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NYT: Apple Stores Offering Endangered Face-to-Face Service

by , 8:15 AM EST, January 27th, 2005

Calling free face-to-face support an "increasingly rare service", New York Times reporter Katie Hafner writes in Thursday's edition of the Genius Bar concept inside Apple retail stores.

Ms. Hafner details how the concept has existed since the first store opened in McClean, Virginia in 2001 and how in-store specialists help customers with problems ranging from stuck DVDs to issues of syncing an iPod with a PowerBook.

Ron Johnson, Apple's senior vice president for retailing is quoted in the story as saying the Genius Bar is "the part of the store that people connect to emotionally more than any other."

Mirrored after similiar service he had seen at the Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton hotel chain, Mr. Johnson told the NYT that Apple was concerned in the beginning that Genius Bar staffers would be too geeky and lack the social skills to work with the public. "But he soon found that more often than not, the employees were well-socialized young people who happened to know a lot about computers," the article said.

Observer Comments

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Close Name:kenaustus Posts: 602 Joined: 27 Jun 2003
Thu Jan 27, 2005 11:00 am Subject: A very good read

The story is a good read and is the best article I've seen demonstrating the difference Apple provides in a retail environment. The Apple Stores are definitely something special - just as Macs are something special.


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Close Name:Intruder -   TMO Mac Specialist Posts: 3149 Joined: 07 Jul 2004
Thu Jan 27, 2005 11:52 am Subject: minor typo

It is McLean, Virginia (not McClean).

Home of the CIA (right next to Langley).


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Close Name:Guest
Thu Jan 27, 2005 11:59 am Subject: What Apple's Retail "Partners" have lacked

The so called Mom and Pop Apple shops that have been doing such a lousy job of selling and supporting macs should just cash it in instead of suing Apple.

The vast majority of these shops that I have visited have an arrogant, aloof, or downright insulting attitude among the staff. Most have poorly merchandised shelves, loaded with obsolete hardware, hidden tech staff - all things that Apple succeeded in executing brilliantly - the right way. Good to see a great product get the marketing savy to go with it!

To the resellers that are fuming with envy: you've had about 20 years to get it right and you let us all down, the computer business is cut-throat and you've always known that. Those of us that need Macs to make our living, must protect our livelihood, that is why I support Apples stores. Sorry, thats just business.

Don't sue! Spend that money wisely and switch to selling linux boxes or something.


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Close Name:Mace Posts: 9604 Joined: 07 Aug 2003
Thu Jan 27, 2005 1:10 pm Subject:

AppleStore is fantastic. I went to the flagship in San Francisco once. The atmosphere is very welcome and comfortable. It is buzz with many people. Is not easy to land on a Mac to play with.


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Close Name:Small White Car Posts: 1960 Joined: 02 Jul 2004
Thu Jan 27, 2005 1:18 pm Subject:

Quote
Mace wrote:
AppleStore is fantastic. I went to the flagship in San Francisco once. The atmosphere is very welcome and comfortable. It is buzz with many people. Is not easy to land on a Mac to play with.


lol, yeah. That's a good problem for Apple, I guess. If you stand behind someone long enough eventually they'll leave. Standing CLOSE behind them helps speed the process up


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Close Name:Guest
Thu Jan 27, 2005 2:18 pm Subject:

Amen, you just described OPUS in Memphis, TN.


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Close Name:Nom Posts: 58 Joined: 07 Jul 2004
Thu Jan 27, 2005 5:35 pm Subject:

Something else to consider:

Apple can run their stores at less of a profit than a regular retailer could afford to. As long as they're at least breaking even, Apple doesn't need the retail margin - they already get the profit from the hardware sale, and the stores act as quite effective advertising and support.

That said, people are often willing to pay more (even a lot more) for the perception that they are being looked after.


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