When a customer schedules an appointment online, they should have the option to answer a few quick questions related to Apple products that gives them a score for their familiarity with the hardware and software. This can be used for the employee's benefit in properly communicating with customers and saving everyone time when the customer comes to the store. When talking to some Apple employees, I feel like the first few minutes are the employees trying to feel me out for what I already know and me trying to make clear that I'm not a computing novice or a recent Windows or Android switcher. It's not only inefficient, it can also be awkward.
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Apple Stores to Adjust Genius Bar Appointments, Set to Train Employees on New Initiative
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Warranty Check
"...What they really need to do is set it so that you put in your serial and find out your warranty status from the get go"
You already can. Go to http://www.apple.com/support/ bottom left of the page is a link to "check service and support coverage" click the link and type in your serial number in the box for either your mobile device or computer. It will tell you if you have Applecare for your Mac or Applecare + for your mobile device as well as when your warranty expires.
"...What they really need to do is set it so that you put in your serial and find out your warranty status from the get go"
You already can. Go to http://www.apple.com/support/ bottom left of the page is a link to "check service and support coverage" click the link and type in your serial number in the box for either your mobile device or computer. It will tell you if you have Applecare for your Mac or Applecare + for your mobile device as well as when your warranty expires.
Genius Bar is OK by me
My experiences with the Genius Bar have always been positive. Staffers are friendly, courteous and well trained. On occasion there may have been a slight delay. I allow for that in my schedule. I'm always willing to be patient when I receive good service.
I understand waiting can be frustrating. The delay is usually because the person ahead of me has more questions or needs the Genius to explain things one more time.
My experiences with the Genius Bar have always been positive. Staffers are friendly, courteous and well trained. On occasion there may have been a slight delay. I allow for that in my schedule. I'm always willing to be patient when I receive good service.
I understand waiting can be frustrating. The delay is usually because the person ahead of me has more questions or needs the Genius to explain things one more time.
No one doing real, serious, hardcore business sales is buying from an Apple Retail Store as anything but a convenience. Bringing them in-line with the rest of retail is a good thing, removing the ridiculous sense of self-importance most Apple Retail Business Team members have - and I say this as someone who was one - you're still a retail drone. If you were good at B2B, you'd be working in B2B for real and not "as needed" at a retail store.
How many times have you had to have an appointment?? Sounds like the new system will fix your ahh. Complaint.
Let me get this straight, you're bothered that it takes less than an hour to replace, activate and restore a phone?
If you were working with any other company, you would be on hold, speaking to someone halfway around the world, and waiting 3-5 business days for a refurbished phone. Then calling back to activate. And considering the fact that you assume there no legal or systematic paperwork to be filled out, you're obviously not going to be bright enough to restore the phone yourself. So you'll end up back in the apple store asking for someone to walk you through a process you could have done on your own.
Oh, and if you don't like going to the apple store, then call their customer support and get the phone mailed to you.
The worst part is, I don't feel sorry for you. I feel sorry for the genius that got stuck working with you for an hour.
It was at University and it was in my back pocket and fell out when I was uhh... about to do my business. Not 110% my fault. Accidents happen.
You probably didn't see my post below my first post - no worries.
My phone had water damage, not something I could fix myself.No, I paid whatever the replacement fee was... $299 + tax? I made the mistake so I should pay to have my mistake corrected.
I came in 5 mins early to check in. I don't mind waiting for 5 mins. The problem is when your appt is for 5:30 and they don't get to you until 5:45 or sometimes later. I think anyone would get upset. I'm not some arse who is gonna fume in a corner while he's waiting and take my anger out on some poor kid working the genius bar. I'm just a very punctual person.
For iPhone repairs/replacements? Maybe three? one water damage (my fault, yes), one defective sleep/wake button and once where the screen became "un-laminated" (Apple Genius word usage)How many times have you had to have an appointment?? Sounds like the new system will fix your ahh. Complaint.
I'm mostly annoyed that the genius bar always runs late. If you have an appt for a specific time and they constantly run 20 mins late, anyone would get annoyed.
I'm actually a nice, patient person. I've worked in customer service for 9 years so I know what it's like. I'm not gonna scream and shout at the poor kid fixing/replacing my Apple product and demand free ****/discounts because I know they're overworked. The main point I was attempting to make was that if you make an appt, people - in this case companies - should at least try to be punctual. As they say in the Navy - "If you're on time you're late, if you're early you're on time."
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I have to agree with Prof. The last couple of times I've had an appointment I ended up waiting 10-15 minutes beyond my appointment due to walk-ins. I happened to be within earshot both times. The walk-ins had a "quick question" about their new devices. End up taking up a genius' time that should been an appointment. Worst part is, some quick googling would have answered their question from the comfort of their home. Anytime I tried to see a genius on walk-in I was told to make an appointment. I get they don't want to discourage new customers, but don't tie up already overbooked geniuses for your existing, waiting customers that had an appointment already.
Have you guys never been to a doctor before? Or a hairdresser? Have they ever seen you a little bit late? They reserve 15 minute sessions but some things go on longer, some things go on shorter. The reason you book in is so everyone doesn't just show up at lunch time. Having to wait a few minutes (even a few 10s of minutes) is normal!
And those 4 people you saw your genius with? Those are the 4 people booked in front of you! Not four people that the genius chose to see INSTEAD, as some people seem to want to make out.
Some interactions are easy for them. "Oh you liquid damaged your iPhone? $329". Some are harder. The customer doesn't know their appleID, they are unable to check for a backup, they dispute some third party repair, there is debate, they have to talk to a manager, they have to CS-Code it (customer satisfaction code), there is paper work, wiping the old device, some snide remark, and several "oh just one quick question".
Add on to that that if someone calls in sick (which for a large Family Room team the odds are high) someone else needs to pick up that set of reservations (and where is that person pulled from? Repairs? Open Training for the one to one members? Hope that there is a Red Zoner that happens to have mobile genius access?
Not to mention that 1/3rd of reservations are no-shows. So how do they balance between wanting to maximise the amount of sessions in the family room, whilst not screwing themselves over on those random occasions that everyone shows up?
Guys, the point is stop looking at it from such a microscopic view point and start looking at it as a whole. If you can think of suggestions on how they can improve it, put it on your NPS form (customer survey). Just make sure that it can be implemented Family Room wide, and not just about your own single interaction.
And those 4 people you saw your genius with? Those are the 4 people booked in front of you! Not four people that the genius chose to see INSTEAD, as some people seem to want to make out.
Some interactions are easy for them. "Oh you liquid damaged your iPhone? $329". Some are harder. The customer doesn't know their appleID, they are unable to check for a backup, they dispute some third party repair, there is debate, they have to talk to a manager, they have to CS-Code it (customer satisfaction code), there is paper work, wiping the old device, some snide remark, and several "oh just one quick question".
Add on to that that if someone calls in sick (which for a large Family Room team the odds are high) someone else needs to pick up that set of reservations (and where is that person pulled from? Repairs? Open Training for the one to one members? Hope that there is a Red Zoner that happens to have mobile genius access?
Not to mention that 1/3rd of reservations are no-shows. So how do they balance between wanting to maximise the amount of sessions in the family room, whilst not screwing themselves over on those random occasions that everyone shows up?
Guys, the point is stop looking at it from such a microscopic view point and start looking at it as a whole. If you can think of suggestions on how they can improve it, put it on your NPS form (customer survey). Just make sure that it can be implemented Family Room wide, and not just about your own single interaction.
LOOK OUT WE GOT A NICE GUY OVER HERE
I can't ever get mad when I see someone 8 minutes after I get there. Maybe it's because I always seem to be sitting next to Granny Blythe that can't remember her password... Or entitled brats like you that feel the need to drag out their appointment by arguing why they should be getting their new phone for free.
Warranty status is available online, as mentioned. Also it's not that hard to remember, broadly, how long you've owned your machine and then match that up with the kind of warranty production you have; 1 (std), 2(w/ CC ext. warranty), or max 3 years (AC).
Not all issues require service though. Most consumers don't know if a problem is h/w or s/w related. Geniuses will still help off-warranty customers w/ OS or Apple product s/w issues.
Even if someone comes in b/c they forgot their Yahoo p/w. Having someone show them how to retrieve it with Safari = good PR and happy customer that talks to others about their great experience w/ Apple. Bet not to many talk about a great experience with Microsoft.
Apple stores have always been about the consumer experience. Broward kind of screwed that up a bit which it why it needs fixing.
I would 100% be down with answering questions about my situation when booking a reservation online beforehand. But then you get dickwads that put up a fit when they find out they need to actually tell Apple they're going to be there (have definitely heard in real life). And then dickwads that say "WHY IS IT SO HARD TO JUST ASK A QUESTION ABOUT MY ROADRUNNER EMAIL" (have definitely also heard in real life). Everyone will be pissy no matter what.
The sad thing is, I've only been to the Genius Bar twice. The reason I'll be trying to not go back is strictly the hellish customers these poor people need to deal with every day.. Not because of an 8 minute wait time.
The sad thing is, I've only been to the Genius Bar twice. The reason I'll be trying to not go back is strictly the hellish customers these poor people need to deal with every day.. Not because of an 8 minute wait time.
May be...
May be they should allow non-Genius staff to do certain things like swapping broken phones when the customer is willing to pay the repair fee.
It's ridiculous that you have to set appointments at the Genius Bar for things like this, that require no technical knowledge.
That would alleviate the queues at the Genius Bar and employ the legion of other people at Apple Stores more efficiently IMO.
May be they should allow non-Genius staff to do certain things like swapping broken phones when the customer is willing to pay the repair fee.
It's ridiculous that you have to set appointments at the Genius Bar for things like this, that require no technical knowledge.
That would alleviate the queues at the Genius Bar and employ the legion of other people at Apple Stores more efficiently IMO.
In my experience, the Business Team members support is focused on small businesses that would not be worthwhile for a B2B to deal with. Sure, companies dropping 100's of thousands on Apple stuff are worth it but the 3K/year company isn't. Apple BT members provide an easy way to reach those customers while keeping costs in line since they can help other customers as needed.
So here's my question to you? What, if any, training does Apple provide BT members on using Apple products for business?
is she responsible for the pouncing I just experienced today?
In the door greeted = fine
Walk to product/accesory and pick it up, pounced on by blue smurf = not fine
I kid you not I had literally picked it up. Why wasn't I given time to read the label and discover the product myself? why was I forced to deal with a smurf?
really felt like being in dixons/currys with the on commission vultures. Not a very pleasant experience at all.
Locations vary
Customer experiences may vary from store to store. My Genius Bar experiences have been positive.
There was a time when stopped in Apple if I was in that shopping area and had a few minutes to spare. I went in just to browse. I always told the greeter that I was just playing around so as not to waste anyone's time.
Now I avoid the Apple store because of the sales pressure and some snarky remarks made by blue shirts who could not sell me an iPhone.
I posted about this to a thread a few weeks ago. I was called an unemployable liar who spends excessive time at Apple for a lack of anything else to occupy my time.
Let's give the poster the benefit of the doubt. Apple is not perfect. I no longer recommend Apple store to friends. I'm not able to do that because of the behavior of some staffers in the sales area.
All locations are not exactly alike.
Customer experiences may vary from store to store. My Genius Bar experiences have been positive.
There was a time when stopped in Apple if I was in that shopping area and had a few minutes to spare. I went in just to browse. I always told the greeter that I was just playing around so as not to waste anyone's time.
Now I avoid the Apple store because of the sales pressure and some snarky remarks made by blue shirts who could not sell me an iPhone.
I posted about this to a thread a few weeks ago. I was called an unemployable liar who spends excessive time at Apple for a lack of anything else to occupy my time.
Let's give the poster the benefit of the doubt. Apple is not perfect. I no longer recommend Apple store to friends. I'm not able to do that because of the behavior of some staffers in the sales area.
All locations are not exactly alike.
Is it better at the Samsung store? Nah, but it's probably better at the HTC store. I hear it's definitely quicker at the Motorola store.
Are you going to walk up to Jony Ive and tell him how unprofessional he looks because he wears t-shirts? Lol
If you read my subsequent post you would have found out that I paid the replacement fee (north of $300). I have never ever argued to get something for free. Ever. And I am certainly not an "entitled brat".
Apple just continues to sweat the small details to ensure they delight everyone who enters one of its stores.
I was actually only sort of kidding. It was a joke, because you used as your example in getting numerous phones replaced that you "dropped it in the toilet."
But another poster got it right. These changes look to specifically address the issue you have experienced. If the appts are set up with realistic times then they won't overbook, because they'll have allowed the proper amount of time per appt.
My only reservation (pardon the pun) about all of it is trusting users to accurately estimate the amount of time necassary. I see some saying, "My problem is minor, and will only take 5 minutes." When it's actually a much more complex problem. I also see people building an hour into a process that only takes 15 minutes, thereby severely reducing the number of available appts for the rest of us.
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But he does look unprofessional. He gets away with it because he's a design God. If he walked into my place of business dressed like that looking for a job the interview wouldn't last long enough for his seat to get warm.
But the t-shirts work at the Apple Store. They say, "I'm a tech geek working in retail." No "fake" professionalism like you see in some electronics stores, where the staff is wearing cheap dress shirts and wash & wear ties, and are mindless idiots.
It's available, but there is no requirement to put in a serial to book an appointment. So many folks don't check and don't know that they are out of warranty. Nor do they have a clue that their toilet phone will cost $200+ to get replaced. Nor are they flat out told that their data must be backed up before they arrive or they will lose it, etc.
If these things were brought up before they could even book an appointment a lot of the long ass appointments wouldn't be an issue. Another big chunk could be removed from the system if they were required to do a diagnostic before they could book and be told that their battery won't be repaired cause there is nothing wrong with it and so on. Or if they were told that the genius bar isn't the place to get a class on how to use your stuff and so on
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That is tied to the fact that they limit access to that system to reduce fraud etc. After all if Willy the Sales Specialist has access to the warranty support system to swap "Physical Damage" phones what's to stop him from hooking up his buddies that want a pretty clean phone with a new battery to sell on eBay or whatever.
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What constitutes "Professional" appearance is as varied and vast as what constitutes "real work". Ballmer and company would try to tell you that 'real work' means using Microsoft Office but I rarely to never touch any office type apps and I do a hell of a work of very real work. And I am totally a professional even though 90% of the time that work is done in a tee and a pair of cargos.
What he wears has no bearing on his mental prowess same as whether who he screws has a penis or a vagina (or even which he has).