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Apr 12, 2001
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Late last week, The New York Times took a look at Apple's retail store software for responding to customer requests for assistance, offering a relatively rare public glimpse of one of the company's internal applications.

apple_retail_location_app.jpg



The internal app responds to both assistance requests from the iPads that serve as information displays at products on the sales floor and notifications from customers who have placed advance orders for pickup and then signaled their arrival by launching the Apple Store iOS app.
The iPod Touches of Apple employees show these customer requests and give employees the option to respond to them. The app then shows an illustration of the shopping floor and highlights the customer's location in red.
According to the Apple retail employee who demonstrated the app's capabilities, sixteen customers had used the functionality to pick up orders at the Palo Alto store that day, only a tiny portion of the total customer load for the busy Black Friday shopping day. But Apple has reportedly indicated that it eventually expects a majority of its retail store customers to eventually take advantage of the new services such as in-store pickup and self-checkout using the company's iOS app.
This feature allows shoppers to ask for assistance when they feel comfortable doing so, unlike in other retail stores where customers are hounded by employees eager to make a sale, [retail store employee Diego] Aguirre said.

"It's more toward customer experience," Mr. Aguirre said. "We don't want to feel like we're hassling our customers to shop. We want them to feel at home."
Apple has been working hard to build out capacity to meet customer load at its retail stores, which rank among the most profitable retail sales locations in the world. In recent years the company has been putting a significant focus on building larger, more iconic stores and also building out its international retail presence. But with the retail chain's oldest stores now approaching ten years old, the company is also looking to replace or renovate a number of these stores in order to keep up with the company's continued growth in popularity.

Article Link: A Glimpse of Apple's Shopper-Locating Retail Store Software
 
Used it... didn't work!

I went to the Eaton Centre store on Friday and I used the app to request help. There was 0 in line and after I put my request in, I was 1 in line.

No one came. I waited for about 5 minutes and ended up going to find a help myself. I said to the guy: I did request help but no way came, so I came to you. He said sorry and glimpsed at his Touch.

After I left I the store and my transaction was complete, a message popped up finally saying that someone was ready for me.

Not the best first experience! I guess until it becomes regular with the employees be more reactive.
 
I went to the Eaton Centre store on Friday and I used the app to request help. There was 0 in line and after I put my request in, I was 1 in line.

No one came. I waited for about 5 minutes and ended up going to find a help myself. I said to the guy: I did request help but no way came, so I came to you. He said sorry and glimpsed at his Touch.

After I left I the store and my transaction was complete, a message popped up finally saying that someone was ready for me.

Not the best first experience! I guess until it becomes regular with the employees be more reactive.

Obviously you should have done a mic check.
 
Not there yet

The reality of my last two purchases at the Apple Store in Palm Desert CA was less than futuristic. Their current system of divvying up responsibilities meant I waited 10 minutes for a customer service rep to sell me the iPhone I already knew I wanted while half a dozen post-sale specialists stood around doing nothing but chatting with each other. Then, this past weekend, I was directed to pay for my item at the "express" checkout at the front of the store where one employee took 5 minutes to collect and process another customer's order on his little hand-held device, then took another 5 minutes to process my order on his little hand-held device. It would have been much faster if he just had a regular cash register.

I have no doubt that Apple will figure this out and make it work, but for now I think it looks pretty lame at times. There should never be a perception that employees are just standing around while customers are waiting, and space-age check out should be faster, not slower.
 
one day, maybe - from what I read here, that day didn't come yet. :D
You can't judge it from a couple experiences. You also need to take in consideration that this has just been implemented. Give it a few weeks to be tweaked. This is still dependent on employee engagement. I understand Apple does a good job on hiring store employees but there will always be bad apples.
 
I went to the Eaton Centre store on Friday and I used the app to request help. There was 0 in line and after I put my request in, I was 1 in line.

No one came. I waited for about 5 minutes and ended up going to find a help myself. I said to the guy: I did request help but no way came, so I came to you. He said sorry and glimpsed at his Touch.

After I left I the store and my transaction was complete, a message popped up finally saying that someone was ready for me.

Not the best first experience! I guess until it becomes regular with the employees be more reactive.
I found this to be my typical experience every time I go. I use the feature knowing beforehand that it won't work, just to prove a point to myself. Oh well.
 
The reality of my last two purchases at the Apple Store in Palm Desert CA was less than futuristic. Their current system of divvying up responsibilities meant I waited 10 minutes for a customer service rep to sell me the iPhone I already knew I wanted while half a dozen post-sale specialists stood around doing nothing but chatting with each other. Then, this past weekend, I was directed to pay for my item at the "express" checkout at the front of the store where one employee took 5 minutes to collect and process another customer's order on his little hand-held device, then took another 5 minutes to process my order on his little hand-held device. It would have been much faster if he just had a regular cash register.

I have no doubt that Apple will figure this out and make it work, but for now I think it looks pretty lame at times. There should never be a perception that employees are just standing around while customers are waiting, and space-age check out should be faster, not slower.

Yeah, that's been my experience too. When I bought an iPad last year, I went in to the store. I already knew exactly which model I wanted, and I told the guy that, but he insisted on wasting my time going over all the features, as if I needed to be convinced to buy it... *facepalm* Dude, I just want you to go to the back room and bring out the item I told you I want. Of course, even once he did that, it was followed by the ever-present upsell pitch for AppleCare and MobileMe.
 
Chicago Michy Ave & Lincolon Park have almost as many Apple Store Employees as customers. The place is crawling with them. You can trip over them............ Who needs an app :)
 
You can't judge it from a couple experiences. You also need to take in consideration that this has just been implemented. Give it a few weeks to be tweaked. This is still dependent on employee engagement. I understand Apple does a good job on hiring store employees but there will always be bad apples.

Yep, that is exactly what I meant.
 
"This feature allows shoppers to ask for assistance when they feel comfortable doing so, unlike in other retail stores where customers are hounded by employees eager to make a sale, [retail store employee Diego] Aguirre said."

Really? I have found the most difficult thing about going to the Apple Store is getting someone to help me.
 
Smart Signs

I spoke with a retail employee and he explained to me that the smart signs do put you into a queue, but unfortunately the position in line isn't necessarily true. There are some people who come into the store that aren't using the smart sign but were there before other customers who do. It's always best to check in with the person at the front door otherwise you may not be helped. It is their job to direct you to the right people so the wait times are minimal, so you can be in and out and be satisfied.

Apple is a great company, they look out for their customers, all we have to do is listen and not b-line past the front door person haha.
 
Maybe it is just as well I don't have an Apple store with in a 100 miles of me I just purchase what I want on line and I then have the fun of tracking my order as it wings it's way from China to My front door :)
 
I hear a law suit coming. There has to be a company out there that will feel that Apple has infringed on their patent and will sue Apple for 80 billion dollars. Holy petty cash batman. :eek: :apple: :eek:
 
I spoke with a retail employee and he explained to me that the smart signs do put you into a queue, but unfortunately the position in line isn't necessarily true. There are some people who come into the store that aren't using the smart sign but were there before other customers who do. It's always best to check in with the person at the front door otherwise you may not be helped. It is their job to direct you to the right people so the wait times are minimal, so you can be in and out and be satisfied.

Apple is a great company, they look out for their customers, all we have to do is listen and not b-line past the front door person haha.

So it is some sort of virtual invisible queue that only some people know they are in. Not sure that sounds like something that is going to work.
 
Not exactly, since you don't explicitly authorize Apple to track you.
hu·mor   [hyoo-mer or, often, yoo-]
noun
1.
a comic, absurd, or incongruous quality causing amusement: the humor of a situation.
2.
the faculty of perceiving what is amusing or comical: He is completely without humor.
3.
an instance of being or attempting to be comical or amusing; something humorous: The humor in his joke eluded the audience.
4.
the faculty of expressing the amusing or comical: The author's humor came across better in the book than in the movie.
5.
comical writing or talk in general; comical books, skits, plays, etc.
 
hu·mor   [hyoo-mer or, often, yoo-]
noun
1.
a comic, absurd, or incongruous quality causing amusement: the humor of a situation.
2.
the faculty of perceiving what is amusing or comical: He is completely without humor.
3.
an instance of being or attempting to be comical or amusing; something humorous: The humor in his joke eluded the audience.
4.
the faculty of expressing the amusing or comical: The author's humor came across better in the book than in the movie.
5.
comical writing or talk in general; comical books, skits, plays, etc.
ha ha ha
 
i tried the self check out the other day at the apple store...very cool and convenient. although, i did feel weird just walking out of the store. i wonder how they track it and make sure i paid
 
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