Apple Names John Browett as New Senior Vice President of Retail

[KPTChristopher]

Dixons

Dixons Group is generally considered to be not a very Mac friendly place. For example my local one has the display Macs with a password protected screen saver so you can't use them. I have heard people being told there is no software for Macs and to buy a PC.
I was in PC World a couple of months after Snow Leopard was released I over heard a man in the Mac area asking for Snow Leopard and he wandered off with a sales assistant. When the sales assistant reappeared I asked if they had Snow Leopard in stock and was told no. I asked when they would have it in stock and was told it wasn't the sort of thing they would stock. So two lost sales in one day. I ended up ordering it from Apple directly.
As for John Lewis I was in the Cambridge store with a friend a few years back and he asked some question about a plasma TV and the guy admitted he didn't know the answer but he would get someone who did to call and took my friend's phone number and the next day some from John Lewis rang to explain it to him.

 

[Veinticinco]

I'm bemused that the UK readers are so short-sighted that they believe that because Browett has been running one type of business with its own game plan that is so incapable of managing another style of retail operation like Apple's! He's not a Dixons drone, he's clearly a very wise businessman!

I can safely say that while John Lewis' business is great, their reps (at least in the technology/TV sections) are no better than Comet or DSGi.

Not a drone? He WAS Mr Dixon's. The CEO. The man responsible for the strategy and implementation of a business model both reviled and unsuccessful. And before that, at Tesco, the Walmart of the UK, and a retail experience that is about as low-rent and depressing as it gets.

As for JL's techies, my own experience differs greatly. Admittedly they have to cover a huge turnover of product and are often lacking proper expertise, but the big difference is that unlike DSG, if they don't know something they admit to it or find a colleague who does. Call me old-fashioned but I kind of respect that honesty and sincerity over the thinly-veiled fraud/con-artistry championed at Dixons under Browett's direction.

 

[Bobbytoad]

The Dixons Stores Group is a complete calamity. This is an astonishingly poor appointment.

Probably has something to do with his amazing record http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12906017 - Dixons Retail shares plunge 20% on profit warning

the only thing DSG are good at a re selling accessories that you don't need ad extended warranties that offer no cover

 

[codo]

I don't know this guy from Adam but I do know that shopping at Currys and PC World is just a horrible, horrible, experience. Dixons Retail have probably pushed thousands of customers into Apple's hands over the years - an Apple Store vs PC World/Currys is like night and day!

However, I'm sure this chap is awfully clever, and Apple really do have a proven formula - so good luck to the guy!

 

[KPOM]

Not a drone? He WAS Mr Dixon's. The CEO. The man responsible for the strategy and implementation of a business model both reviled and unsuccessful. And before that, at Tesco, the Walmart of the UK, and a retail experience that is about as low-rent and depressing as it gets.

Here's another take on it from Marketwatch.

Tesco successfully held off Wal-Mart, who made a big push in the 2000s after acquiring Asda. Dixons is in the middle of a turnaround, and apparently scored some exclusive deals with Apple in the past.

 

[Coltaine]

The more I read about this guy and which kind of business he comes from, the more dubious it gets.

In the end, the guys at Apple must have thought something, when they hired him.

It seems like we may have to get used to the thought that the "magical era" of Apple ended on October 5th 2011.
The time leading from 1997 up to 2011 has been really cool.
I highly doubt, though, that Steve's spirit can be transported into the future. Let the corporate guys take over and Apple will end again where it was during the mid-90s.

Would be cool, if Steve's youngest daughter would take over at some point of time in the future. What we read from his biography, according to Steve, she has the strongest will of any kid and was successfully bargaining with her father.
Just imagine, she'd be there in ten years time following the vision of her father and pulling the company out of the crap they've gotten themselves into.

 

[Zaqfalcon]

I hope this leads to an 'Apple users dismayed by appointment' article here on Macrumors. Apple may prick up their ears a little.

 

[MacMan07]

I'd like to think that Apple know what they're doing but this does seem a bizarre appointment.

The Dixons Group companies are the first stores people think of when they think of bad customer experience - the shockingly poor product knowledge of sales assistants, extreme hard sell tactics, high prices in comparison with rivals, pushing of known-to-be-soon-obsolete stock onto those who don't know any better... In fact, many blogs actually frequently reference Dixons when people complain about Apple Stores as an example of how "it could be worse"!

There is the argument that if they're so bad, how is it that they came to be the dominant electrical retailer on the UK high street? This is a good question but therein lies the irony - Browett has just guided Dixons to one of the worst performances in their history in a time when they have little competition!

I actually read an article today in the Guardian that credits him with "turning round Dixons' poor record of customer service". I don't know where that reporter got their facts - it's worse than ever! I sincerely hope this guys doesn't bring to Apple the "Jack of all trades, master of none" ethos that is the main problem with Dixons.

 

[Glideslope]

I wonder if they will make him work on fake Apple Stores first, to see if he can be trusted..

Tim Cook: Hi John, welcome at Apple. Here's our plan for a new store in Ulan Bator. Please take a look at it and tell us what you think.

John Browett:

ROFLMAO. Well Done.

----------

I'd like to think that Apple know what they're doing but this does seem a bizarre appointment.

The Dixons Group companies are the first stores people think of when they think of bad customer experience - the shockingly poor product knowledge of sales assistants, extreme hard sell tactics, high prices in comparison with rivals, pushing of known-to-be-soon-obsolete stock onto those who don't know any better... In fact, many blogs actually frequently reference Dixons when people complain about Apple Stores as an example of how "it could be worse"!

There is the argument that if they're so bad, how is it that they came to be the dominant electrical retailer on the UK high street? This is a good question but therein lies the irony - Browett has just guided Dixons to one of the worst performances in their history in a time when they have little competition!

I actually read an article today in the Guardian that credits him with "turning round Dixons' poor record of customer service". I don't know where that reporter got their facts - it's worse than ever! I sincerely hope this guys doesn't bring to Apple the "Jack of all trades, master of none" ethos that is the main problem with Dixons.

Just give it up. He has jumped The Pond. Your loss.

----------

The European Jealousy with the loss is unprecedented in here.

Tim knows what he is doing. As does John. The EU is dying. Time to work for the Yanks.

 

[GrayUK]

Not good news

Hope this goes well for apple, Ron was fantastic at what he did.....

Dixons the last time i went in was an poorly competitive old shop, with a dreadfull decor and no investment in any of the stores, poor random selection of goods.
Clueless staff whose knowledge extended to reading what was on the card in front of the product.........
Over zealous staff trying to sell an extended warranty with everything, years ago i bought a phone from there and the extended guarantee was a few pound off the cost of a new one?!?

Rebranded to currys digital with the same clueless staff employed where most if not all customers going in there know more than they do.

Shocking retail experience, long live internet shopping where you don't have to intereact with these types of shops, and now I have all Apple gear I don't have to. Apple shop or other electronics purely online for me.

Gray

 

[codo]

The European Jealousy with the loss is unprecedented in here.

Tim knows what he is doing. As does John. The EU is dying. Time to work for the Yanks.

I think most people were just recounting their (not so good) experiences of the company Browett used to work for - presumably something you cannot do because you have not been to a Dixons Retail store in Europe?

I really hate it when things turn into EU vs USA or whatever, it is completely unnecessary. Apple is a global company with global talent.


But just FYI whilst we're doing this...

The EU has some MAJOR financial problems to overcome, but your arrogance is pretty annoying. According to Standard & Poor's, Government Bonds from the UK, Sweden, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Finland, Denmark and Germany are all lower risk than those from the United States. The USA also has a higher debt to GDP ratio than the EU average (in fact as do all EU countries, other than Greece and Italy!)

 

[vstephenson]

As someone previously said...most posts missing the point.

Apple's retail strategy is a point of difference so distinct it's not to be screwed with. John's job will be to look for more efficient operating opportunities supporting an expansion/growth strategy (from boutique retail to global standard operation, a leveraging of scale and a cohesive and complimentary multi channel strategy.

As someone who has met and worked with the guy, I can attest to his intelligence, no worries there.

As for DSG, Aabsolutely horrendous retail experience, can only imagine he had quite a few issues getting the investment needed to turn hat around. I expect there were oher priorities. I think DSG needs a healthy skills mix of Dumbledore and Mr Benn to turn that mess around.

Good luck John, but speaking as a fanboi, please don't f it up

 

[old-wiz]

I've been to Dixons stores in the UK, and I would hate to see the Apple Retail stores turn into such an awful mess. I shudder at the thought of changes at the Apple stores brought on by Browett. Apple Stores are a lot of the reason I switched to Apple - genius support, try in store before you buy, clean and well lit, helpful staff, no wasting time going through phone hell to reach a human, great products, etc.

 

[davidoloan]

Apparently he "is widely remembered and credited for building up their then-nascent online operations between 2000 and 2004" referring to Tesco's.

I hate the supermarket and used the online Tesco shopping from its earliest days. It is very good. Tesco were the first to do it in the UK and they did it pretty well. A fleet of Vans, reliable delivery times, friendly drivers, items 99% always delivered or an alternative offered and fruit and vegetables were usually the ones you might have picked out yourself. This service was set up from scratch.

It would be very surprising if Apple did not know how bad Dixon's, Curry's etc are. So I am guessing we will find there is much more substance to him.

However, Curry's is still shockingly bad. How hard would it be to to make sure from a management level that every TV has a HD demonstration video playing properly in every store. Instead half of them are off, most of the rest seem to have a poor quality analogue signal divided among 50 TV's. A very few seem to have a blu ray player attached which might be playing something.

I have bought 3 TV's over the past 2 years and these stores are the only place I can see them in operation. So I have gone and looked and left, not having the slightest clue what the TV's are capable of. In all three cases I relied on online reviews and bought them from Amazon.

 

[Billywiz1307]

Hey guys, I've just heard a rumour that Apple are headhunting Fred Goodwin to head up their accounts department

 

[GrayUK]

Hey guys, I've just heard a rumour that Apple are headhunting Fred Goodwin to head up their accounts department

That $100 billion will be gone before you know it. hahaha

 

[akjs2396]

This topic has drawn some of the most ill informed ludicrous comments i've seen in a long time.

You can't compare a Apple store to any in DSG, there is frankly no similarity other than the fact that they both operate retail stores.

Look at the facts. DSG, sell thousands of different product lines in every store they operate, none of which are specific to any particular product line. Given such a wide product lineup it's really hard to ensure that sales staff are trained in all the features of every TV, every DVD, every Blu-ray etc. Apple staff generally speaking are selling a smaller lineup and, because most of the high ticket items all run basically the same system, OS X, iOS, already know how it works.

The sales staff earn a very basic salary and are paid commission based on their sales turnover. Apple retail staff receive no commission for sales. There is a reason customer service is so great in an Apple store, the staff have 'time' to talk to you, there is no pressure to sell you something. In a DSG store, or most other electrical retailers that isn't the case, they are there to sell, it's their job and livelihood.

I'd also be willing to bet that 99% of the staff in an Apple store are enthused about the product(s) they are helping customers with.

As a former Dixons then Curry's manager for 4 years, yes Dixons it was 12 years ago, I can tell you that the pressure exerted on the store management and sales staff from up above was frankly extreme and i'm sure Apple store managers are pressurised also.

The key difference however is simple, Apple stores sell items that are desirable, people want them, they strive to own and iPhone or an iPad or a MacBook Pro, hell I own all 3 and more, but we as consumers know what we are buying when we pay for them, generally speaking. You walk into a DSG store, or any other electrical retailer for that matter, they sell all sorts of products, cheap DVD players that the customer can just afford, they would rather have the Sony model than the generic brown box but cant afford it, the sales person would rather they bought the higher price item for his commission and 30mins of time but they don'd have the cash.

You can't run a business like DSG or Comet or any other generic store like an Apple store, there is nothing to bring people into the shop in the same way.

Browett knows a lot about retail, it's slightly unfair to look at financial results where the full facts aren't available to analyse line by line, DSG have a lot of property where the rents are through the roof making what could be a profitable store a loss maker and before people start saying they should move, it's not always that easy where you have agreed into a long lease on a unit.

Apple have a store model that works and they won't make any overnight significant changes to that, but what may been seen is store assistants starting to 'offer' the customer more additional items/consumables to go with their purchase. A bag to go with their MBP, spare batteries for their wireless keyboard etc, the margins on these extras are exceedingly high.

Anyway, what i'm trying to say is don't write off his appointment based on ill informed and uneducated/unreasoned arguments.

'1 Last Thing' @ Glideslope. The EU is dying? Fiscal policy in the US is a major joke, unemployment is through the roof and congress is so busy trying to get one over on the other guy that you guy's cant get anything done easily or efficiently. And BTW, i'm not knocking all americans, i Love the US and frequent often, what i can't stand is smug arrogant smart ass Yanks that think they rule the world!

 

[the8thark]

A UK head of retail for Apple? Hopefully this bucking means Ireland will finally gets a store, or nine.

So maybe he'll become mates with Johnny Ive. Since they're both from the UK and all.

----------

It seems like we may have to get used to the thought that the "magical era" of Apple ended on October 5th 2011.

No No and No.
The magical era starts now. The father of Apple has moved on. We have new people coming and going, we don't know what the future will bring. It is so very exciting. And so many opportunities to build on all the work done 1997-2011.

Apple are fully aware of the "don't **** up the work Jobs did" mantra. So they'll do their best to take the company forward in the right direction. Actually I'm more excited about Apple now then I ever was when Steve was in power.

Though I'll miss the Stevenotes. That man just had an aura about him. A total ******* but when he entered the room he meant business and you knew it. People even felt it when watching the Stevenotes.

 

[davidoloan]

This topic has drawn some of the most ill informed ludicrous comments i've seen in a long time.


Look at the facts. DSG, sell thousands of different product lines in every store they operate, none of which are specific to any particular product line. Given such a wide product lineup it's really hard to ensure that sales staff are trained in all the features of every TV, every DVD, every Blu-ray etc. Apple staff generally speaking are selling a smaller lineup and, because most of the high ticket items all run basically the same system, OS X, iOS, already know how it works.

The sales staff earn a very basic salary and are paid commission based on their sales turnover. Apple retail staff receive no commission for sales. There is a reason customer service is so great in an Apple store, the staff have 'time' to talk to you, there is no pressure to sell you something. In a DSG store, or most other electrical retailers that isn't the case, they are there to sell, it's their job and livelihood.

You can't run a business like DSG or Comet or any other generic store like an Apple store, there is nothing to bring people into the shop in the same way

You could be very selective about the quality of your products so the the shop wasn't half full of rubbish, and you could present them in a professional manner.

The company is also responsible for the morale of its employees and how they are trained and what they pressure you to purchase.

 

[SwissMac2]

For all those Americans who don't know what a 2:2 degree is (the one Browett has) it's about the same as a Grade Point Average of 4.0 to 4.9. So, nothing special there then.

He blames the failure to improve Dixons numbers on the recession, which is a bit like the UK government blaming the recession on the Royal Wedding (which they did do last year). Thing is, he was in charge of Dixons for five years, the recession was only recent and Dixons has been the same for years.

According to the piece in The Guardian on him, he left Tescos because he was passed over for leadership by someone else and took umbrage. Was the other person better than him? Does that mean he's as good as Nokia's Elop?

As for knowing Europe, nobody in UK retailing understands European retailing, which is why no UK retailer has ever made a success in Europe, UK skills suit the UK which is pretty unique and certainly not part of Europe mentally.

As for electrical stores that do offer good advice and knowledgable personnel, German company Media Markt's operations in Switzerland are first rate IMO.

I have to laugh at the childish mentality of those who say anyone who criticises the decision, or talks badly about Dixons, doesn't know what they are talking about! ROFLMAO! Such people have clearly never been to any DSG store!

Now, I'm prepared to accept that Browett knows a thing or two about the competition in Europe, where the best shopping spaces are, which malls to go to and which not, but please Apple do NOT let him get hold of the sales training manuals, courses or product knowledge teaching; nor the pricing, stocking and product selection; nor the recruitment of personnel. Maybe he should have been picked to go into the property management team instead?

Whatever, I suspect Apple's cash pile will be reducing in the near future. Perhaps from European purchases - which will be why the Guardian says they like him.

 

[mandis]

Interesting how Apple have appointed the head of Dixons retail - a company famed for shoddy customer service, flogging insurance and deliberately misleading people into buying the wrong things for their needs. I'm surpised at who they think will best represent their retail branding and sales...

 

[Glideslope]

But just FYI whilst we're doing this...

The EU has some MAJOR financial problems to overcome, but your arrogance is pretty annoying. According to Standard & Poor's, Government Bonds from the UK, Sweden, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Finland, Denmark and Germany are all lower risk than those from the United States. The USA also has a higher debt to GDP ratio than the EU average (in fact as do all EU countries, other than Greece and Italy!)

Yes, I can be arrogant. Put me on your ignore list. The British Media never pass up an opportunity to bash Apple. Nor is it Apple's fault your Govt holds so much US Debt. It's Apple's fault Jon Ives is being held hostage in the US you know.

You mentioned 7 of the 18 EU Nation States. Care to share the S&P on the other 11? Thought not.

John was not hired to expand the US Retail Operation. He was hired to expand Apple's footprint in Europe. He has very good relations with EU regulators.

As far as the Guardian, APPL should simply buy it and sell it to the Chinese.

 

[Zxxv]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A406 Safari/7534.48.3)

What a weird attitude. No one here cares if some uk guy goes to work for apple. Not in the way your suggesting. We all like apple products so if a uk guy or gal goes and works for apple and makes the company better then we all win.

Your US hostage thing is hilariously weird

 

[justperry]

But just FYI whilst we're doing this...

The EU has some MAJOR financial problems to overcome, but your arrogance is pretty annoying. According to Standard & Poor's, Government Bonds from the UK, Sweden, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Finland, Denmark and Germany are all lower risk than those from the United States. The USA also has a higher debt to GDP ratio than the EU average (in fact as do all EU countries, other than Greece and Italy!)

Yes, I can be arrogant. Put me on your ignore list. The British Media never pass up an opportunity to bash Apple. Nor is it Apple's fault your Govt holds so much US Debt. It's Apple's fault Jon Ives is being held hostage in the US you know.

You mentioned 7 of the 18 EU Nation States. Care to share the S&P on the other 11? Thought not.

John was not hired to expand the US Retail Operation. He was hired to expand Apple's footprint in Europe. He has very good relations with EU regulators.

As far as the Guardian, APPL should simply buy it and sell it to the Chinese.

Do your homework
First it's 17 Euro Zone countries, not 18.
He already said only two of them have worse government debt to GDP ratio than the US, namely Greece and Italy, Greece 142.8% and Italy 119.0%.
The US has a government debt to GDP ratio of 110%
Of the 27 Euro members all but The two mentioned above have better government debt to GDP ratio than the US.
The average government debt to GDP ratio of all members of the EU is just above 80%

Put Your arrogance aside, this is NOT an EU versus US topic.
And, know Your roots, most US citizens are descendants from Europe, without Europe you wouldn't even be there.

Back on topic, lets just wait and see and evaluate his performance for a couple of years.

 

[hughcanbefound]

As for knowing Europe, nobody in UK retailing understands European retailing, which is why no UK retailer has ever made a success in Europe, UK skills suit the UK which is pretty unique and certainly not part of Europe mentally.

FYI, DSGi has operations in Greece under the name of Kotsovolos. Again, when I go into a Kotsovolos store I have no expectation of sales rep expertise. I go in if they happen to have a deal which beats Amazon or their main competition in Greece, Public or Plaisio.