Apple 'Messed Up' with Retail Store Cutbacks, Denies Mass Layoffs

[djdover]

Originally Posted by MvdM

Indeed. Second mess up in a very short time. If they really come out with the small dock connector that will be number three.

Why on earth would a smaller dock connector be a mistake?

[725032]

Originally Posted by bedifferent

John Browett will become one of the worst hiring decisions of the most crucial aspect to Apple's structure: retail. Apple retail store's are the face of the company; placing John Browett at the helm is tantamount to placing a former Lehman Brothers executive as CFO.

Thats a great idea

[TsunamiTheClown]

Originally Posted by MacRumors

In a communication with store leadership teams, senior vice president of retail, John Browett, who took the reins of Apple's retail stores in April, said that the company had been trying a new staffing formula for its retail stores,

I guess hiring people, training them and then laying them off officially doesn't work then...

Time for plan C. (which is apparently plan A)

[kgretton]

Is there anyone who knows Dixons? This is the guy.

Do you really want that 'pile them high and sell them cheap' with crap customer service?

I have no idea who hired him. Tim?

[peterh988]

Originally Posted by FNi

John Browett's first cock-up. How many more before Apple finds out what everyone in the UK knew all along?

The next one will probably be huge queues and slow sales at the iPhone launch, as staff will have been instructed to try to sell applecare at least 20 times before releasing the phone to the customer.

[macchiato2009]

"the changes are being reversed"

un-hiring Browett ?

[Worf]

Originally Posted by miles01110

Just like they "messed up" removing themselves from EPEAT? It'd be nice to see them use a different excuse once in a while.

Get off your high horse. You don't see many companies that are as highly scrutinized or criticized as Apple. Those that make mistakes for the most part don't make admissions or apologies for messing up. Apple may have made the wrong choices with EPEAT and this retail situation but they made several billion in profit last quarter, they can afford to make a few mistakes. At least Apple is willing to backtrack soon after realizing they've made a mistake and very few companies have the spine or self-reflection to do that.

[Sora]

WTF are Apple executives/management smoking?

[bommai]

Bring back Ron Johnson. He is not having success at JCPenney anyway.

[Laird Knox]

Originally Posted by MvdM

Indeed. Second mess up in a very short time. If they really come out with the small dock connector that will be number three.

Why? Just so you can say "my dock is bigger than yours?"

[FNi]

Originally Posted by bedifferent

John Browett will become one of the worst hiring decisions of the most crucial aspect to Apple's structure: retail. Apple retail store's are the face of the company; placing John Browett at the helm is tantamount to placing a former Lehman Brothers executive as CFO.

It just boggles my mind. Retail is Apple's jewel in the crown - the envy of so many companies.

They've handed it over the Browett in prestine condition - all he has to do is polish it every once in a while. What's he doing instead..?

[MvdM]

Originally Posted by djdover

Why on earth would a smaller dock connector be a mistake?

Is it really that hard to understand? Let me explain...
Apple now has a HUGE advantage with the car companies, air companies etc. using their dock connector. Now that these companies have to switch (because no one is going to carry an adapter with him or her) they might decide not to choose Apple.
Second, all docks have the current connector but not all docks will have enough space to hold an iPod/iPhone plus an extra adapter.

[mnemonix]

John Browett should never have been hired in the first place.

Dixons, Currys, PC World etc are the antithesis of Apple own retail experience.

They are soulless sheds and tacky shops, (under)staffed by clueless idiots shifting bottom of the range and often end-of-lined products to equally clueless customers; Apples retail outlets are an exercise in promoting Apple as a premium brand as well as providing a level of sales and after-sales service appropriate to that status.

That Browett failed in his first task at Apple doesn't surprise me one bit. They should get rid of him asap.

[MvdM]

Originally Posted by Laird Knox

Why? Just so you can say "my dock is bigger than yours?"

See my reply above this one

[CptnJustc]

It's hard to imagine Apple stores being understaffed; it seems like they've quadrupled their staffing per square foot over the last few years. On my way to the Genius Bar, I have to tell half a dozen friendly blue-shirts that that's all I'm there for.

[CrickettGrrrl]

Originally Posted by bedifferent

John Browett will become one of the worst hiring decisions of the most crucial aspect to Apple's structure: retail. Apple retail store's are the face of the company; placing John Browett at the helm is tantamount to placing a former Lehman Brothers executive as CFO.

I agree. Sad day to read this. That said, I read either here on MR or another Apple site several months ago that three Goldman Sachs employees were working at Apple in a back office in Accounting, besides Tim Cook's recent meetings with GS.

Maybe I'm wrong but I always imagined Steve Jobs as a fierce watchdog against Wall Street intrusions into his company. I worry about Apple shifting toward mainstream corporate, it's not what got them to this point.
Browett's hiring seems like the same sort of error.

[newyorkone]

Two huge retail related mistakes, in as many months, that makes Apple look stupid and confused. Why is Browett still employed???

[KPOM]

Originally Posted by MvdM

Is it really that hard to understand? Let me explain...
Apple now has a HUGE advantage with the car companies, air companies etc. using their dock connector. Now that these companies have to switch (because no one is going to carry an adapter with him or her) they might decide not to choose Apple.
Second, all docks have the current connector but not all docks will have enough space to hold an iPod/iPhone plus an extra adapter.

At some point they need to move on. The adapter is outmoded and has lots of unnecessary pins taking up space. It has had a good run (being around nearly 10 years, since the iPod went USB).

[ctdonath]

Originally Posted by MvdM

If they really come out with the small dock connector that will be number three.

They've changed connector before.

Not a bad idea, given advancement of technology. Current form is more delicate than it should/could be, with a lot more pins than most connectors nowadays. A smart connector with fewer & more robust pins is a good move.

Hey, connectors change over time. Adapters are not unusual. Remember coax networks? Centronix printer ports? 25-pin serial? SCSI? RS-422? PS/2? PC Keyboard? Composite, S-Video, CGA, VGA, DVI, Mini-DVI, Micro-DVI, __-SDI, DMS-59, DIN, SCART, TRRS, etc. video? All dominated a significant part of the market, and annoyed someone by being deprecated & replaced.

Yeah, a new connector will be annoying for a bit. No worse than continuing to live with the annoyances of the current 30-pin proprietary connector.

[bedifferent]

Originally Posted by MvdM

Is it really that hard to understand? Let me explain...
Apple now has a HUGE advantage with the car companies, air companies etc. using their dock connector. Now that these companies have to switch (because no one is going to carry an adapter with him or her) they might decide not to choose Apple.
Second, all docks have the current connector but not all docks will have enough space to hold an iPod/iPhone plus an extra adapter.

It still uses a USB connection, that plug will not change. My Infiniti and BMW have a USB plug, allowing for any USB media device. They do not supply the cables unless they use a non-USB plug (which is not related to Apple's device connection).

Infiniti used to use its own proprietary cable, but it was still a 30-pin connector for an iPod. This was years ago.

For the moment, I have an iPod connected in my cars via USB, however I play my media through A2DP Bluetooth on my iPhone's. Just easier.

[MvdM]

Originally Posted by KPOM

At some point they need to move on. The adapter is outmoded and has lots of unnecessary pins taking up space. It has had a good run (being around nearly 10 years, since the iPod went USB).

It's not THAT much space it takes up. It's not like the thing is 2 inches deep on the inside. It's a big risk to change a standard. Like I said before, companies might choose other standards and gone is Apple's advantage over the others.

[ctdonath]

Interesting to observe who has complained "Apple should apologize!" in the past, only to reject the "We messed up" when it is both offered and appropriate.

[koban4max]

To apple employees: Don't take things for granted. Help customers and don't make them feel like an idiot.

[Shaun, UK]

Browett's only been there 5 minutes and he's already ********* up.

Reducing staff, cutting back on training and dropping workshops are all things Dixons/Currys would do to cut corners and maintain their crap customer service just to save a few quid.

Looks like a leopard never changes his spots.

I sincerely hope this guy doesn't wreck the AppleStore.

[kirky29]

Originally Posted by Mac21ND

Having worked some retail back in the day, they probably did just mess up - especially since someone new took over. A lot of VP's would never pen a letter saying they messed up.

I'd rather have them say they messed up then stand by bad decisions.

Completely agree. I work for a well known UK retailer and they messed our hours/wages up - big time, a lot of people were overpaid and a lot underpaid. This led to additional tax and their monthly expenditures messed up.

We didn't get a sorry, we got no acknowledgement or explanation to what happened..only that they'll be taking the extra money we got paid back.