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Apple Asks Retail Employees for iPhone Sales Advice
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Every time I see "airplane mode" and "driving mode" on the same screen, I look for "boating mode"
A career experience is a way to bring retail employees into corprate to help and bring ideas. This is not a new thing it's been going on for many months. If you are picked you go to work in Cupertino for however long the experience is maybe 6 months 1 month depends. They do this for lots of different areas at apple.This doesn't mean they are out of ideas.
That is one way of looking at it. Another could be:
1. Who has more contact with iPhone users, management or sales?
2. Who hears more "I wish the iPhone had/could do"?
3. On a daily basis who has more potential influence on the perception of Apple and the iPhone?
Most importantly, if Apple receives 5 million ideas and only 1 of those ideas is worthy of implementation, did the company not win? Contribution, whether from the top or bottom of a company, is still contribution.
For those of you who think this is sad, you are sad. Why wouldn't Apple leverage the 1000's of retail employees they have, who actually connect with the consumers? Think about what will create a better product (using numbers I've been able to find):
1) 24,000 non-retail (many of which are corporate) employees
2) 36,000 retail employees
3) 60,000 employees (non-retail and retail combined)
This is smart for Apple to do. On a product that is as established as the iPhone, it is better to get feedback from the frontline than to try to continually force a consumer to use what you have. When it comes to new products, sure - go ahead and try retraining consumers to use something new.
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Exactly! All of these people whining about it being bad apparently have no good business sense.
1) 24,000 non-retail (many of which are corporate) employees
2) 36,000 retail employees
3) 60,000 employees (non-retail and retail combined)
This is smart for Apple to do. On a product that is as established as the iPhone, it is better to get feedback from the frontline than to try to continually force a consumer to use what you have. When it comes to new products, sure - go ahead and try retraining consumers to use something new.
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Exactly! All of these people whining about it being bad apparently have no good business sense.
is there already a way for managers to submit ideas? asking since they are not included in the ideal candidate part
They aren't doing this because they have trouble selling iPhones in general. They're doing this because majority of iPhones are sold by Carrier Stores instead Apple stores. That in itself isn't a failing on Apple's part but rather general consumer associations; "if you want to buy a Mac go to an Apple store, if you want to buy an iPhone go to your local Carrier Store".
But of course everyone will jump of the "Steve Jobs is dead so they're out of ideas" train
ha ha
after the iphone 5 debacle i'm buying my next iphone at best buy or wal mart a few months after its released and goes on sale
Everyday since the launch of iOS 7 . apple has continued to please me with their open minded approach towards the future of iOS .. To all of you complaining , isn't this the reason you complain every.single.day ?? Apple take note this and Apple why don't you listen to your customers !! Aren't the best ideas often taken from the jailbreak community ? Don't you wish some of the things we love about jailbreak make it to stock iOS ??? Crowd sourcing can be a viable asset ... If you have ideas .. Share it rather than being a B*****
Seriously?
It's not like it's a stretch for companies to be on the lookout for features that people might want....
In the ad itself it mentions new and innovative "ways to support you in the selling experience." This isn't about making the iPhone better, it's about making the process of buying and iPhone at Apple better/easier/quicker/more fun.
When I worked in Apple Retail they had many systems in place to aid us with our job. It's cool to see them reach out to get suggestions from the ground level as to what Retail Specialists think could make their jobs more effective.
When I worked in Apple Retail they had many systems in place to aid us with our job. It's cool to see them reach out to get suggestions from the ground level as to what Retail Specialists think could make their jobs more effective.
So, they are open to ideas from the average people like us - the majority of people using their products. I don't see how this is bad.
It was my understanding that this was standard practice for all Apple services/products - employee feedback and ideas are welcomed and rewarded if implemented. Surely its a good sign that they feel the need to focus on areas that may require attention rather than let things stagnate?..
Way better than soliciting it from proven 'idiots' such as these posting in forum comments sections.
They're asking for feedback from the people who deal with the customers, and probably face the same questions/problems day in, day out. There's often a big disconnect between management & customers - or even management and their own staff - so any feedback could help.
Chances are, most of the ideas would end up being ignored; but it's good to - at the very least - let the employees think their input is being considered.
Cook certainly seem to be more open to ideas from outside the Apple core. Back when I worked in Apple, no one ever asked for my opinion!</mumble grumble>
Chances are, most of the ideas would end up being ignored; but it's good to - at the very least - let the employees think their input is being considered.
Cook certainly seem to be more open to ideas from outside the Apple core. Back when I worked in Apple, no one ever asked for my opinion!</mumble grumble>
Steve didn't think of most of the ideas that became Apple products. He took other's ideas and refined the heck out of them (starting with the Apple I then II, and then the original Mac) and then knew how to market air conditioners to Eskimos.
Do you have any idea how many products or extensions of existing products, not just at Apple but other companies, that came from employee's ideas.
Lower prices of the unlocked device!!
an iPad mini w/bigger screen is only $429 w/ cell antennae
where is that extra $220 going??!? $649 is ridiculous!
stonewall the carriers to fix their activation process, my last phone took two hours after the sales flunkie made numerous calls to random carrier support numbers.
honestly the store experience is so bad these days
I'd rather stand in line at the DMV
an iPad mini w/bigger screen is only $429 w/ cell antennae
where is that extra $220 going??!? $649 is ridiculous!
stonewall the carriers to fix their activation process, my last phone took two hours after the sales flunkie made numerous calls to random carrier support numbers.
honestly the store experience is so bad these days
I'd rather stand in line at the DMV
You pretty much described my iPhone buying experience. I purchased it via the Apple Store app on my iPod Touch and arranged to pick it up in the physical store. It was amazing how long it took to get me out of the store.
No record of my order (despite a record of payment). They had to refund my money and then charge me for a new phone. They had no ability to activate the phone (either by the Genius or the Apple and Verizon techs they spoke to over another phone). They gave up after two hours so I took my phone across the street to a Verizon shop and walked out 5 minutes later all ready to go.
I found out later that in all the confusion, the Apple Store employee forgot to charge me for the replacement phone - which is probably why they couldn't get it to work and Verizon probably just assumed I wanted to switch my service over to a different device. I'm never going to complain about a free iPhone, but I'll also never dare try to bring it in for service.
If true, it's definitely a change in vogue at Apple.
Remember Apple used to pride itself that it never did market research or 'focus groups'. A disruptive product like the iPhone would have never been a reality if they did.
There are more phone carrier stores than Apple stores. The local carrier stores for Att, Verizon, Tmo, and Sprint are all within a 10 minute drive from where I live, more or less depending on traffic. Closest Apple store? Over an hour and half. The only time I go to my nearest Apple store is if I need one of my devices repaired or replaced.
The only other place I can think of where you can walk in and buy a Mac other than an Apple Store is Best Buy, and that's only certain stores that sell them.
its a good idea to ask non devs for features. They have a completely different view on that.
i always ask eg my wife, kids, friends for feature ideas because im to much into it to see some obvious stuff.
therefore good move
i always ask eg my wife, kids, friends for feature ideas because im to much into it to see some obvious stuff.
therefore good move