Knowledge required to work at an Apple store?

[Jamiephofe]

I visited my local Apple store yesterday to ask about the student discount and financing etc. I ended up talking to one of the sales reps about several things, one of which was that I wanted the 17" MBP but couldn't wait for the LED screens to arrive. At this point the sales rep told me the 17" screens had already changed over to LED, obviously I didn't believe him. He then clarified with a co-worker who actually said that the 17" had changed over to LED but the 15" machines hadn't!

How can a sales rep say that to customers without getting fired? Is it even legal to lie to customers like that? Surely they "must" have known the simple fact about which machines had LED screens and they were just trying to convince me to buy the 17" machine.

Not looking forward to the first time I have to visit the so called genius bar... I hope they know how to open a MBP properly.

- Jamie

 

[iW00t]

The 17s look so good that they cannot possibly not have the screen refresh!

Similarly the 15s look so pathetic with the yellow tint that they must be using old screen technology

 

[Jamiephofe]

The 17s look so good that they cannot possibly not have the screen refresh!

Similarly the 15s look so pathetic with the yellow tint that they must be using old screen technology

The 17" screen did actually look immaculate, the girlfriend had to convince me to keep the credit card away.

 

[seahawk09]

Hey Jamie,

sounds like you had a moment with a couple of DUMB salesemen at least you knew that they were lieing and you didnt fall for it well done Sometimes I think some of these sales people need to take honesty exam just to work for someone like apple keep on you guard

 

[wako]

When I was job hunting last summer, when I spoke with the manager all he said was basically, as long as you know iLife, iWork, iTunes, and most of the programs that are installed on the mac they would hire you...


When I went to first buy my Mac, the employee told me that I can replace the hard drive myself on a 12'' PowerBook without voiding the warranty and said that ALL their systems were 7200 RPM... including the PowerBook...

 

[RichL]

The 17s look so good that they cannot possibly not have the screen refresh!

Similarly the 15s look so pathetic with the yellow tint that they must be using old screen technology

Was that sarcastic or for serious? I don't want a pathetic 15" screen

 

[mach]

So true, most of the "geniuses" that work at Apple stores know so much less than I do when I go in there. Sometimes I feel like I have to play dumb out of pity for them.

To them it's just a job, they likely don't visit forums or read blogs like we enthusiasts do.

 

[Jamiephofe]

Was that sarcastic or for serious? I don't want a pathetic 15" screen

Both the 15" and the 17" models looked excellent when I saw them in the store, then again they are display models so I should hope so.

I was surprised to see that the 17" model had even lighting and wasn't lighter around the edges. I'm seriously tempted to buy one, I just don't want the screen to have degraded to 75% brightness in a year.

 

[RichL]

Both the 15" and the 17" models looked excellent when I saw them in the store, then again they are display models so I should hope so.

I was surprised to see that the 17" model had even lighting and wasn't lighter around the edges. I'm seriously tempted to buy one, I just don't want the screen to have degraded to 75% brightness in a year.

I was under the impression that the LED was supposed to negate the degration of monitors

 

[Jamiephofe]

I was under the impression that the LED was supposed to negate the degration of monitors

It is. The 17" model is the only model in the MBP series to not yet have an LED screen.

 

[RichL]

Learn something new every day.

 

[LaMerVipere]

I'm beginning to think that they only want the least qualified workers at the Apple Store. Those I've talked to on the floor never have a clue what's going on. Your average MR Forum member knows more solid info offhand than they do.

 

[kolax]

Having worked in a retail store that sells computers; most of the staff do it for money, not because they have an interest in it.

I guess same applies with the Apple Store - there will be a handful of people who work there for money, not because they have an interest in technology and love to follow the progression of Mac's.

 

[gtgrad95]

I visited my local Apple store yesterday to ask about the student discount and financing etc. I ended up talking to one of the sales reps about several things, one of which was that I wanted the 17" MBP but couldn't wait for the LED screens to arrive. At this point the sales rep told me the 17" screens had already changed over to LED, obviously I didn't believe him. He then clarified with a co-worker who actually said that the 17" had changed over to LED but the 15" machines hadn't!

How can a sales rep say that to customers without getting fired? Is it even legal to lie to customers like that? Surely they "must" have known the simple fact about which machines had LED screens and they were just trying to convince me to buy the 17" machine.

Not looking forward to the first time I have to visit the so called genius bar... I hope they know how to open a MBP properly.

- Jamie

Wow, that is pretty lame. No excuse for that.

 

[ScottDrummer]

some staff in bham in uk have no knowledge about technology as a whole never mind macs. I was told you could change from matte to gloss via some software!!!

 

[Sopranino]

Was that sarcastic or for serious? I don't want a pathetic 15" screen

Just ignore iWoot, he seems to delight in spreading FUD.

As for the 15" screen, they are great. nice clear colours, good contrast, no YELLOW tint problems.

The 'Yellow' tinting that has been commented on is no more than the slight colour shift that occurs on LCD screens as your viewing angle changes from left to right. The farther off center you view it the greater the 'yellowing' that you will see.
This is not a problem at all (unless you habitually watch your screen at a 45 degree angle........

I have a glossy 15" and it is perfect. Very even lighting, no tinting problems, no dead or stuck pixels, no problems whatsoever.

You will not be disappointed with a 15" screen unless you have an actual need for the 17".

Have fun with whatever you get.

Sopranino

 

[Shaduu]

some staff in bham in uk have no knowledge about technology as a whole never mind macs. I was told you could change from matte to gloss via some software!!!

I agree; both the Manchester stores are staffed by people that are seemingly dragged off the street. One guy a couple of days ago attempted to sell me a BlackBook claiming that is was equipped with a 2.6GHz (not 2.16, 2.6!) C2D. I just walked away to play with the dual 30" set up.