Awful experience buying Apple Watch in Geneva

[arubinst]

Hi there,

I reserved a SS 42mm watch this morning and went to the Geneva Apple Store to buy it. The Apple Watch "expert" who helped me didn't have a clue about the watch, the bands or anything else for that matter.

Anyone else with a similar experience?

I'm usually not the kind that rants or vents out these things, but it really felt like they had no idea what they were doing there. Here's a copy of the email I just sent to tcook@apple.com about it:

Hi Tim,

I had the worst experience at the Geneva store today while buying my Apple Watch.

I was helped by an Apple Watch “expert” who didn’t know what bands come in what sizes, wrongfully informing me that the leather loop comes in “one size fits all". As a matter of fact, he couldn’t even tell me if a band I was trying on was Medium or Large until someone else told him to look inside for the “L” or “M”. He knew basically nothing about the watch. It was like he had just heard about it for the first time in his life.

I also had to wait a long time because they had a very reduced number of demonstration boxes. They kept moving me from one table to another hopping to find one box available. The one that was used to show me the watch had several models missing. I couldn’t actually try on the one that I wanted. I was told it was not available to try.

In the end, I left the store with the watch I had originally reserved, an extra band and a really bad taste in my mouth. I turned down the assisted setup because I was afraid to loose valuable minutes of my time to people who clearly know less about the watch than I do.

Sorry for the rant, but this did not feel like a CHF 789 experience at all and certainly not up to the level I have come to expect from you guys. It was clearly a second class experience and I felt like a second class customer.

At least, the watch is nice...

Best regards,

 

[SarZ]

Rather then sending this email to Tim Cook you should send it to the manager of the Apple store where you had the bad experience
As far as I've heard Apple provides comprehensive training to all its staff and it is the managers resposibilty to make sure each person is adequately trained to do their job

 

[nebo1ss]

Why do some feel the need to send an Email to the head of a company for the slightest issue i will never understand. Does it make you feel better? Do you think Tim is going to call up the Geneva store and tell them to improve.

 

[toph2toast]

Rather then sending this email to Tim Cook you should send it to the manager of the Apple store where you had the bad experience
As far as I've heard Apple provides comprehensive training to all its staff and it is the managers resposibilty to make sure each person is adequately trained to do their job

It will most likely get passed down the necessary manager. I sincerely doubt Tim Cook will read this.

My wife had a really bad experience buying an iPhone at an Apple store a few years ago. I wrote an email to Tim Cook explaining the situation. In under a day the email had gotten passed down to the local regional manager who called me to discuss what happened.

While it sucks that it happened, Apple does care and will most likely do something about it.

EDIT - @ nebo1ss - Part of the whole Apple experience is their personal touch in stores. How are the supposed to fix a problem unless someone mentions it. I wouldn't call this nit-picking. It's just unprofessional for the employee not to be properly trained if they are the so called "expert".

 

[arubinst]

Rather then sending this email to Tim Cook you should send it to the manager of the Apple store where you had the bad experience
As far as I've heard Apple provides comprehensive training to all its staff and it is the managers resposibilty to make sure each person is adequately trained to do their job

Thank you, that sounds like a good idea.

Are these email adresses publicly available somewhere? I went to the particular store page in Apple website but there's only a phone number.

 

[arubinst]

Why do some feel the need to send an Email to the head of a company for the slightest issue i will never understand. Does it make you feel better? Do you think Tim is going to call up the Geneva store and tell them to improve.

Actually, because of this:

It will most likely get passed down the necessary manager. I sincerely doubt Tim Cook will read this.

My wife had a really bad experience buying an iPhone at an Apple store a few years ago. I wrote an email to Tim Cook explaining the situation. In under a day the email had gotten passed down to the local regional manager who called me to discuss what happened.

While it sucks that it happened, Apple does care and will most likely do something about it.

 

[arubinst]

It will most likely get passed down the necessary manager. I sincerely doubt Tim Cook will read this.

My wife had a really bad experience buying an iPhone at an Apple store a few years ago. I wrote an email to Tim Cook explaining the situation. In under a day the email had gotten passed down to the local regional manager who called me to discuss what happened.

While it sucks that it happened, Apple does care and will most likely do something about it.

EDIT - @ nebo1ss - Part of the whole Apple experience is their personal touch in stores. How are the supposed to fix a problem unless someone mentions it. I wouldn't call this nit-picking. It's just unprofessional for the employee not to be properly trained if they are the so called "expert".

Thank you! That is exactly how I feel. I'm actually not expecting Tim Cook to read the message, but I do know that they have a team of people who take these things seriously.

 

[toph2toast]

Thank you! That is exactly how I feel. I'm actually not expecting Tim Cook to read the message, but I do know that they have a team of people who take these things seriously.

They do. I was able to get my problem solved with the regional manager quickly and to my satisfaction. You did the right thing.

 

[nebo1ss]

It will most likely get passed down the necessary manager. I sincerely doubt Tim Cook will read this.

My wife had a really bad experience buying an iPhone at an Apple store a few years ago. I wrote an email to Tim Cook explaining the situation. In under a day the email had gotten passed down to the local regional manager who called me to discuss what happened.

While it sucks that it happened, Apple does care and will most likely do something about it.

EDIT - @ nebo1ss - Part of the whole Apple experience is their personal touch in stores. How are the supposed to fix a problem unless someone mentions it. I wouldn't call this nit-picking. It's just unprofessional for the employee not to be properly trained if they are the so called "expert".

if your intention was to fix the problem you would deal with it at the store. There is nothing wrong with excalating an issue that is not being addressed. However, you don't start with the first complaint to the MD of a company.

 

[OneMike]

Would've made more sense to complain to the store rather than Tim.

 

[enduro0125]

Lose

 

[shayneox]

Dude , the guy could have been new on the job....maybe his first few days there....its a lot to learn...granted he should have informed you of that if it was the case....but narking on him to the big boss...seems kinda yuppie a$$ if you ask me. You obviously knew all that you needed too when you went in there...from this forum, like all of us did. Why bust someones balls.??

 

[triptolemus]

Nice to know that it isn't just American consumers who have this sort of entitlement attitude.

 

[exxxviii]

Dude , the guy could have been new on the job....maybe his first few days there....its a lot to learn...granted he should have informed you of that if it was the case....but narking on him to the big boss...seems kinda yuppie a$$ if you ask me. You obviously knew all that you needed too when you went in there...from this forum, like all of us did. Why bust someones balls.??

So, when you eat a raw hamburger at a Hardees and get sick, is it OK if it is the burger cook's first day on the job? Nope, it is the manager's job to ensure that all staff are trained and able to perform their roles to the corporate standard.

 

[triptolemus]

So, when you eat a raw hamburger at a Hardees and get sick, is it OK if it is the burger cook's first day on the job? Nope, it is the manager's job to ensure that all staff are trained and able to perform their roles to the corporate standard.

Well, your first problem would be eating a Hardee's.

If it's the manager's job to train the employees, than a dissatisfied customer should address their issue with the manager rather than going over the manager's head to the friggin' CEO.

 

[shayneox]

So, when you eat a raw hamburger at a Hardees and get sick, is it OK if it is the burger cook's first day on the job? Nope, it is the manager's job to ensure that all staff are trained and able to perform their roles to the corporate standard.

haha...thats a good one....but no...I feel,like others have said , it was gone about the wrong way. You could kindly tell the person directly, or just ask to talk to a manager....though if he was a trainee, he should have been wearing something to indicate it. Going to the head of the company....overboard. It is a retail store , they learn on the floor. The majority of all businesses do that. Oh...and you start on fries/drinks and work your way up to the grill , haha Im typing friendly by the way

 

[exxxviii]

A failure of an employee is a failure of the manager.

But I also agree that the order of escalation should only and always be:
1) The person who failed (the employee)
2) The manager of the person who failed
3) The highest level up you can reach

If you did not do the employee the service of discussing the failer, then you should escalate further. And similarly, if you did not do the manager the service of the escalation, then you have no right to escalate beyond the manager. It is basic human courtesy.

Oh...and you start on fries/drinks and work your way up to the grill, haha Im typing friendly by the way

I started on burgers at McDonald's. But, I started on drive through at Hardees.

 

[imlynxy]

You did it right. I also had problem recently, emailed, somebody called me back in couple days , everything was resolved

 

[SHNXX]

How was the demand for the AW in one of the world's centers of horology?

 

[doboy]

Nice to know that it isn't just American consumers who have this sort of entitlement attitude.

Nah, I'm sure he/she is an American who just lives there

 

[arubinst]

if your intention was to fix the problem you would deal with it at the store. There is nothing wrong with excalating an issue that is not being addressed. However, you don't start with the first complaint to the MD of a company.

Would've made more sense to complain to the store rather than Tim.

If you've been reading these forums long enough, you'll probably know that writing to Tim is actually writing to a team of people who actually want to know if something like this is happening so they can fix it. I was not expecting Tim to read my email.

Dude , the guy could have been new on the job....maybe his first few days there....its a lot to learn...granted he should have informed you of that if it was the case....but narking on him to the big boss...seems kinda yuppie a$$ if you ask me. You obviously knew all that you needed too when you went in there...from this forum, like all of us did. Why bust someones balls.??

I'm sorry but I had to wait in line until an Apple Watch "expert" became available. He was introduced to me as a specialist. If the guy is new to the job, he has no business being responsible for this kind of task. I did not "nark" on him either. I did not specifically use his name, nor did I describe him.

I do know a couple of things about the watch, but I did ask about the things I did not know, obviously... And I asked those things because I wanted to make up my mind about bands, sizes, etc. before giving out the cash.

Nice to know that it isn't just American consumers who have this sort of entitlement attitude.

I hope you mean this as a joke. I paid the equivalent of about 1000 US$ for the watch, an extra band and Apple Care+ (which by the way, the guy wasn't able to explain to me either. When I asked about the advantage of getting Apple Care, he didn't have a clue). So, I believe when you spend money, you are entitled to get what you pay for. In this case, I reserved a particular watch before going to the store and I received an email saying that they would help me try the one I had reserved and that they would answer every question before validating my buy. I thus felt entitled to receive such service.

How was the demand for the AW in one of the world's centers of horology?

I would not say it was overwhelming. The line and the waiting times were both short.

Nah, I'm sure he/she is an American who just lives there

I'm not

 

[OneMike]

If you've been reading these forums long enough, you'll probably know that writing to Tim is actually writing to a team of people who actually want to know if something like this is happening so they can fix it. I was not expecting Tim to read my email.

My point is I think your issue was tiny and IMO you blew it way out of proportion. Again, that is in my opinion.

If I felt some type of way, I'd have asked to speak to a manager at the store or if anything called that store and asked for a manager or something when I got home.

Major issue I'd maybe email. Rant, no. Just me.

Glad you got your watch and a band either way

 

[toph2toast]

if your intention was to fix the problem you would deal with it at the store. There is nothing wrong with excalating an issue that is not being addressed. However, you don't start with the first complaint to the MD of a company.

And what makes you think the store manager will fix the problem? Growing up I worked for a handful of retailers. Some, not all, could care less if a customer complained, I've seen it first hand. Why risk wasting your time if you have a direct line to someone higher up? My attitude is the higher you can go, the more likely the problem will get resolved. A customer is not an employee, so there is no obligation to follow the same chain of command.

 

[lclev]

I agree with the arubinst. Apple has and tries to maintain a reputation for excellent service. If the level of service from an "expert" is that bad it is indicative of the level of training which reflects on the manager. Since it seems the only email address available was Tim Cooks, and in the past that has produced results, why not use it?

This "expert" needs more training and I suspect so do others in this store. Hopefully the email will provide a push for that.
I have been in several apple stores for various issues and the level of service has been excellent. If the person I was working with did not know the answer they would find someone who did. The people I have encountered have been friendly and knowledgeable. That is what Tim Cook wants everyone to experience when they enter an Apple store. If that is not happening who better to change it?

 

[Command]

I doubt you had the 'worst' experience...