Not All Apple Stores are Created Equal

I came across this story over at The Consumerist describing a customer's experience at one Apple Store versus another. It seems the ball was dropped on a repair issue that forced the customer to take his computer to another Apple location where the repair was expedited and completed immediately. As a former Mac Genius, and current Apple Store customer, I do believe Apple provides the best customer service experience in all of retail today, however sometimes the quality of service may vary based on a few things.

When. The time of day you arrive can greatly affect your service. I found I provided my best service earlier in my shift, either 9am or 1pm if I was closing. Also typically the Genius Bar is less busy when the store first opens (although there may be a flood of broken iPod customers) and less busy on weekdays.

Where. If you happen to live near multiple Apple Store locations, I'd pick the one that is typically less crowded. Not only will you probably receive more time with a Mac Genius, but they should have less repairs in their queue, ensuring you get your repair back faster.

Who. Sometimes is all comes down to the Mac Genius who helps you. The reality is some do a better job than others. Some are more knowledgeable and experienced, and just interact with customers better.

If you do have a bad experience at Apple retail let them know about it.
http://www.apple.com/retail/feedback/ Believe it or not they do listen.

New product launches from the genius' perspective

Soon, Apple stores around the world will be swamped by people looking to buy the new iPhone. What kind of preparation goes into that kind of launch by the people who have to troubleshoot the devices as they're potentially seeing them in person for the first time? Find out in this segment of Root Access:

Genius Bar makes a cameo in the new iPhone ad

There it is! No, not the phone... Look at the background... Do those two monitors and logo look familiar?
Thanks for the tip, lanaka.

Root Access 16.2 Three Reasons TO Work At The Genius Bar

Don't throw away those resumes for the Genius Bar just yet! Yesterday our resident genius gave you the top three reasons to NOT work at the Apple Genius Bar. Well today Jamie's back with the three reasons you'll want to work at the Genius Bar.

Root Access 16.1 Three Reasons to NOT Work At The Genius Bar

So you want to work at the Genius Bar at the Apple Store? Not so fast... Our resident former genius gives us his top three reasons to NOT work at the Genius Bar. Don't get too flustered though: Jamie will be back with the top three reasons TO work at the store later this week. Enjoy:

Apple Store 5th Ave: A Few Nuggets

I was in NYC this past weekend for the New York Comic Con, and ended up checking out the 5th Avenue Apple Store for the first time. This location has been open for a while now so I am not going to bore you with all of my impressions, but a few things did cross my mind while I was there.

1) How exactly do they manage to keep both the outside cube structure and the glass staircase so clean? Having worked at Apple Retail, I was always shocked how dingy our counter tops and floor would be, even after scrubbing by the Mac Specialist. The 5th Avenue store however appeared spotless, even on a busy Sunday. You would expect their famous glass staircase to be filled with muddy foot prints, yet it was pristine.

2) The Mac Specialist didn't appear to be doing very much. Almost every employee I saw, outside of the Genii and Concierge appeared to be just standing around. I didn't see anyone giving "rides" on iMacs or demoing Apple TV, but I also didn't see customers looking around for help either. The store definitely feels more like a tourist exhibit than it does a retail store. I wonder how the Mac Specialist are graded on their performance?

3) Despite the enormous Genius Bar and iPod Bar, I still saw plenty of people with broken iPhones and iPods with that familiar look of disgust on their face. It's the same look I saw daily in my former thirty foot Apple store. I guess large bars and more genii don't solve the real problem which is facing Apple retail. Quality control.

Having worked in Apple retail, and now being away from it for a year, I would summarize the 5th Avenue store as a nice place to visit...but I wouldn't want to work there :)

Root Access: How does Apple handle damage repairs?

There was a recent hubbub about an email sent to Steve Jobs regarding a $300 price quote from Apple to look at his computer's water damage. Something sounded a little fishy, so it was time to ask our resident genius whether this was all just a tad bit suspicious: