What would you change about the Apple Store?

[CorvusCamenarum]

Or make them all live up that name. They should all know a lot more about a Mac, than I do.

That and a more professional appearance. The blue uniform t-shirts I get, but both times I went to my local Apple store, there were employees going about in ragged shorts, some were in flip flops, etc. Apparently being well groomed isn't a prerequisite for employment there, either.

There also needs to be a policy of not being high while you're on the clock. I don't what the Genius I got was on, but it had to have been some good stuff. He kept trying to diagnose my ATI video card problem with the HD with the diagnostic tools for NVIDIA, despite my telling him 3 different times it wan't NVIDIA. The service I got from him was so horrid that the manager called me personally after several scathing letters were written, falling all over himself apologizing.

Color me unimpressed.

 

[Macky-Mac]

The idea is that each Specialist is a checkout point ....

that may have been the idea but it's not how it's worked out. The Apple stores near me only have a few designated specialists who handle the checkout at any given time

all stores still have at least two traditional checkout terminals

They don't though. My local store often has noone on a traditional checkout terminal.

the traditional checkout terminals all seem to have vanished from the apple stores in my area

 

[yg17]

I do not like your avatar. Nope not at all

Then don't look at it.

 

[macbook pro i5]

Then don't look at it.

but its scary and I must look at it

 

[YOLANDAVEGA]

kick out all the Facebook users who use the store as their personal hangout

haha! I've seen people in the store working on projects, watching whole movies etc. Should we kick them out too? I kind of like being able to do mostly anything with their products without worrying about time limits etc. Don't you?

 

[h1r0ll3r]

Air freshener. The Westfield Montgomery store smells like ass.....A LOT. I usually wind up hitting the store up in Tysons, VA as it's, olfactory speaking, less offensive than the Westfield one is.

 

[Herdfan]

Stop handing me off to other people for different services. If someone is helping me I would prefer to complete the transaction with one person, not have to wait for someone to come over to swipe my credit card.

Ding-Ding! Winner!

I was in the Easton, (Columbus, OH) store and had an appointment with the Genius Bar to check the battery on my daughter's iPhone. It was junk, so as she was "replacing" it, I walked over to the shelves area and grabbed a charger for my MBP so I could just leave on in the case.

When the GB employee was finished, and had accepted payment for the 'battery replacement", she asked if there was anything else I needed. I showed her the charger and said I just need to pay for this and she replied that she was unable to process that type of transaction (keep in mind she had the ability to take money form me for the service) and that she would let someone know I was ready to check out. Now this was a Saturday and the store was packed and I knew it could be a while before I was helped.

So I handed it back to her and said no thanks and that I didn't need it anymore she couldn't check me out and I left. She had a stunned look on her face, but there was no excuse for her not being able to ring me up.

Put some regular checkouts and dedicated cashiers back in. If you just want to run in and pick something up, it should be quick and easy.

This would have helped a great deal in the situation I described above. I probably would have been checked out before she was finished doing the service. We have any auto parts store in my area called Advance Auto. A few years ago they did a remodel and removed the "checkout counter" and replaced it with service counters. So now when I go in to buy some car wash or something from the shelves, instead of being able to just go checkout and go home, I have to get in line at one of the service counters.

It is now a crap shoot as to which one to choose. You never know which one will be the fastest. They may have all of them open, but at each one there may be someone looking for an alternator for a '73 Vega. so the people who just need to pay for something have to wait for those who need real help to get it.

They recently opened an Auto Zone and even though it is about 5 minutes further away, I go there now.

the traditional checkout terminals all seem to have vanished from the apple stores in my area

So while I don't like the current setup, I can see from a business standpoint why they have done it. Up sales. If you just walk to the register to pay for something, they don't get a chance for one-on-one time to sell you something else you may "need" or want. Sucks for the customers, but they are in business to sell as much as they can.

 

[steviem]

Make Apple stores in New Zealand.

You won the Rugby World Cup at last - why should you kiwis want any more! (Bitter Englishman mad that they didn't progress past the damned French...)