Samsung Wants to One-Up Apple's Genius Bar With New WeWork 'Care Centers'

[MacRumors]

Samsung is teaming up with co-working startup WeWork to create customer "Care Centers" that are similar to Apple's own in-store Genius Bars, reports Fast Company.

Apple's Genius Bars are designed to allow customers to receive technical support and repairs on a range of Apple products, including Macs and iOS devices. Samsung's upcoming Care Centers will work in the same way, but Samsung wants to one-up Apple with a better waiting experience.

A WeWork facility in New York​

At one of three pilot service centers opening in WeWork locations in Detroit, Miami, and New York later this month, Samsung customers can come in and get help for their products while also using the WeWork facilities.

Because it's a co-working space, WeWork gives customers a place to get their own work done while also enjoying fresh coffee and fruit-infused water.

Samsung Electronics America VP of design Mick McConnell tells Fast Company that he came up with the idea while waiting for an hour and a half at a Genius Bar at an Apple retail location. "I was like, there's gotta be a better way to do this," he said.

"Service is a hassle. I know I'm going to have to take time out of my day to do it," says McConnell. "The concept was, if I take time out of my day, at least I can sit in a conference room, make phone calls, and do work, as opposed to sitting in a busy room with a bunch of angry people."

Samsung is taking over a portion of each WeWork location and installing a steel and glass box with shared tables and Samsung workstations. The space features a midcentury-inspired design that matches up with the rest of the WeWork facility, but with special touches like higher-end furniture and Samsung video conferencing systems.

Image via Fast Company​

Samsung Retail Design project director Danny Orenstein told Fast Company that the aim is to make Samsung customers "feel welcome" at WeWork while also making WeWork subscribers feel comfortable working in the Samsung space in an effort to expand Samsung's potential customer base.

Along with offering Care Centers at select WeWork locations, Samsung also plans to host after-hours talks with creatives in WeWork spaces, much like Apple does at its own retail stores.

Samsung will use the WeWork spaces to experiment with what works and what doesn't work before considering expanding to additional locations. WeWork currently has 235 locations, and should the project pan out, it could mean a major expansion of Samsung customer support locations.

At the three centers opening this month, Samsung will offer "tier 1" support, letting customers get help with using features on their phone. Staff can also send Samsung equipment to repair centers, but there are no on-site repairs available.

Article Link: Samsung Wants to One-Up Apple's Genius Bar With New WeWork 'Care Centers'

 

[spiddyman007]

nope

 

[Mansu944]

yeah...OK...

 

[leftspin]

Wait… What was he doing at a Genius Bar?

Samsung is teaming up with co-working startup WeWork to create customer "Care Centers" that are similar to Apple's own in-store Genius Bars, reports Fast Company.

Apple's Genius Bars are designed to allow customers to receive technical support and repairs on a range of Apple products, including Macs and iOS devices. Samsung's upcoming Care Centers will work in the same way, but Samsung wants to one-up Apple with a better waiting experience.

A WeWork facility in New York​

At one of three pilot service centers opening in WeWork locations in Detroit, Miami, and New York later this month, Samsung customers can come in and get help for their products while also using the WeWork facilities.

Because it's a co-working space, WeWork gives customers a place to get their own work done while also enjoying fresh coffee and fruit-infused water.

Samsung Electronics America VP of design Mick McConnell tells Fast Company that he came up with the idea while waiting for an hour and a half at a Genius Bar at an Apple retail location. "I was like, there's gotta be a better way to do this," he said.Samsung is taking over a portion of each WeWork location and installing a steel and glass box with shared tables and Samsung workstations. The space features a midcentury-inspired design that matches up with the rest of the WeWork facility, but with special touches like higher-end furniture and Samsung video conferencing systems.

Image via Fast Company​

Samsung Retail Design project director Danny Orenstein told Fast Company that the aim is to make Samsung customers "feel welcome" at WeWork while also making WeWork subscribers feel comfortable working in the Samsung space in an effort to expand Samsung's potential customer base.

Along with offering Care Centers at select WeWork locations, Samsung also plans to host after-hours talks with creatives in WeWork spaces, much like Apple does at its own retail stores.

Samsung will use the WeWork spaces to experiment with what works and what doesn't work before considering expanding to additional locations. WeWork currently has 235 locations, and should the project pan out, it could mean a major expansion of Samsung customer support locations.

At the three centers opening this month, Samsung will offer "tier 1" support, letting customers get help with using features on their phone. Staff can also send Samsung equipment to repair centers, but there are no on-site repairs available.

Article Link: Samsung Wants to One-Up Apple's Genius Bar With New WeWork 'Care Centers'

 

[theelysium]

Flipid Flop time!

 

[TheHotdog]

There is nothing welcoming about those portable office boxes. I feel claustrophobic just looking at it.

 

[chipchen]

Looks like a CVS Minute Clinic. I'd go there for a flu shot, but that's about it.

 

[aforty]

Service is a hassle. I know I'm going to have to take time out of my day to do it," says McConnell. "The concept was, if I take time out of my day, at least I can sit in a conference room, make phone calls, and do work, as opposed to sitting in a busy room with a bunch of angry people.

Now you can travel to a WeWork (because you probably don't work at one) and spend the entire day in a tiny cube with a bunch of angry people.

 

[Jaro65]

Nice. So now instead of waiting for hours on the phone at home to speak with anybody from Samsung customer support, I'll be able to wait at a WeWork office.

 

[scrapesleon]

Haha pathetic and corny stop copying

 

[aohus]

thats actually pretty dope. loving the competition. consumers win after all

 

[zachcsnyder]

Anyone else wondering why a Samsung VP was visiting a Genius Bar in the first place, if not for competitive assessment?

 

[Will.O.Bie]

Uhh, try harder...might as well put a toilet in there too

 

[JGIGS]

thats actually pretty dope. loving the competition. consumers win after all

Yeah doesn't hurt to try at least.

 

[potassium404]

"Haha pathetic, corny, copying, I like apple, nobody can compete with us, this news is just further proving we are great haha"

 

[BlueParadox]

What a genius idea

 

[acorntoy]

Very, very smart. Apples “ease” of service is what gets many people to buy, but for the last couple years Apple stores have just gotten to be insane. It’s an absolutely miserable experience walking in, having to go through 100 people in small aisles, to reach the people, only for them to tell you to wait, and because every area is packed with goods people are walking around you, asking you to move so they can see the case or the heart monitor. I like how with an Apple device I can easily go get it fixed, but that experience always -sucks-.

 

[ActionableMango]

If you don't want to wait at the Genius Bar, go online and make an appointment first.

 

[Taipan]

I don‘t believe neither that he had to wait 1.5h nor that he is an Apple customer in the first place.

 

[SoApple]

If this can make samsung competitive then why not... but it’s going to take a lot more than this though.

 

[DogHouseDub]

awesome terrarium.

 

[nexesnex]

At first, I was like, huh, this seems cool (at least by looking at the first picture) but then after reading the whole article I was like.... this is stupid.

 

[Master Atrus]

I definitely like the idea of having a space to work and take calls, but as a Business Customer I already get that if needed. That then takes me to the standard consumer side of things, and for that I make an appointment. Now, if I do have to walk in and get something looked at, then it is either my phone or my Mac. If it is my Mac, I can’t get any work done anyway and if it is my phone, I don’t need the private space. Haha

With that all said though, I still like the idea. Apple stores are so busy and so few people make appointments that there needs to be a better way. I have some thoughts if Apple is interested in hearing them.

(Yadda, yadda ... I know, apple.com/feedback ... blah, blah, blah)

 

[Speechless]

hope it's flameproof.

 

[pdoobs]

I can’t find the “sponsored content” tag anywhere which is weird since this is obviously sponsored content. Or you guys are just reprinting press releases from Samsung and WeWork now.