And why is it so hard to live with 'the annoyances of the 30-pin connector'? WHAT annoyances?
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Apple 'Messed Up' with Retail Store Cutbacks, Denies Mass Layoffs
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And why is it so hard to live with 'the annoyances of the 30-pin connector'? WHAT annoyances?
I don't know about the US, but for me, he typifies everything that's wrong with management in the UK, very ordinary people with a massively inflated sense of their own importance and worth, who know the cost everything and the value of nothing (excepting their own outrageous salaries of course).
If it can't be outsourced entirely, then screw the domestic employees in every way you can, then screw the customer for what its worth as well if you can do it with misleading advertising and products made down to lowest price.
Its why this country has so little industry, products or services worth a damn not as is often said, anything to do with the unions or working classes.
I'm sure it's generally no different in the US, but I thought a more enlightened outlook is what set Apple apart.
iSee
macrumors 68040
ctdonath
macrumors 68000
It's obviously a straining point in the current iPod Nano design, and was rejected outright as infeasible with every version of the Shuffle.
And have you ever tried to get sand/dust out of the socket? I'll be happy for a new connector for that issue alone.
Whatever Apple's standard is, not complying is not a decision of minor consequence. Either get on board with the Apple ecosystem and embrace the new connector, or exit a large segment of the total market.
"Messed UP"?? lol
As a former Apple employee, working as a retail specialist in the red zone I can say that this is far from being a mess up. From my time at Apple the hours were always at a minimum, cutting back hours and giving crappy work times. One of the many reasons why I left was due to the lack of attention needed in the work hours for every single Apple employee. The tweet was undoubtedly the truth, at least that's what I can say from my experience and many others in my case.... Not only that but when I was there I noticed a lot of new comers suddenly disappear, perhaps.... because they were former future shop and best buy employees? who knows? still hasn't changed in my perspective
As a former Apple employee, working as a retail specialist in the red zone I can say that this is far from being a mess up. From my time at Apple the hours were always at a minimum, cutting back hours and giving crappy work times. One of the many reasons why I left was due to the lack of attention needed in the work hours for every single Apple employee. The tweet was undoubtedly the truth, at least that's what I can say from my experience and many others in my case.... Not only that but when I was there I noticed a lot of new comers suddenly disappear, perhaps.... because they were former future shop and best buy employees? who knows? still hasn't changed in my perspective
Wonder if the previous raises were a "mess up" as well?
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/06/20/apple-retail-store-staff-set-to-gain-raises-of-up-to-25/
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/06/20/apple-retail-store-staff-set-to-gain-raises-of-up-to-25/
ctdonath
macrumors 68000
Sand/dust in the socket. YOU come here and get it out so I can put this iPod Touch into the audio-interface stand.
50% chance of "oops, not that way" is obnoxious daily. Minor, sure, but just one more little drag that doesn't have to be.
Ongoing worries that the delicate tab and socket may get damaged. Seems you don't have toddlers trying to shove scissors into the hole for no apparent reason.
How's your 36-pin Centronics printer adapter holding up?
...whadayamean it's been replaced with a 4-pin USB or wireless?
Is this thread supposed to be about the staffing cock-up or the dock connector?
That bloke who left for J C Penney -- Apple should have offered him more pennies and post of Deputy CEO with special responsibility for Apple retail.
Connector: Re-designed to confuse Samsung's designers.
The change will not affect anyone as Apple will provide a converter either free or for nominal charge. I hated it when firewire was removed from iPods as I had stacks of FW chargers which on't work with current devices (I used my FW-equipped iPod-mini as a startup emergency disk for PPC Macs).
BTW, when I got my iPhone4S, I also ordered a 30-pin connector to mini-USB converter -- I have stacks of these USB cables and with the convertor mimics the 30-pin dock connector just fine.
That bloke who left for J C Penney -- Apple should have offered him more pennies and post of Deputy CEO with special responsibility for Apple retail.
Connector: Re-designed to confuse Samsung's designers.
The change will not affect anyone as Apple will provide a converter either free or for nominal charge. I hated it when firewire was removed from iPods as I had stacks of FW chargers which on't work with current devices (I used my FW-equipped iPod-mini as a startup emergency disk for PPC Macs).
BTW, when I got my iPhone4S, I also ordered a 30-pin connector to mini-USB converter -- I have stacks of these USB cables and with the convertor mimics the 30-pin dock connector just fine.
John Browett is going to run one of the most successful retail chains in history into the ground.
Well it's good to see they admit they got it wrong. But two fairly large errors recently, and being rescinded, suggests a lack of strong direction and leadership to me.
Whether it was Apple not telling Browett what they wanted, or whether he mistook it. Lack of clear communications within the company anyway.
Whether it was Apple not telling Browett what they wanted, or whether he mistook it. Lack of clear communications within the company anyway.
I doubt these guys mind being laid off - they'll find work in no time, or start their own multi-million dollar companies, or invent amazing new things for the betterment of humanity... They are "Geniuses" after all.
Risco
macrumors 68000
Yeah Steve really had the staff at heart , he always paid share dividends and never screwed his best friend and of course there was Pixar....
faroZ06
macrumors 68040
They're clearly just backing out of whatever the media notices. I actually wanted them to drop out of EPEAT, which is apparently outdated.
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I thought that before, but the 4" iPhone will not work with many accessories anyway due to the size, so Apple might as well change the Dock Connector too. The smaller one frees up internal space.
Technarchy
macrumors 604
I have no confidence in John Browett
He strikes me as your typical MBA, middle manager, slash and burn, corporate scumbag.
He's exactly John Scully 2.
Everything you need to know is right here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNcaMqiD64g
So when Apple employees start harassing you, remember, they've been told "Service is selling".
Remember they've been ordered to "overcome objections"
WTF! Overcome objections!? At Apple. No way in hell I will tolerate that. I'd rather get all my Apple stuff from Best Buy, Walmart and Target.
What on Earth is Tim Cook thinking with this guy?
He strikes me as your typical MBA, middle manager, slash and burn, corporate scumbag.
He's exactly John Scully 2.
Everything you need to know is right here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNcaMqiD64g
So when Apple employees start harassing you, remember, they've been told "Service is selling".
Remember they've been ordered to "overcome objections"
WTF! Overcome objections!? At Apple. No way in hell I will tolerate that. I'd rather get all my Apple stuff from Best Buy, Walmart and Target.
What on Earth is Tim Cook thinking with this guy?
Rocketman
macrumors 603
At minimum we know there are some substantial changes "after Steve". Some like EPEAT was a conscious choice with considerable industrial and institutional blast back.
The employee thing might be some algorithmic error.
In any case they are also realigning the retail stores to have a less PC and more tablet focus too.
I went to a major new enlarged Apple store and asked if any computer in the whole store had two monitors hooked to it so I could see how the Lion control panel dealt with it and they said no.
I would expect to see increased reliance on non-store channels for initial purchase and delivery and use of stores for personal sales and service.
Rocketman
The employee thing might be some algorithmic error.
In any case they are also realigning the retail stores to have a less PC and more tablet focus too.
I went to a major new enlarged Apple store and asked if any computer in the whole store had two monitors hooked to it so I could see how the Lion control panel dealt with it and they said no.
I would expect to see increased reliance on non-store channels for initial purchase and delivery and use of stores for personal sales and service.
Rocketman
experiments
I think the unfortunate reality here is that with Steve gone, forces in the company have taken a few stabs at "traditional corporate management practices."
Note to Apple: Those forces need to be squashed. The country (and the world for that matter) is littered with failed companies due to traditional bean-counter mentality. Apple itself nearly died once due to that issue. Don't let it happen again.
Wik: No single strategy (one size fits all) is going to be optimal for each retail location. You need some flexibility for the local management.
Also wik: If you want to experiment, maybe you should try to slice Samesung entirely out of the supply chain.
Also, also wik: Bold experiments (like the iPhone) are what count, not pencil pushing low level staff (the face of the company) around.
I think the unfortunate reality here is that with Steve gone, forces in the company have taken a few stabs at "traditional corporate management practices."
Note to Apple: Those forces need to be squashed. The country (and the world for that matter) is littered with failed companies due to traditional bean-counter mentality. Apple itself nearly died once due to that issue. Don't let it happen again.
Wik: No single strategy (one size fits all) is going to be optimal for each retail location. You need some flexibility for the local management.
Also wik: If you want to experiment, maybe you should try to slice Samesung entirely out of the supply chain.
Also, also wik: Bold experiments (like the iPhone) are what count, not pencil pushing low level staff (the face of the company) around.
This seems to be a problem of many big companies, they hire guys who fail elsewhere but have a good CV of big names. It doesn't matter if they suck they seem to ignore it and go "ooh, he worked for Tesco, Dixon's, big names! He has a Cambridge degree... Shiny... Hire him!" These unflushable turd directors float from one big company to another leaving them in a worse state than when they started yet no-one hiring seems to notice it.
Having worked in HR before, I can totally see this...
Apple decides to shift hours, thereby reducing hours for some staff members. At the same time a few other employees were terminated because they just weren't working out. Those few, now most likely unhappy, former employees see what has happened to them and see the reduced hours for others, and they sound the alarm about "mass layoffs." The hyper-sensitive media, especially when it comes to anything Apple, takes the word of a few former employees and runs with it.
There you have the situation we find ourselves in today. Apple tried a new scheduling process that didn't work and a few employees were terminated, which may or may not have had anything to do with the revised schedules.
Apple decides to shift hours, thereby reducing hours for some staff members. At the same time a few other employees were terminated because they just weren't working out. Those few, now most likely unhappy, former employees see what has happened to them and see the reduced hours for others, and they sound the alarm about "mass layoffs." The hyper-sensitive media, especially when it comes to anything Apple, takes the word of a few former employees and runs with it.
There you have the situation we find ourselves in today. Apple tried a new scheduling process that didn't work and a few employees were terminated, which may or may not have had anything to do with the revised schedules.
Westside guy
macrumors 604
Xian Zhu Xuande
macrumors 6502a
Excuse? I'd rather hear a sincere 'we made a mistake' than some kind of excuse.