no purpose in catering to you. Apple is partnering with Best Buy to better serve customers like you.
September 19th, 2007 at 1:12 am
I totally agree with #12. I had a pretty bad experience with a store in manhattan this last week. All I wanted was a new imac upfront. But they wanted to make me an appointment so they could spend an hour explain mac-ology 101 to me barny style. Then they badgered me with applcare and dotmac until I got passed over to a saltier mac salesman. Apple stores are great for the switchers to learn, but if your a seasoned mac user and know what you want, I would defiantly recommend Best Buy over an Apple store any day. That way you can just walk in and grab a mac without being pitched all the extras you all ready know about and aren’t interested in.
October 9th, 2007 at 11:05 am
Dude, they make $13 and hour if they are lucky. All management care about is how many attachments you sell when you sell a computer. The real problem with Apple Retail is they are hiring retail managers to run the stores. These tools don’t know the Mac, they just know how to read a spread sheet and sell stuff. They treat employees like children. At least the stores I worked in.
I love Apple but hate the retail stores.
July 2nd, 2009 at 6:58 am
I guess I can’t say I was not warned about the incredibly poor customer service and arrogant attitude of Apple.
After buying the new iPhone 3GS, and having it less than 2 weeks, phone over-heating and inability to keep a charge forced me to seek a replacement. After contacting Apple technical support, I was informed that indeed, I needed to have the phone replaced. I was also informed that my only options to do so was to allow Apple to hold onto $700 of my money while the new phone was shipped to me and my phone was sent back… or travel over 30 miles to the nearest Apple retail store (Northridge, CA) to get the replacement in person, alleviating the need for the ransom. I opted for the retail store option. I made a reservation to meet with one of their “Geniuses” (that’s what they actually call themselves. Further example of the Apple arrogance). Since I was traveling such a great distance, I called to verify that they would have one in stock. I was informed that they would not divulge that kind of information. I would have to take the chance that they would have one in stock… but was assured that surely they would have several of my model.
Upon arriving, and waiting thirty minutes beyond my agreed appointment time, was informed that they did not, in fact, have any in stock. They then proceeded to direct me to another store (Topanga Mall, Canoga Park, CA), which was 15 miles further. I asked them to call to verify that this other store would have one in stock. The “genius” says that the store would not divulge that information, not even to him. Having no other recourse left to me, I proceeded to this second store… and was promptly informed that they too did not have any in stock either… but I could travel another 15 miles to a third store (Sherman Oaks, CA)… but they could not find out if they had any of my phone in stock.
Figuring that surely a third time would be the charm, I stupidly drove the additional miles to the third store, now almost 60 miles from my home… only to find… you guessed it. They did not have any in stock either, but would be HAPPY to order me one and I could drive back a week or so later to pick it up! I turned down the ridiculous offer and headed back to the first store, and placed the order there. Not only did they refuse to expedite the order to make up for the ordeal they just put me through over the past several hours, but would not commit to when the phone would be there for me to drive back to pick up. When I asked if they would at least call me when it came in, I was told that it was against the Apple retail store policy to do that… but I could call every day to see if it was in!
This is the incredible, moronic arrogance of Apple and the terrible lack of customer service I had been warned about, but did not believe.
Yet another glaring reason to stick with a PC!
Question:
a) Why on Earth is it against policy to inform a customer if you have a product in stock?
b) Why could the order not be expedited or at least sent to my home to help amend the situation
c) Why is it against policy to inform a customer when their product arrives?
d) Why should ANYONE have to undergo such treatment or experience this scenario simply to replace a defective, EXPENSIVE, product that they have owned for a mere ten days?
July 5th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
I HATE my MACPRO lap top. It is without doubt the WORST computer I have ever owned. Once you get past the gimmicks - it give you nothing. I’ve wasted over $2000 on a piece of hyped up junk that DOES NOT cooperate with regular windows computers and windows sites without a great deal of trouble. As for the so called HELP line - forget it! Unless you want to pay them - even after the $2000 investment, they want more money. It’s a TOTAL scam, and I wouldn’t recommend ANYONE to buy one ever. I’m stuck with this useless piece of plastic as I can’t afford another one. You can’t resize photos, you can’t delete surplus copies of photos, you can’t sort out which photo is which in Finder - another useless program, and as for IPHOTO the store people who were demonstrating it, clearly wanted to show all the gimmicks. The ’special’ Apple versions of programs like Word and Adobe, don’t talk to the MACPRO like they should and the whole thing is a total confidence trick! I hope people check out this site and go to Best Buy and get a Hewlett Packard or a Dell ‘cos this piece of APPLE junk is useless!
August 1st, 2009 at 11:34 pm
Susan- I’m sorry you had that trouble with your MacPro- I have two macs that have been steller for over 6 yrs (one Desktop, one Laptop) and they beat out 3 PCs that I owned (I’m a Multi Media designer- hence the need for both PC/Mac). Anyhoo about the Phone help- it sounds like you had your laptop over 90 days w/o AppleCare (if it is under 90 days that you called Support then you should NOT have been charged).
Also as far as not being able to resize are you talking about Iphoto? as i have been able to in that program (Although I now use Adobe Photoshop).
I hope that in time it will get better… but I wish I could help you
as I helped my Uncle with his (He was a die hard PC fan) iMac as he felt like it was a great door stop till i came over and fixed his issues with it