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Angela Ahrendts on Apple Retail Criticism: 'I Don't Read Any of it, and None of it is Based on Fact'
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I just don't think she is the type of person that goes to an Apple Store and has to wait several minutes to buy a product....
It's so easy to say: "I was an executive, I knew the facts", measuring everything by numbers is just not right. People may be buying more for different reasons....but the store can still suck.
It's so easy to say: "I was an executive, I knew the facts", measuring everything by numbers is just not right. People may be buying more for different reasons....but the store can still suck.
She could had said her mistakes or what could had been better....but that's Apple. They are never gonna admit it, unless forced to do so (read stocks going down), with a letter from Tim Cook on their website.
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She regularly sees Miss Cleo. Seriously though when you make a claim that you don’t read the criticism but follow that whooper up with none of it is true that means she’s read it. Otherwise she would say I haven’t read it so I can’t respond. If Apple would like to pay me millions to make the Apple Store experience worse I’ll take the money. LOL!!!!
I think Apple should get out of the brick and mortar retail sales business. Just maintain a retail presence through third party authorized sellers, and focus on service and repair. Work out ways to allow independent qualified repair technicians to get access to schematics and parts needed to diagnose and repair Apple devices, in addition to offering their own service and repair facilities. Sell the merchandise online and continue to offer good online and telephone support. Brick and mortar retail is declining across the board. Don't dump more money and resources there.
I’d agree but that means giving up the repair revenue. They aren’t going to do that. I loved the Apple Store experience around 2010. I’d walk in, an Apple Store employee would ask what I was there for and that employee would either help me on the spot or send me over to another employee who would help within a few minutes. Easy in, easy out.
Fast forward to 2018. I walked in to spend 5 grand on an 27 inch iMac, HomePod and AirPods. They asked me what I wanted when I walked in, had me go wait for an employee to help and I sat there for 25 minutes before an employee came over to take my order. I’m going WTF? I’m here to drop 5 grand and they are acting like they don’t want my money. I was there with another gentlemen in the same boat and we couldn’t believe it. If somebody came in wanting an iPhone or iPad they got instant help. If it was somebody wanting to spend thousands more on other things it was like they didn’t want to take our money. I’m not going back.
Even better, they didn’t have any 27” iMacs in stock with 16 GB of RAM so they had to take one with 8 GB and upgrade it. No biggie, I thought, sense I’d already been there for nearly a half hour I’d just take a seat and wait longer for them to install the upgraded RAM. Nope, they didn’t have time even though the store was open for another hour and a half so they gave me the iMac and the RAM and I had to make another 45 minute drive a couple of weeks later to have it installed. I’ll be buying two items from an Apple Store in the future. Jack and $h*t. What a nightmare.
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She killed the Apple Store experience; trashed it from the ground up.
You have to understand the point of view of people like Angela though. They come from good families, high social classes, they have *literally* over-estimated their abilities their entire lives. Angela thinks she is God’s gift to CEO’ing. That is how she thinks. Her “confidence” is just overinflating how competent she really is.
Most likely zero emotional intelligence — you see this in her ignoring the opinions of customers in place of satisfaction or polling surveys. She ignores complex empathetic reasoning for customer feedback and focuses on data sheets and “facts” (retention rates being high).
People like Angela outsmart themselves. They miss the forest for the trees. All. The. Time.
Steve was not one of those people. Tim is. And he should go...like Angela. Quicker the better.
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That leadership style is prevalent throughout much of ANY management culture, anywhere, and is why I can’t work in that environment anymore.
Angela trashed the Apple Stores. It doesn’t matter what her facts are because her retention rates aren’t based on store appearance.
Just another uppity brain child thinking she can do no wrong. It’s what led to her trashing the stores in the first place — too much control. No one willing to tell her no. To disagree.
Sad stuff.
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Nailed it. Many rich corporate people are this way. It’s a result of their entire lives as bringing them to that point. They are the “highest” among us really the most out of touch and shallow, at least in my experience. Capitalism creates hollow shells...and the hollow out more and more as you climb the ladder. To stop caring and listening is the only way to climb the ladder.
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Oh, did you miss it? Part of her brilliant redesign was to remove about 70% of SKU’s and choice from the Apple Store. I mean who cares anyway right? Because they’re town squares now or whatever...not stores.
And her Today @ Apple classes. another massive failure.
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You call it sand in your country ?
LMAO
There is absolutely no structure to the Apple store anymore. You walk in and it’s like 20,000 different things pulling for your attention. Tons of employees, certain ones you approach can only wok with certain areas, they shuffle you around to another employee who handles “that” section of the store or whatever. Impossible to buy anything. The entire mob of the store also begins getting lost and going in all different directions. It’s actualmy a pretty anxiety-inducing experience to step into an Apple Store these days.
Lesson...
Don’t hire fashion CEO’s for a tech brand with a loyal following.
A frontend system (part of the app, only working when in store, possibly also made available on the products themselves) that allowed customers to do everything up to the point of the product being brought out to you for purchase would alleviate a lot of the issues, for me. I don't like waiting 15 minutes to tell somebody I want to buy an ipad and begin the process from there...
We're on the same boat. Apple Stores need to change into Apple Service/Repair or just go away and let Apple certified independent technicians do what they do. As for buying new Apple computers, phones, or tablets, you should be able to go to an authorized Apple retail dealer and buy it with advice and support from the shop, or just go to apple.com and get it online. If you could buy your stuff online and be confident of good phone and online support for the life of the product, that would suffice - at least in the old Apple way of doing things. Yeah, if you are about to spend thousands of dollars on a computer, to be neglected in order to service iOS complainers/buyers is an insult. it's also testament to Apple's new priorities. It isn't with the Mac.
I can't say how much of it is "fair" or "unfair" without knowing how many of the problems I see with Apple retail stores were directly based on decisions she made and everyone acted upon? Apple is too big a company to pretend one person like her calls all those shots.....
But there's no doubt that Apple Stores have taken a turn for the worse. Everyone I talk to who has been a Mac user for at least 4-5 years and hasn't needed to shop at an Apple store for a while comes away with a bad impression, going there now.
I get the idea Apple corporate really doesn't care - because as usual, it thinks it knows what people really want/need/like better than they do themselves. That philosophy helped Steve Jobs create a lot of unique products that people definitely wouldn't have just contacted Apple on their own, asking for. But there are some basic things you want stores to do, to succeed. And they've mucked up that formula.
- Most stores are just too small. That quest for maximum sales per square foot of space used isn't necessarily the best metric for how happy shoppers are in your store! People are a captive audience for Apple retail most of the time. They need a Mac or iPhone repaired or what-not, and will put up with a lot of nonsense if it trumps long waits on the phone for assistance, where nobody can see what you're talking about hands and eyes on the product. Alternately, they need something immediately (like a replacement AC adapter or cable). So yep -- we all still go to the stores and spend a lot of money there. Doesn't mean it's a great experience, and it's not. Too crowded and too many products not on display at all due to lack of room.
- Still believe a dedicated area for check-out makes more sense than having to locate an employee who can ring you up. It just adds stress and confusion. Even with a long checkout line, you know where you're at in the process. With Apple stores, you have literally no idea if checkout will be quick and easy? Or if the only people who can help you are all tied up and already promised 2 or 3 others ahead of you they'd "get to them next"?
- I don't like the setup with the employees who "check you in" as you come in the door. It's off-putting ... making you feel like they're too busy to help you without "taking a number", essentially. And if they don't do a good job entering a short description of what you need help with, it can waste a lot more of your time when they make you wait unnecessarily for someone you didn't really need to wait for, for that help.
But there's no doubt that Apple Stores have taken a turn for the worse. Everyone I talk to who has been a Mac user for at least 4-5 years and hasn't needed to shop at an Apple store for a while comes away with a bad impression, going there now.
I get the idea Apple corporate really doesn't care - because as usual, it thinks it knows what people really want/need/like better than they do themselves. That philosophy helped Steve Jobs create a lot of unique products that people definitely wouldn't have just contacted Apple on their own, asking for. But there are some basic things you want stores to do, to succeed. And they've mucked up that formula.
- Most stores are just too small. That quest for maximum sales per square foot of space used isn't necessarily the best metric for how happy shoppers are in your store! People are a captive audience for Apple retail most of the time. They need a Mac or iPhone repaired or what-not, and will put up with a lot of nonsense if it trumps long waits on the phone for assistance, where nobody can see what you're talking about hands and eyes on the product. Alternately, they need something immediately (like a replacement AC adapter or cable). So yep -- we all still go to the stores and spend a lot of money there. Doesn't mean it's a great experience, and it's not. Too crowded and too many products not on display at all due to lack of room.
- Still believe a dedicated area for check-out makes more sense than having to locate an employee who can ring you up. It just adds stress and confusion. Even with a long checkout line, you know where you're at in the process. With Apple stores, you have literally no idea if checkout will be quick and easy? Or if the only people who can help you are all tied up and already promised 2 or 3 others ahead of you they'd "get to them next"?
- I don't like the setup with the employees who "check you in" as you come in the door. It's off-putting ... making you feel like they're too busy to help you without "taking a number", essentially. And if they don't do a good job entering a short description of what you need help with, it can waste a lot more of your time when they make you wait unnecessarily for someone you didn't really need to wait for, for that help.
I don’t like to pick up online orders at Apple if there are better options elsewhere. BestBuy makes online pickup easier. I know exactly where to go. Unless it’s a big item, I don’t need to wait for the BestBuy associate to retrieve my order because it’s in the front of the store. Apple doesn’t like the concept of people waiting in a line.
Well I find I'm completely ignored in the Apple Store as no one really asks if I want help and if I do, no one seems to come over to me to actually help make the purchase reality.
An addendum reply - I am following the "right to repair" movement with interest, with folks like Jessa Jones of iPad Rehab and Louis Rossmann of Rossmann Repair Group at the forefront. Apple needs to either put up or shut up about repairing their products, especially of late with all the keyboard, overheating, graphics board issues, etc. Let qualified repair technicians do their jobs. Give them the needed schematics, tools, and parts to fix their products. If the independents can do a better job for less money than the Apple Stores, so be it. Either the Apple Stores need to improve, or the independents should get the business. If you haven't seen it, here's Jessa testifying on right to repair a while back:
My experience from Apple stores in the past, such as the one in Palo Alto, California (where SJ lived), was a large checkout counter near the front of the store and long lines (and waits) in front of the counter. Now, if I want to buy something I just snag the closest red or blue shirt employee and purchase on the spot. Or, I can self-checkout small things with my phone and leave within a minute. If I need help with something anyone I snag can help me. A much better experience than the old days (mid 2000s), which I often found frustrating.
Service is more streamlined as well. A greeter at the door checks me in and I get a text when someone's ready to help. In the meantime I can wander the store. From check-in to leaving the store with a new battery installed in my iPhone 6+ was 25 minutes.
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Not a disaster at all. An excellent experience compared to 6 or 7+ years ago. See above.
I don't read any of it - fine
None of it is based on fact - how can you tell if you haven't read any of it. Most of it might not be based on fact, but doesn't translate to none of it being factual.
I guess we are all human and don't always get the correct words out in hindsight.
Does sound like she has read some of it because she seems to be taking something to heart - the internet can be a cruel anonymous place.
AA brought in a new concept to Apple retail
While some aspects are OK. I personally don’t care for the way she changed the Genius Bar etc
Apple had a retail model that worked for most even though It wasn’t perfect. Why change it?? Remember I didn’t say not to mprove it
While some aspects are OK. I personally don’t care for the way she changed the Genius Bar etc
Apple had a retail model that worked for most even though It wasn’t perfect. Why change it?? Remember I didn’t say not to mprove it
What a narcissistic answer.
"Everyone i didn't listen to is wrong"
I can't speak for other Apple Stores but when they moved from the old location in Liverpool One to the new one it basically became a mess.
It looks like there is more space for products at first glance until you realise the back half of the room is where they are dealing with support issues and any activities which in the old location was upstairs in a quieter environment.
To get any support services you have to walk in, try and catch the attention of a staff member at the front before someone else who will then log the visit and just tell you to stand somewhere at the back until another staff member wanders around trying to find you. This is happening to everyone, right in the middle of people trying out products or buying things with a similar stand around somewhere process.
It's a mess that clearly elicits a strong repulsive gut reaction to anybody British, There isn't an orderly queue anywhere in sight.
It's utter chaos of people standing about randomly with staff member going through a list and then trying to find someone.
It's so bad that i order all my apple gear online now, Avoiding the store when possible.
"Everyone i didn't listen to is wrong"
I can't speak for other Apple Stores but when they moved from the old location in Liverpool One to the new one it basically became a mess.
It looks like there is more space for products at first glance until you realise the back half of the room is where they are dealing with support issues and any activities which in the old location was upstairs in a quieter environment.
To get any support services you have to walk in, try and catch the attention of a staff member at the front before someone else who will then log the visit and just tell you to stand somewhere at the back until another staff member wanders around trying to find you. This is happening to everyone, right in the middle of people trying out products or buying things with a similar stand around somewhere process.
It's a mess that clearly elicits a strong repulsive gut reaction to anybody British, There isn't an orderly queue anywhere in sight.
It's utter chaos of people standing about randomly with staff member going through a list and then trying to find someone.
It's so bad that i order all my apple gear online now, Avoiding the store when possible.
I’ve never waited more than 5 minutes to buy something even in packed stores. You just approach one of the staff and they put you in line to be served. Last time I went to buy something in the Apple store (last month) it was a Saturday and the store was packed and I was in and out within less than 10 minutes. It’s better if you know exactly what you want when you go in. If you need them to talk you through it show you something then it tales ages.
