“Federico Viticci said it best on the Connected podcast last week: The departure of Angela Ahrendts as Apple’s retail chief is a Rorschach test,” Jason Snell writes for Macworld. “One’s reaction to the news will reveal a lot about one’s feelings about the current state of Apple’s retail stores.”
“Perhaps the biggest source of Apple Store frustration in recent years wasn’t based on any Apple Retail initiative. It was the decision to address a public-relations nightmare involving failing batteries that impacted iPhone speeds by offering a yearlong, discounted battery-replacement program,” Snell writes. “That bit of damage control flooded Apple Stores with traffic and repair jobs it was not prepared to handle. Service suffered as a result.”
“My hope for the future of the Apple Store is that it goes back to basics, focusing not just on product sales but on service,” Snell writes. “Back in the day, the Genius Bar made Apple’s retail efforts stand out—but today I hear far more complaints than compliments about post-sale support in Apple Stores. Some of that is understandably due to Apple’s enormous growth, of course, but Apple Retail has to figure out a way to cope with that growth.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Pave over the stupid “Genius Grove” and rebuild the Genius Bar, longer and better-staffed than ever! (And install adequate sound baffling while you’re at it, so we can communicate in the stores again amidst the overcrowded din.)
SEE ALSO:
Ron Johnson: Apple Retail Stores ‘are a victim of their own success’ – February 12, 2019
Apple’s new retail head needs to fix the biggest problem with Apple Retail Stores – February 8, 2019
What’s next for Apple’s Retail Store empire? – February 8, 2019
New Apple retail chief Deirdre O’Brien receives stock grant worth up to $8.2 million – February 8, 2019
Angela Ahrendts’ Apple departure points to wider mystery – February 6, 2019
Examining Angela Ahrendts’ five-year tenure as head of Apple Retail – February 6, 2019
Apple CEO Cook thanks Angela Ahrendts in company-wide memo to employees – February 6, 2019
Apple names third retail chief in seven years – February 6, 2019
Apple’s Angela Ahrendts to depart in April; Deirdre O’Brien named senior vice president of Retail + People – February 5, 2019
Apple’s Angela Ahrendts has a plan for next-gen retail – January 29, 2019
Why Angela Ahrendts left Burberry for Apple – June 20, 2018
Ralph Lauren to add Apple’s Angela Ahrendts to Board of Directors – May 9, 2018
Angela Ahrendts is again Apple’s best-paid employee – December 29, 2017
Apple now requires CEO Tim Cook to fly only on private jets – December 28, 2017
Apple CEO Tim Cook paid close to $102 million for fiscal 2017 – December 28, 2017
Forbes’ World’s 100 Most Powerful Women: Angela Ahrendts #13, Laurene Powell Jobs #14 – November 2, 2017
Deirdre O’Brien named Apple’s vice president of People – July 21, 2017
Tim Cook took home $10.3 million, Angela Ahrendts earned $25.7 million in 2015 – January 6, 2016
Apple’s Angela Ahrendts emerges as highest-paid U.S. woman with $83 million – May 5, 2015
Apple’s retail chief Angela Ahrendts paid $73.4 million in cash and stock last year; BoD member Drexler steps down – January 22, 2015
Apple’s new retail chief Ahrendts granted $68 million in restricted stock – May 6, 2014
Since Apple is a church and my fav. church architecture belongs to Catholicism, one reason is the side chapels devoted to saints, why not have such chapels inside Apple’s churches? The transparent glass chapels would have a transparent glass door so they would be sound-proofed where an Apple genius could repair and advise in peace. Better for the worker, better for the customer.
Riiiighhhht Now! no Now, ah Now, missed it.
I used to be able to book online for a quick n easy AppleStore software lesson. Now that seems to have vanished.
I used to have a perfectly-formed SE, but no SE2 in sight.
I still use my old MBP, because my new one has no ports and doesn’t work with legacy Cinema displays.
Oh… I can’t buy a Cinema display.
Sigh.