“Adding staff for the holiday season is not unusual in retail. What is unusual is how America’s most profitable retailer, The Apple Store, trains its employees to communicate with customers to reduce the stress and frustration of shopping on Black Friday and other busy retail days,” Carmine Gallo reports for Forbes.
“Time slows down in a crowded Apple Store because of several techniques I learned during my year of research into what makes The Apple Experience,” Gallo reports. “One technique in particular blew me away. Some managers call it, ‘resetting internal clocks.'”
Gallo reports, “I recently walked into a busy Apple Store and waited nearly fifteen minutes to talk to a salesperson about the new iPhone 5, yet the time flew by and I wasn’t frustrated at all. A sales specialist reset my internal clock several times during the waiting period. He acknowledged my presence in the store immediately, placed me in queue, told me how long it would take before I’d be served, checked in every few minutes, and personalized the experience by using my first name. ”
Read more in the full article here.
Well said. No matter the product, executive staff need to remember that it’s always about people. The people who buy the stuff must be servds by happy sales people. Happy sales peoe are created by intelligent and generous management who, in turn, are managed by intelligent and generous executives.
What was awesome for me last Friday was when I brought my iMac into the local store because the DVD drive was frozen. A worker came and found me 45 minutes before my appointment and found a way to help get my problem solved… as I was firing up the computer and emailing myself an important file he went into the back… then came out ten minutes later in his winter coat and hat and proceeded to walk right out of the store with a friend.
Awesome.
I had to interrupt the “genius” at the desk who was helping someone else to ask what I should do since my computer was now on their desk and I was told the fellow would be right back to help.
And to their credit he called someone out of a meeting and the woman finished up the assessment with me with amazing aplomb.
So there you go. Even when their workers are wankers they’re all so good you’ll still get taken care of like a king. Thanks folks.
AWESOME, do you still use the DVD?
“acknowledged my presence – checked in every few minutes”
Yea, I’ve had the same pleasant experience many times at busy Apple Stores. It works.
They (Apple Store employees) are very good because they are trained as “service providers,” NOT “sales staff.”
I hardly ever need actual help with an Apple product (because I usually know more about the products than most of them do), and no one needs to talk me into buying an Apple product, if I’m thinking about it (the “sale” is already made). In all the times I’ve been in an Apple Store, I have NEVER felt like someone was trying to sell me something, other than something like a brief mention of AppleCare (which they SHOULD mention as an option with a piece of Apple gear). Try walking into a Verizon or AT&T Store to see the difference.
However, I always get an “acknowledgement” (greeting) by ONE (and only ONE) of the staff when I walk into the Store. They typically say, “please let me know if you have any questions,” or words to that effect. So, I don’t feel like I’m being ignored. And then no one bothers me as I look around and play with stuff. BUT, as soon as I pick up something I want to buy and decide to “check out,” there’s usually someone right there with their special iPod touch within a few seconds. They are alert and observant.
Depends on how you define peace, but the former would be a pretty awful result for Palestinians.
After 20 years working in retail, I came to understand the power of those 7 simple words – “Let me know if I can help.” Just works.
I recently used your article in my latest post about my time working at Apple Retail. Here it is: http://explorationsofhope.com/2012/11/23/the-beauty-of-organized-chaos-apple-freedom-and-government/