Consumerist reader Anjela wonders if “a certain employee of the Apple store has a rare disorder that makes women invisible to him. That might explain why the employee spent the entire AirBook shopping excursion talking to her husband instead of Anjela—the actual customer,” The Consumerist reports.
Dear Apple:
Today (2/28/2008, at approximately 4:00pm) I walked into the Bellevue Square Apple Store (in Bellevue, WA) intent on buying a MacBook Air. I am delighted by the MacBook Air. I am the geek for whom the MacBook Air was invented. I am a lifelong PC user, and until now the leap to a new, unfamiliar operating system was a roadblock, but for a machine with a full-size keyboard and monitor that comes in at three pounds, I was not just willing to make the switch, I was genuinely excited. (The fact that I don’t want my next laptop to run Vista doesn’t hurt, either.) I’ve been waiting to get one since the day they were announced.
I had a horrific customer service experience in your Bellevue Square store that has me rethinking this idea. I will certainly never set foot in that store again, and I hope I never have to deal with any of your Apple Store employees in person, if this is how they’re trained to treat customers.
The Apple Store ‘genius’ — and I’m offended that he was called that, given the stupendous idiocy he exhibited today — was named Bill. Bill was called over when my husband and I came into the store; I had told the concierge that I was interested in buying a MacBook Air.
Well, first of all, Bill DID NOT LOOK AT ME. He did not greet me. He greeted my husband, introduced himself, and shook his hand… and completely ignored me. He didn’t ask my name, what we were there to buy, or who the new computer was for. He did not make eye contact. He simply behaved as though I were not there, and steered my husband through the crowded store — ignoring me and leaving me behind…
The rest of the leter in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: If this is true, today’s probably not a good day to be Bill, the Bellevue Square Apple Store Mac Genius (we’re checking to see if there is a Bill serving as Mac Genius at that store) and Apple owes this customer an apology. Overall, we’ve received some of the best service of any retail establishment in Apple Stores (of course, we always go in wearing our MacDailyNews shirts… just kidding, that’s the last thing we’d ever do as we can’t spy and pry at all in those things. And, before you all go accusin’ – here’s the MacDailyNews Women’s Tee.)
[UPDATE: 10:29pm ETS: According to our sources, no “Bill” has ever worked in Apple Store Bellevue Square as a Mac Genius. It is possible that a “Bill” has been or is currently on staff in another capacity.]