The Apple Store: Bad Customer Service at Your Local Mall, Part II

I have left it no secret that I feel the Apple Stores are in need of help. Yes, there seems to be a ton of success with these stores both in sales and in presence in the marketplace. And what other computer maker could pull this off? Well, Gateway has their Gateway Country stores and anyone who has walked into those stores, know that Gateway has done a good job establishing stores that match their company’s philosophy (In my opinion, that philosophy is summed up by a little word called, Folksie”. IPods are selling faster than the stores can stock them. In a recent trip to my local Apple Store, an employee told me since Thanksgiving, he estimated they were selling over 15 iPods a day. That’s a lot of iPods. Now multiply that by the number of Apple Stores and you get an iPod revolution! But we know that already. The fact of the matter is although, Apple is selling iPods like gangbusters, I am fearful that they are treading dangerous waters with the service at these stores. After all, when the sales of iPods starts to decline, what’s the next product that will fly off the shelves? When the Apple Stores again begin to exist solely for computer sales, the sales force assembled to handle the iPod won’t know what hit them. Anyone one can sell an iPod. With the endless product placements in popular culture and the constant presence on everyone’s “Hot” list, the iPod sell themselves. But if you dare ask a serious question about a computer, it seems the sales force falls short.  For the last 2 months I had been entertaining the idea of getting a new Powerbook. During this time, I visited 2 Apple Stores a total of 3 times and called 3 different Apple Stores more than 3 times a piece. Each time I had specific questions that I needed answered. Sadly, I am reporting that I had mixed success when dealing with Apple Store staff. Here’s a sampling of some of my experiences.  Doing my research on the pros and cons of the 15” Powerbook, I first called ahead to the 3 store locations near me to see if they had the model in stock. Every store had the model in stock and I was happy to find out that the Apple Store does not sell refurbished models of any of their computers but does sell “Refreshed” models. The employee competently explained to me that a refreshed model is a computer that was returned for whatever reason and had no problems with it. A store employee then sets the computer back to factory settings and sells the machine at a 10% discount. This is a great opportunity for bargain hunters to get a great machine (slightly used) for a good discount. I contemplated waiting until after Christmas to purchase mine as surely someone would get the model I want for christmas and for whatever reason return it. But after some consideration, I felt I didn’t want to take that chance and besides, I wanted to be the one who “broke the seal” on my new computer.  Grade: A for educating me on “Refreshed” models  I then asked about the so-called “white spot” issue that has been popping up in user forums lately concerning the 15” Powerbook. Many Powerbook owners have been complaining of white spots developing on the corners of their screens. I felt I needed to do due diligence and inquire about the issue. When I asked the question over the phone, I was met with silence. Then a terse reply, “I am not aware of that issue.” Interesting I thought considering just that morning, Apple announced that they are officially recognizing there is an issue and that they will repair any affected machines. I am not sure if this employee knew of the recent news and chose to not tell me or was simply clueless. I do have the utmost confidence that it would never have come up if I didn’t ask about it. I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they just got in for their shift and weren’t briefed yet on that day’s happenings. Maybe, that type of info was reserved only for Mac Geniuses. Either way, the moment of silence gave me the uneasy feeling, the gentlemen didn’t know if he was supposed to answer me or not. Grade: C because it was just that day Apple made the announcement.  I then asked whether the Powerbooks in stock came with Panther preloaded or if it would require that the updater disc.  Again, I was met with a lackluster answer, “I don’t know.” I come to understand that indeed, it depends on when the Powerbook shipped to determine whether it was preloaded or not. Was that info so hard to pass along? Grade: D for not answering a simple question adequately.  I asked whether iDVD3 was pre-installed. Please see my previous article to see why this was an important question to me. I was answered, “Yes. The Powerbook Superdrive comes pre-installed with the entire iLife suite. Finally, i got a knowledgeable response. This bit of info was very exciting to me. The sales person then tried to upsell me with the Keynote promotion and the Final Cut pro promotion. Yes, now this man is doing his job! Grade: A for answering my question correctly and turning it into an upsell opportunity.  So I took this info and of course did more research. I scoured support forums, talked to my knowledgeable colleagues and friends, and convinced myself it was time to buy.  After deciding to buy I called each of the 3 stores once again and asked if they had the 15” Superdrive Powerbook in stock and they all said yes. I then asked each one of them whether there were any “refreshed 15” Superdrive Powerbooks in stock. 2 Said no. The third told me they had a 17” Superdrive Powerbook that was “refreshed” and had an addtional 10% off because there was one white pixel on the screen. With the 2 10% discounts it brought the price down to under what a new 15” would have cost me. But the problem was the damaged pixel. I asked where the damaged pixel was on the screen. My thinking was if it was on the corner of the screen it might be fine. The salesman explained to me that he could not start up the machine to check because it would then need to be refreshed again. But he could start it up and show me the blue screen and then shut it down. I asked him “If there is a damaged pixel isn�t in fact a damaged machine not a refreshed machine?” He did not understand my reasoning. Nonetheless, he was knowledgeable and informative. Grade B+  Finally, I decided to purchase a new 15” Superdrive Powerbook at the store. I was there when the doors opened and I walked right up to the guy and told him what I wanted and that before I buy, I had a few questions for him. He patiently listened to me as I asked him about the white spot issue to which he replied, “I don’t know what you are talking about” and then smiled. I knew he knew what I was talking about. And he knew I knew he knew what I was talking about. I responded with a, “Oh come on.” he then explained to me that if the issue arises, I could drop off my Powerbook with them in which case they will send it out to replace the screen with a brand new one and it would take 5 to 7 working days. Grade: A- because I am not convinced he would have told me had I not asked.  I then asked him about Panther. He said, he would take the machine out of the box (after I purchase it of course) and check for me. Grade: A because this guys a straight shooter.  I then asked him about iDVD. He said it in fact did not come with iDVD 3. I told him that another salesperson had told me otherwise and he said, “He must be mistaken.” He then conferred with another salesperson and told me a definitive, “No, it does not come with iDVD3.” In which I replied, I am spending $3000 on a machine that comes with not the latest version of the software and I have to buy ILife just to get iDVD 3?” he said yes, I was correct with that statement. He then asked if I wanted it, and I said, “No. It’s not that important to me.”  Grade: F because when I brought the computer home it did in fact have iDVD3 preloaded.  After this, he told me about the Keynote offer, Get a $50 rebate when you buy Keynote. I played dumb. What is Keynote? he responded, “It’s like PowerPoint but better.” I asked, how is it better? He couldn�t tell me. I declined the offer as well as the offer for Final Cut Pro. I did take advantage of a free Epson printer however. Grade: C because he tried but he just didn�t know enough to convince me.  As you can see, the scores are all across the board. Let me be clear, I do not blame the people who work there. Many of them are people simply looking for a job. I think that the problems lie on the hiring process and the training process. I am fearful that the staff the Apple Store has hired people who simply looking for a retail job and have an interest in computers. These stores should employ knowledgeable Apple enthusiasts who keep up on the latest news and enjoy passing that info to potential buyers.  Following is a job description of an open position at an Apple Store:  Key Holder THE Sales Leader Are you as passionate about customer service as you are about the latest Mac OS? Does the thought of switching PC users, and closing an Apple sale, make you tingle even more than those three seconds right after a sneeze? Do you have retail sales coupled with leadership or management experience and can�t imagine a more rewarding place to utilize those skills than an Apple Store? If so, you might have what it takes to become a Key Holder.  You, and millions of other Mac users around the world, know that when a computer is done right it can be much more than a beige box made for the left side of the brain. You know and love the power and elegance of the Mac.  As an Apple Key Holder, you’ll have the opportunity to share this life-enriching tool with other people while motivating other Mac Specialists through your leadership and sales abilities. Whether someone is a new user, a lifelong Mac enthusiast, or a PC switcher, you’ll be the person to show him or her how a Macintosh can change lives.  Some stores have salespeople who are just filling a hole in the schedule. Our salespeople are the cream of the crop. Are you the person to help lead them?  So far I would say only half of the people I have dealt with fit this description. If you think you have what it takes, please apply for these jobs. Computer shoppers will thank you for it and so will I.