Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Preparing Retail Employees for June In-Store Apple Watch Launch

TallManNY said:
The "born to" comment is laughably bad and obnoxious to say to a group of folks generally working retail and judging by the average age of the Apple employees I see in retail unlikely to stick with the company very long.

But let's set that aside. The hate for Angela displayed in this thread and elsewhere is kind of predictable. Basically anytime a woman gets a powerful business or political position, she is going to elicit a larger amount of hate than a man in the same role doing the same thing. She is going "rub people the wrong way". They won't be able to put their finger on it. The presentation isn't going to sit right. Something will be off. Many folks will deny that it is because she is a woman, but I've just seen this happen too many time to buy it. Women in high profile positions just become a more polarizing figure. And I think this is even more the case to the generally male online community in forums like this.

But the "born to" comment was terrible. Still it is just one snippet of one sentence. And I think Apple has a better sense than most how important the Watch release is. Not because Apple needs it to make money, but because of how disruptive it is. Anecdote, showed a co-worker my Apple Watch at the office yesterday and she literally said, "I'm thinking about buying a Rolex, but maybe I will just get one of those instead." This device is going to be a big deal.
Click to expand...

No, it's just the white knight in you ignores the attacks against men because you think they don't need you to come to their rescue.

Tim gets beat on ALL the time. The other retail guy got beat up pretty good. Mr.skuemorphic got ripped to shreds. The map guy got thrown to the wolves and people love to call Jony fat.

Seriously dude, why the gender based blinders?

What you are witnessing is the progression of women from not being treated with kid gloves and instead are subject to the same level of criticism that men are. This is one of the outcomes of gender equality and you have to accept the good with the bad.

Not many other Apple folks in power have said things like selling watches are what you were born to do. This is WAAAAY up there on the flub list so I understand how you think shes getting special attention, but it is an appropriate response for a darn dumb thing to say.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cpt. Gilgamesh, Ulenspiegel and Gary C Smucker
Wow the hate is really strong for this woman. What did she ever do to any of you to hate her so much?

And why are people taking this "born to do" comment literally? Does anyone really believe Ahrendts thinks these people were destined to be Apple retail employees all their life? It's just motivational pap. Probably not the best choice of words but I see stuff like that all the time where I work. You just roll your eyes and move on.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Rovert
phillipduran said:
Not many other Apple folks in power have said things like selling watches are what you were born to do. This is WAAAAY up there on the flub list so I understand how you think shes getting special attention, but it is an appropriate response for a darn dumb thing to say.
Click to expand...
No, it's not. I work at a Fortune 20 company and get emails and memos from executives with this stuff all the time. I've rolled my eyes many a time at some of the words executives use in these memos but I know they're usually crafted by someone in HR and I never take them that seriously.
 
MacRumors said:
In a video message sent to retail employees, the contents of which were shared by 9to5Mac, retail chief Angela Ahrendts told employees ....
Click to expand...

So, if I understand correctly, the "this what you were born to do" comment was part of a video message that was sent to Apple employees.

Perhaps AA's future communications should be vetted by someone (who has at least an ounce of sense) until she can be relied upon not to make such monumental errors of judgement?
 
  • Like
Reactions: jbachandouris
I really recoil at "this is what you were born to do"
Better options for next time --

How about...
This is what WE do

Or
This is in our DNA

This is what only Apple can do

Or better --

We all need to pitch in and make an extra effort

Or
Your hard work and dedication mean so much, but we need to give even more to make this launch successful...

Or my personal fav would have been --

To show you how much we value your hard work and dedication, Apple is giving every employee stock in the company so that you have ownership over the products you sell. That's how much we believe in you. (And then you ask for the extra effort)
 
  • Like
Reactions: phillipduran
How does in-store pickup work? Can I pay in advance and have someone else pick it up for me?
 
Rogifan said:
No, it's not. I work at a Fortune 20 company and get emails and memos from executives with this stuff all the time. I've rolled my eyes many a time at some of the words executives use in these memos but I know they're usually crafted by someone in HR and I never take them that seriously.
Click to expand...

"Not many other Apple folks in power have said things like . . ."
 
quietstormSD said:
I think Angela Ahrendts really screwed up the Apple Watch launch. Buying an Apple product at an Apple store is what customers have done and still expect to do. I think part of the reason why demand has dropped off so much after the initial rush, is because everyone realized they can't buy it at the store. The purchasing experience at the store I believe does drive a lot of demand.

So do the long lines, believe it or not. If the average person is walking down the mall and sees a massive line at the Apple Store everyday for 2 months, you know they have something everyone desires and wants and that makes you desire and want it too.
Click to expand...

I doubt the average person goes to the mall everyday for two months. :D
 
Ehh when I worked for Apple we were always fed BS about how we were changing the world. BS in the sense that it's cheesy HR speak like someone previously mentioned. Angela can't be doing any worse than that last guy in charge, never mind Apple Watch. I don't think that was necessarily her fault. However, "born to do this" is a bit much.

I think a talk needs to be had about managers in stores though. Every time I go to my local Apple Store, the employees get worse and worse in ability and care for their job.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mangchi
quietstormSD said:
I think part of the reason why demand has dropped off so much after the initial rush, is because everyone realized they can't buy it at the store. The purchasing experience at the store I believe does drive a lot of demand.
Click to expand...

I think also some people just don't know enough about it to buy it online. That sounds stupid, but most people know very, very little about the watch and probably think they have to go to Best Buy or their cell phone carrier to get it. The store is that physical outlet for people to be informed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mangchi
Cpt. Gilgamesh said:
Ehh when I worked for Apple we were always fed BS about how we were changing the world. BS in the sense that it's cheesy HR speak like someone previously mentioned. Angela can't be doing any worse than that last guy in charge, never mind Apple Watch. I don't think that was necessarily her fault. However, "born to do this" is a bit much.

I think a talk needs to be had about managers in stores though. Every time I go to my local Apple Store, the employees get worse and worse in ability and care for their job.
Click to expand...

I worked for Apple retail in the "Golden Age" pre "Grow Your Own" days. GYO is one reason Apple retail started going down hill. Instead of hiring the right people Apple managers would just GYO cheap employees, most who were yes employees, or people who had zero experience in computer tech support but were sales people, put them behind the Gbar, and then wondered why numbers were going down. Apple retail middle management is terrible. The managers push metrics and don't really care about the customer.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cpt. Gilgamesh
Mangchi said:
I worked for Apple retail in the "Golden Age" pre "Grow Your Own" days. GYO is one reason Apple retail started going down hill. Instead of hiring the right people Apple managers would just GYO cheap employees, most who were yes employees, or people who had zero experience in computer tech support but were sales people, put them behind the Gbar, and then wondered why numbers were going down. Apple retail middle management is terrible. The managers push metrics and don't really care about the customer.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I definitely think it's something in the lower level that needs to change. Employees are frustrated trying to meet impossible metrics instead of also integrating the importance of customer experience into said netrics, leading to employees who don't care or are exhausted and customers who don't see any difference between an AT&T store and an Apple Store besides the decor.

As for Angela, I hope she does a good job. I think it's a little too early to tell if she can bring life back to the stores. Ron Johnson? No way. But maybe she can do some good. I hope.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back