I had to laugh when I read the following article by Business Week on their perception of the Apple stores. I have been in 7 different Apple stores and I will tell you what my perception is. They hire a bunch of prissy bastards that are unwilling to help customers make informed choices.
I had vowed to never buy a Apple computer but thru input from many readers of this site I lowered my barriers and decided to buy a G5 with a wide screen LCD monitor. As near as I could figure it was about a $5000.00 dollar purchase. The most I would have ever spent on a computer.
As I visited the local Apple store in Honolulu and started asking Geek type questions on the G5 the salesman then started asking questions back. When I indicated I had only ever owned Windows bases PC’s in the past all I got was attitude. Little did he know I had my check book in my back pocket and was ready to plunk down some serious change. This asshole pissed me off and I walked.
I have visited 3 other Apple stores in various states over the past 6 months and found similar attitudes. These punks do not want to sell computers they want to sell attitudes and if you are not a previous Apple owner they stick their noses out at you. Well the icing was on the cake at the Mall of America last week. I went in resolved to buy a G5 and told the salesman I wanted a G5 shipped to Hawaii. I was on a tight schedule and wanted to wrap up the transaction in under a hour. This jerk, jerked me around to the point I walked out. Maybe I have had a bad consumer experience in expecting to be treated nicely but it seems Apple must have several requirements when hiring people to sell computers.
1. Religious Zealot Apple Users
2. Hire only people with the biggest Attitude
3. Hating any Windows user that walks in the door.
Well I have my mind made up. I will never ever buy a computer from Apple, that is the real reason Apple is loosing market share. [Business Week]
I was at OakBrook this morning with an iDVD question.
A Genius couldn’t tell me how to burn my musical slide shows, as a batch, on a DVD.
I showed him 9 slideshows, with transitions, that iDVD refused to accept. He couldn’t explain it. There didn’t seem to be many other Geniuses around.
So it’s back to Woodfield for me, quite a distance.
Sounds like you had an axe to grind before you were ever ‘convinced’ to buy a Macintosh. Why did you bother shopping for one? Your disdain for the platform and it’s community is palpable and even if you had received excellent customer service I’m sure you would’ve been looking for flaws. Don’t try to prove anything; your computer is just a tool to get things done, not a symbol in a religious war. Use something that you won’t waste your time complaining about.
Hey Fischy, interesting that you mentionend “Pfennig”! I haven’t heard that in a long time. In my mind, you (the geek guy) just needed a reason to renew your hate for the mac. My cousin was the same type for the longest time, now he is a mac user himself and doesn’t like beeing reminded about the time when he was bad mouthing the mac. As for the video editing thing, it is widely known, that apple puts out the strongest software app’s in the video editing area, whether your a amature or a professional. Friends of mine, who do video editing on a semi professional level, would switch in a heartbeat if only they had your kinda cake, just to get their hands on app’s such as final cut pro and other first class editing software from apple. I don’t know about PC’s, I never owned one, but if you (the geek guy) are happy with XP or whatever, why bother!?
wow, lot of heat for so little. is this the new apple user experience? will it be mail order or prissy geeks? I guess apple has killed all the independents. I used to go to a local shop, each salesperson had a different opinion. I few years ago they were definitely apple bigots, but the times are changing. unix has taken over in mac land, in pc land too. just another gui. just another lousy user experience. customer oriented or geek oriented? it’s all monkey see monkey do. the real people have moved on…
My experiences at Apple stores have been very positive. However, my point is that you will save a lot if you buy from MacMall, MacZone, etc. No attitute
Actually, these “bad experiences” at Apple Stores, while many times being the customer’s own fault in some ways, are not very common at all. No store can be perfect, although to me the Apple Store does seem to be. Just two days ago an Apple Store opened in my area, and I went to the grand opening with some PC using friends (none of them were PC evangalists, and two of them emerged despereate for a Mac :-D). The staff was superb. I even got into a nice discussion with one of the staff members about….something I can’t quite remember. I wasn’t there to buy, just to show off Macs to my friends, to get a free t-shirt (it was the grand opening, remember), and to toy around with the computers. Therefore the staff weren’t much of a help to me, but I saw them being a GREAT help to other customers. I really doubt that these few “bad experiences” are keeping Apple’s market share down, if even affecting it. But I do feel sorry for those who get these experiences, because it’s their loss that it deters them from buying a Mac. Or at least in PO’d’s case.
To john: Moron? So, just because something is done a certain way does that mean we are to simply accept it and move on? Come on. Think, Man.
If you were in charge in the 1700’s we’d still be part of UK right now. Give me break. If something isn’t right, you say so, isn’t that what being an American (pre-Bush anyway) is all about? I may be a moron but at least I’m not a pussy.
Besides, you’re wrong. Best Buy has no restocking fee nor do most other retailers, I’ve talked to — computer or otherwise. Restocking fees are stupid since you are basically telling the customer to ‘piss off’ if they’re not happy.
Great way to increase sales, huh? As I’ve said, Apple retains an iffy hold on a single digit percentage of the market for more than one reason.
To john: Moron? So, just because something is done a certain way does that mean we are to simply accept it and move on? Come on. Think, Man.
If you were in charge in the 1700’s we’d still be part of UK right now. Give me break. If something isn’t right, you say so, isn’t that what being an American (pre-Bush anyway) is all about? I may be a moron but at least I’m not a pussy.
Besides, you’re wrong. Best Buy has no restocking fee nor do most other retailers, I’ve talked to — computer or otherwise. Restocking fees are stupid since you are basically telling the customer to ‘piss off’ if they’re not happy.
Great way to increase sales, huh? As I’ve said, Apple retains an iffy hold on a single digit percentage of the market for more than one reason.
To john: Moron? So, just because something is done a certain way does that mean we are to simply accept it and move on? Come on. Think, Man.
If you were in charge in the 1700’s we’d still be part of UK right now. Give me break. If something isn’t right, you say so, isn’t that what being an American (pre-Bush anyway) is all about? I may be a moron but at least I’m not a pussy.
Besides, you’re wrong. Best Buy has no restocking fee nor do most other retailers, I’ve talked to — computer or otherwise. Restocking fees are stupid since you are basically telling the customer to ‘piss off’ if they’re not happy.
Great way to increase sales, huh? As I’ve said, Apple retains an iffy hold on a single digit percentage of the market for more than one reason.
To john: Moron? So, just because something is done a certain way does that mean we are to simply accept it and move on? Come on. Think, Man.
If you were in charge in the 1700’s we’d still be part of UK right now. Give me break. If something isn’t right, you say so, isn’t that what being an American (pre-Bush anyway) is all about? I may be a moron but at least I’m not a pussy.
Besides, you’re wrong. Best Buy has no restocking fee nor do most other retailers, I’ve talked to — computer or otherwise. Restocking fees are stupid since you are basically telling the customer to ‘piss off’ if they’re not happy.
Great way to increase sales, huh? As I’ve said, Apple retains an iffy hold on a single digit percentage of the market for more than one reason.
The guy bitching about the restocking fee is a moron. That’s standard practice for any computer store. Apple would have fixed the computer on the spot if you had let them, or exchanged it for a new one. I know because I’ve done exactly that.
I don’t believe a word of the original article. If you get “attitude” at every Apple store you go to, you’re suffering from an I-D-10-T error.
Geek and PO’d, you guys seem to think Apple can be something in the retailing space that no one can be.
What reatailer of technology has a “perfect” consumer experience? The short answer is none.
I”ve run a retail store and guys like you, who come in with that chip on your shoulder can’t really hide it. It’s couched in your questions, designed to try and trip the store experts. And be there no mistake, it would be very hard for ANY RETAILER to have “geniuses” of the same ability level in all their stores. It’s impossible.
PO’d, you’re the boob for taking the eMac back. EVERY OEM has production issues. You cost yourself the $140. Why didn’t you unpack the eMac in the store and check it before you walked out? I surely would have.
It’s very suspect when folks with a chip on their shoulder complain. And it would not be much different for an overly biased Mac user to go into a PC store and do the same thing.
Get over it. You have both created the situation.
Like me, who posts the same comment 3 times…
Instead of going to an Apple Store, go to one of many Apple Specialists, whcih are privately owned and care about long tern relationships with the customer. On the Apple web page do a search on “Where to Buy” and look for the specialist designation. They care about the customer.
“What Apple stores and Apple is really doing wrong!”
I hope that English is not your first language…
Apple, in general, doesn’t hire ‘Mac Zealots’ and in particular the Apple Stores discriminate against the zealots for precisely the reasons you state. They don’t know how to sell, only pontificate.
I seriously doubt that you are being honest. Why would you travel all over the country to buy a computer that you could just order over the web?
If you are telling the truth I’d be willing to wager that you got back what you put out. And were you asking questions or being difficult? How did you phrase your questions?
I don’t think the Apple Stores are perfect. In general, I find them understaffed and
under-stocked. The knowledge of the employees is spotty, especially at the Genius Bar. Far too many times I know more about the problem than the ‘Genius.’
But overall the experience is better than I get at CompUSA or BestBuy. At those boxstores the sales folks push you to whatever box is providing the biggest spiff. They usually know nothing about the products inside the boxes.
Just my 2 pfennig.
Okay, okay … I give. Mac probably is better. But I just get so sick of Mac users looking at me like I’ve got the pox AND smell bad when I tell them I like Windows XP. It’s easy to use and very reliable. Sorry but that’s more than I could say for the Apple I bought.
Maybe I’m the one guy who got a bad apple (get it?) but it was that much worse since Apple goes on TV and tells me I don’t have to know anything and my Apple with run flawlessly … well, it didn’t and I wasn’t in the mood to learn Unix when I already knew, understood and could deal with Windows flaws/quirks pretty well.
Okay, okay … I give. Mac probably is better. But I just get so sick of Mac users looking at me like I’ve got the pox AND smell bad when I tell them I like Windows XP. It’s easy to use and very reliable. Sorry but that’s more than I could say for the Apple I bought.
Maybe I’m the one guy who got a bad apple (get it?) but it was that much worse since Apple goes on TV and tells me I don’t have to know anything and my Apple with run flawlessly … well, it didn’t and I wasn’t in the mood to learn Unix when I already knew, understood and could deal with Windows flaws/quirks pretty well.
Okay, okay … I give. Mac probably is better. But I just get so sick of Mac users looking at me like I’ve got the pox AND smell bad when I tell them I like Windows XP. It’s easy to use and very reliable. Sorry but that’s more than I could say for the Apple I bought.
Maybe I’m the one guy who got a bad apple (get it?) but it was that much worse since Apple goes on TV and tells me I don’t have to know anything and my Apple with run flawlessly … well, it didn’t and I wasn’t in the mood to learn Unix when I already knew, understood and could deal with Windows flaws/quirks pretty well.
Okay, okay … I give. Mac probably is better. But I just get so sick of Mac users looking at me like I’ve got the pox AND smell bad when I tell them I like Windows XP. It’s easy to use and very reliable. Sorry but that’s more than I could say for the Apple I bought.
Maybe I’m the one guy who got a bad apple (get it?) but it was that much worse since Apple goes on TV and tells me I don’t have to know anything and my Apple with run flawlessly … well, it didn’t and I wasn’t in the mood to learn Unix when I already knew, understood and could deal with Windows flaws/quirks pretty well.
This “story” doesn’t pass the smell test. Why would someone who, presumably, lives in Honolulu buy a desktop computer, and Cinema display on top of it, in Minnesota? If the story was about a PowerBook, I might swallow this.
And if you think service will be better at CompUSA–Ha!
PO’d: You are using your “PC OS Install Mindset” to compare to a “Mac OS Install”… they are NOT the same thing, there is little effort on the Mac to install the OS, push a couple “okay’s” and you are done. You didn’t know that, so you paid $140 since your “MIND” was caught inside a Windows Head. How typical!!!
As for Viruses, Haaa Ha… The Mac OS has ZERO Viruses for the simple reason it’s a FAR better DESIGNED OS, if the tables were turned and Apple had 95% marketshare, 99% of Viruses STILL would ONLY be on Windows. There just won’t be Viruses on the Mac, there is NO way for them to move from machine to machine, Apple again, DESIGNS it that way, MS on the other hand doesn’t have the expertise to build OSes, they only buy “code” and assemble it… so the USER suffers day in, day out.
Someday you’ll move up to the Mac, I’m sure of it…
To nobody: You’ve obviously got more money than brains.
to MM: “never cut out to run with the Mac people from the start” What are you? An outlaw computer bandit? What are the “Mac people”? A new, and obviously supieror, race of computer user or something?
To nobody: You’ve obviously got more money than brains.
to MM: “never cut out to run with the Mac people from the start” What are you? An outlaw computer bandit? What are the “Mac people”? A new, and obviously supieror, race of computer user or something?
To nobody: You’ve obviously got more money than brains.
to MM: “never cut out to run with the Mac people from the start” What are you? An outlaw computer bandit? What are the “Mac people”? A new, and obviously supieror, race of computer user or something?
To nobody: You’ve obviously got more money than brains.
to MM: “never cut out to run with the Mac people from the start” What are you? An outlaw computer bandit? What are the “Mac people”? A new, and obviously supieror, race of computer user or something?
Boohoo, boohoo the nasty Apple sales person made me cry. I’m not gonna play anymore.
You Apple fanatics are snobs! No wonder you see nothing wrong with the crappy salespeople at the Apple stores, you all speak the same language. Wake up. We’re talking about computers here. So what if I use MS over Apple and happen to like it better. Geesh.
By the way, if Apple had as much of the market as Windows does, you’d be updating your virus definitions daily too. Apple isn’t superior, there’s just so few users nobody bothers to write viruses.
As far as the comment by MM about reloading the software so the OS would run as advertised … why should I have to? Apple’s all about running correctly out of the box with no hassles. If I wanted to reload an OS I would have done it with my PC. Why in the world would I want to spend $1500.00 just to have to reload the operating system the day I bought the machine?
It is just stupid to spend that kind of money and don’t hold those you buy from accountable.
PO’d
You Apple fanatics are snobs! No wonder you see nothing wrong with the crappy salespeople at the Apple stores, you all speak the same language. Wake up. We’re talking about computers here. So what if I use MS over Apple and happen to like it better. Geesh.
By the way, if Apple had as much of the market as Windows does, you’d be updating your virus definitions daily too. Apple isn’t superior, there’s just so few users nobody bothers to write viruses.
As far as the comment by MM about reloading the software so the OS would run as advertised … why should I have to? Apple’s all about running correctly out of the box with no hassles. If I wanted to reload an OS I would have done it with my PC. Why in the world would I want to spend $1500.00 just to have to reload the operating system the day I bought the machine?
It is just stupid to spend that kind of money and don’t hold those you buy from accountable.
PO’d
You Apple fanatics are snobs! No wonder you see nothing wrong with the crappy salespeople at the Apple stores, you all speak the same language. Wake up. We’re talking about computers here. So what if I use MS over Apple and happen to like it better. Geesh.
By the way, if Apple had as much of the market as Windows does, you’d be updating your virus definitions daily too. Apple isn’t superior, there’s just so few users nobody bothers to write viruses.
As far as the comment by MM about reloading the software so the OS would run as advertised … why should I have to? Apple’s all about running correctly out of the box with no hassles. If I wanted to reload an OS I would have done it with my PC. Why in the world would I want to spend $1500.00 just to have to reload the operating system the day I bought the machine?
It is just stupid to spend that kind of money and don’t hold those you buy from accountable.
PO’d
You Apple fanatics are snobs! No wonder you see nothing wrong with the crappy salespeople at the Apple stores, you all speak the same language. Wake up. We’re talking about computers here. So what if I use MS over Apple and happen to like it better. Geesh.
By the way, if Apple had as much of the market as Windows does, you’d be updating your virus definitions daily too. Apple isn’t superior, there’s just so few users nobody bothers to write viruses.
As far as the comment by MM about reloading the software so the OS would run as advertised … why should I have to? Apple’s all about running correctly out of the box with no hassles. If I wanted to reload an OS I would have done it with my PC. Why in the world would I want to spend $1500.00 just to have to reload the operating system the day I bought the machine?
It is just stupid to spend that kind of money and don’t hold those you buy from accountable.
PO’d
i think you are lying and made it up, your whole story is nonsense and thousands of satisfied visitors to Apple store prove this… grow up
Made you feel big having 5Gs to spend, huh? Sorry, but my sympathies have to go to the store employees. When you have repeat bad experiences at different places, the problem is you.
As far as po’d’s restocking fee, it’s well deserved.
Tell you what, customers with attitude like the above end up buying what is not their original intention from a more inconvenient place, and from a salesman who is onto you so deep that you don’t realize you are being cornholed. Sideways.
Un reasonable expeditions were probably your problem.
You are a computer geek (I assume). And you probably know a TON about windows and a good amount about computers in general. Can you tell me that if you start talking geek to the guys at CompUSA, GateWay, Best Buy or where ever (except for some local build your own PC store) that you don’t burry the poor guy with your knowledge when talking about Windows?
Now, I don’t know what you were asking, but I’m guessing you had some comparative questions, and some interoperability questions that these people just didn’t know. Worse yet, they probably thought you were just some PC jerk trying to to find reasons to say Windows is superior, (trust me there are a lot of people like that).
These are sales people (not technicians) and they know the prices and the major selling points of their products, but for the most part they are selling products to people who want them or people who know very little about computers.
So, my suggestion to you is ask your questions here. There are some real Mac and Mac/Windows hybrid geeks online. Get your hard questions answered here and then leave the simple answers for the Sales guys (how much?)
Lastly, these guys may have done you a great service. It has been most of a year sense the G5 introduction with virtually no updates. Hopefully the yields on the 970fx are finally getting to reasonable levels and the refresh that many of us expected in April will finally show up and you will ether spend less or buy more.
Note: iMovie and iDVD will be great tools for your wife, but you might keep in mind FinalCut Express for yourself if you do a lot with video (and have some high-end PC applications that you are use to). Also, you may consider DVD studio Pro eventually to give you even more flexibility with final output (and this application is easy enough for your wife to use in it’s basic mode).
Good luck.
To PO’d – The OS wasn’t installed correctly? That makes about as much sense as this article. Why didn’t you just reload it from the Disks you got with the Machine? So, you took it back to the store since it wasn’t running correctly? If that doesn’t sound like a Windows Person’s mentality, I don’t know what does. Looks like you were never cut out to run with the Mac people from the start. MM
Never had a bad experience in an Apple store (including Mall of America).
Two Windows friends visited the MoA store and are now switchers, The staff spent over an hour with each. I’ve never been to a computer store, other then Apple, where the staff will spend that amount of time and be that helpful.
Sorry about your experiences but to get pissed in several different stores, the problem more then likeyly is with you.
I don’t have the privilege like u visiting a few apple stores n judging by the tone of your message u never have the intention of purchasing a Mac and if i read you right you pissed off the slaes personnel by saying PCs r better than Mac and have more softwwares too. Well geek stay with PC you will be happeir and happy worms catching.
My experience cost me $140 in restocking fees. I got an eMac about 2 years ago when they were the coolest new Apple out. Well, I got it home and it turns out the OS wasn’t working corretly. ‘Forget this’ I thought, loading the offending maching back into my car and heading for the Columbus, Ohio Apple store at Easton … ‘if I’m going to have to reload an OS I might as well stick with PCs since I already know how to do it on a PC’.
Anyway, to make a long story short, the manager told me Apple would not wave the 10% restocking fee even though they admitted the OS wasn’t installed correctly. Basically, what it came down to was I rented a faultly computer from the Apple store for four days and it cost me $140.
I’ll never buy Apple again. When I called corporate and told them that they just said ‘sorry, that is company policy.’
No wonder Apple has never caputured more than 5% of the market.
My experience cost me $140 in restocking fees. I got an eMac about 2 years ago when they were the coolest new Apple out. Well, I got it home and it turns out the OS wasn’t working corretly. ‘Forget this’ I thought, loading the offending maching back into my car and heading for the Columbus, Ohio Apple store at Easton … ‘if I’m going to have to reload an OS I might as well stick with PCs since I already know how to do it on a PC’.
Anyway, to make a long story short, the manager told me Apple would not wave the 10% restocking fee even though they admitted the OS wasn’t installed correctly. Basically, what it came down to was I rented a faultly computer from the Apple store for four days and it cost me $140.
I’ll never buy Apple again. When I called corporate and told them that they just said ‘sorry, that is company policy.’
No wonder Apple has never caputured more than 5% of the market.
My experience cost me $140 in restocking fees. I got an eMac about 2 years ago when they were the coolest new Apple out. Well, I got it home and it turns out the OS wasn’t working corretly. ‘Forget this’ I thought, loading the offending maching back into my car and heading for the Columbus, Ohio Apple store at Easton … ‘if I’m going to have to reload an OS I might as well stick with PCs since I already know how to do it on a PC’.
Anyway, to make a long story short, the manager told me Apple would not wave the 10% restocking fee even though they admitted the OS wasn’t installed correctly. Basically, what it came down to was I rented a faultly computer from the Apple store for four days and it cost me $140.
I’ll never buy Apple again. When I called corporate and told them that they just said ‘sorry, that is company policy.’
No wonder Apple has never caputured more than 5% of the market.
My experience cost me $140 in restocking fees. I got an eMac about 2 years ago when they were the coolest new Apple out. Well, I got it home and it turns out the OS wasn’t working corretly. ‘Forget this’ I thought, loading the offending maching back into my car and heading for the Columbus, Ohio Apple store at Easton … ‘if I’m going to have to reload an OS I might as well stick with PCs since I already know how to do it on a PC’.
Anyway, to make a long story short, the manager told me Apple would not wave the 10% restocking fee even though they admitted the OS wasn’t installed correctly. Basically, what it came down to was I rented a faultly computer from the Apple store for four days and it cost me $140.
I’ll never buy Apple again. When I called corporate and told them that they just said ‘sorry, that is company policy.’
No wonder Apple has never caputured more than 5% of the market.
Glad to hear that you’re still going to get a G5. I’d suggest that you do your primary research on the web. Learn about the specs you need, check what kind of deals are in the offing. For upgrades I think you’d like a second internal HD and addational RAM. These both cost much less purchased seperately and installed your self.
At this stage, if you don’t need it immeadately, I’d suggest waiting for the speed bump that will most likely be announced at the WWDC developer event at the end of June. Sometimes the universe wishes to help you get what will best serve you in the future.
But if you don’t wish to wait much longer, the current top of the line dual G5 will be a good choice as OS X likes dual processors to switch back and forth between.
I have been to 3 different Apple Stores multiple times. One in Japan, One in LA, and One in the Boston Area. I have had excellent experiences at each. If anything it was almost like the sales people were TOO helpful at times. Especially in the Ginza Store in Japan, it seemed like I couldn’t walk 5 feet without someone offering to help me.
I did see a wide range in product knowledge and frankly knew more than the sales person about half the time. But anytime the salesperson I had didn’t know the answer he/she would either run and find the guy who COULD answer the question, or we would go to a computer and try to find the answer online together. In an interesting side note, a lot of times other customers would step in and help out too when they knew the answer and heard us talking.
Another nice thing is that I felt zero pressure to buy. People would talk with me all day long and I would tell them up front I wasn’t planning on buying anything right now and they would still stick with me.
I guess the only advice I can think of to give you on this is if you are not getting the experience you want with the salesperson you have at the time, thank them and tell them you are going to look around for a bit, walk away and try another salesperson. As a final resort I guess you could ask to see the manager but I really don’t think it will be necessary if you can just get yourself into a mindset of expecting really good service. Usually in a situation like this, people get what they are expecting to get.
Some Mac Users can be snobs and a bit holier than thou but it has been my experience overall that if you tell them you are thinking of switching you will have them bending over backward to help you out. Next time you walk into an Apple store, try starting out by saying “I am a PC user and am thinking of switching. Can you help me out?” I think you will be amazed by the service you will get.
A Geek would never make a LARGE purchase at retail, what would be the point? The TAX alone would be crazy expensive. Any self respecting Apple Geek would look up the spot price on the equipment first, for example. Find the lowest price not doing business in his/her state and order online. The Apple Store is fine for testing out equipment, asking questions, but actually buying there? Give me a break! Sure Apple employees are going to be snobbish to wintel users, that’s no surprise and they should be… this so called GEEK should of kept his yap shut about wintel and focused on Video Editing only. I really don’t believe in all 7 stores he didn’t run into 1 person that was quite knowledgeable and helpful. In closing, this article doesn’t add up.
“…after which you discover the payment was worthLESS.” Doh!
I knew I risked being flamed when I wrote this article. I have several friends who own iBooks and they have been chiding me for years to go out and buy a iBook. When I purchased my iPod they figured that I was half way to be being a convert.
What drove me ultimately to consider a G5 was that I have been doing a significant amount of Video editing on my PC and even though it does a great job my wife has a hard time doing the same task. After seeing some impressive video editing being done with my buddies G5 plus the feedback from this site and my own research drove the decision.
But I am but a customer when I walk into a store. For a initial purchase I wanted a system that had everything that I would need and being that Apple has these glossy beautiful stores I would expect the sales people to have more knowledge than your average Joe.
Some have accused I walked in and had attitude and that is quite opposite. Why would one have a bad attitude when one’s wife had signed off on a major purchase. But to receive the attitude that I did has made me re-consider the choice.
As I stated earlier I will probably end up buying from another establishment or on-line but it would have been nice to learn about all the options upfront from a person I assumed would have a clue.
A very interesting article. As perception IS reality, especially in the consumers mind – it’s something to at least be aware of.
Like many others here, it is the exact and polar opposite of my own Apple store experience – which began 1 1/2 years ago when I too was a Windows only user but had heard such great things about OSX. It ook me well over a month of constant store visits before being confident enough in my decision to pay down that kind of money (which for my own setup was a bit over $5k, much like the author of this post). Each visit to the 2 stores in my area – on each occassion, I was met with some of the nicest retail people I have ever encounrtered. In truth, once they found out that I was a PC/Windows user, they were all the more friendly towards me. After the purchase was made, Several of which these people went completely out of their way to help me with the whole switching / transition process, including inviting me to local user grounps, recommending a slew of great Mac website, etc.
To this day, when I walk in either of the two stores in my area, I am often called on by name by several of these people who are still working at the store.
I sincerely hope you have a better experience next time –
Jeff
I have to tell you – I spent many years managing a retail computer store, and there are ways to make sure you get the brushoff in a store – and Geek used most of them. You may not be aware of it, but there are a large number of scams targeted at retailers; mostly dangling a juicy sale in front of you, after which you discover the payment was worthwhile. The hot buttons:
1. You’ve never seen him before
2. He’s in a hurry
3. Buying big-ticket item
4. Claims not to know much about the product
5. Has unusual shipment or delivery requirements.
Now, if he’d gone in on a weekend and/or wanted to pay with a cashiers check, the picture would have been complete. Frankly, I’d have blown him off too – it’s just too much risk to waste your time on.
I don’t get the point of the story. I am sure people out there in the world are having great expereiences, and some are having bad experiences. That is life. If you are unhappy about your expereience complain to management. If your complaint is reasonable, management will take care of it, if for no other reason that they more money if you shop.
If you do not feel complaining don’t, and just buy your computer, it is not like Apple managmenet has a plan to hire bad sales people. Ultimately it is your loss if you buy another computer other than the Mac.
I’m sure someone pointed this out, but maybe it was you who went in with the “righteous attitude” and you found exactly what you wanted to find… someone with a similar attitude. My son and I went in the store in Las Vegas and he was all set on a G5. However, the salesperson quizzed him about his needs and told him an eMac or an iMac would suit him fine and he could save some $$$ to boot… I think that shows where his priorities were… with the customer! He could have made a bigger sale, but put the customer first !!
“This asshole pissed me off and I walked.”
Seems to me you are fulfilling your own prophecy. Finding that one asshole out of such a small number is pretty hard.
By the way, do you give equal time of your annoying, intollerant and geeky attitudes to PC salepeople as well?
I can’t help but think, from the tone of this piece, that it is the writer that has the attitude problem.
This is the type of *experience* which results in many lost sales no matter the product. If a potential purchaser comes into a store and is not well treated they will walk out. It happens whether selling cars, computers or jewelry. Apple really should be sending in anonymous “checkers” to see what goes on at the stores and take corrective action as needed.
I have know people who have received this sort of treatment at a car dealership and not only has the dealership (and manufacturer) lost that sale, but they have lost that customer forever and the individual usually tells EVERYONE they know about the experience. Thee are studies about the cost of a dissatisfied customer in the auto business. The cost is quite high.
For a computer business which is not exactly mainstream Apple needs to avoid this problem at all costs.
This is the type of *experience* which results in many lost sales no matter the product. If a potential purchaser comes into a store and is not well treated they will walk out. It happens whether selling cars, computers or jewelry. Apple really should be sending in anonymous “checkers” to see what goes on at the stores and take corrective action as needed.
I have know people who have received this sort of treatment at a car dealership and not only has the dealership (and manufacturer) lost that sale, but they have lost that customer forever and the individual usually tells EVERYONE they know about the experience. Thee are studies about the cost of a dissatisfied customer in the auto business. The cost is quite high.
For a computer business which is not exactly mainstream Apple needs to avoid this problem at all costs.
It sounds like you are way too easily pissed off, perhaps induced by a slight inferiority complex caused by a lifetime on windows. It would be nice if you provided some examples of what these smug bastards at all these different stores did to you to get you so upset.
Don’t let these smartasses decide your computing experience! Get your G5 from the online store if the face-to-face thing is too intimidating for you.
As a resident of Japan I have few chances to visit Apple stores, but the two in the Denver area have had more customers than the staff could comfortably handle when I’ve gone. Waits at the Genius Bar were sometimes over 2 hours. Having said that, though, I’m not sure that any less than a one to one ratio of staff to customers would satisfy everyone. We seem to expect a lot from these stores. Do we expect more than we do from Best Buy or Computer City, or is the service actually worse at the Apple Store?
Cry me a river. You didn’t buy a G5 because some guy in a computer store pissed you off? Give me a break. Have you bought a Dell or a Gateway from CompUSA lately? I have both PCs and Macs and have good and bad experiences all around. If I worried about having a wonderful experience with a knowledgeable geek I would have never bought either my G5 or my Dell Precision workstation.
Anyway why deal with the store in the first place why not buy online and save on state taxes… at someplace like cdw.com or smalldog.com . It sounds to me like you didn’t really want a G5 and were just trying to find a reason not to buy otherwise maybe you need some anger management courses. Anyway buy a PC and be happy geeking out with Linux or buy a G5 and be happy geeking out with BSD, itunes, and iphoto. It’s all good.
Someone took their computer to Best Buy to get it fixed? I figure anything Best Buy can do is something I can do yourself, otherwise it’s a return.
Genius bar? Gimme a frickin break. I’ve been into the stores, but I guess that was before this addition…I’m glad I haven’t seen that yet. I think I’d bust out laughing rudely.
I’ve got a G4, 2 PCs…I just would never spend that money for a G5…unless I needed it for my business…computer stores are like vinyl stores which are like comic book stores…staffed by pompus experts on whatever subject IT may be. Apple Stores aren’t excluded…My friend’s roomate got a job at one here..I thought we was an ass BEFORE he worked there. Crunchy hippie elitest who thinks ARUGALA doesn’t exist because he’s never heard of it…shit like that…when he got his job at the Apple Store I thought “That’s the perfect place for an ass like you because that’s exactly what comes to mind when I walk into the place. It should be the perfect fit for someone who likes a good circle jerk. He’s cool, you’re cool, and whatever you guys like is cool. Lets tell eachother how great we are and rip on the system, look out for “the man” who’s always oppressing me…blah blah blah…poor oppressed trust fund bastard who’s lost all his freedom and now he’s forced to get a job at the Apple Store, eat bananas out of season, blah blah…murder is bad! War is murder! No shit sherlock. We’re gonna evolve far with perspectives like yours…can you get me a discount on my iLife? Awsome dude.
Anyway, what I mean to say is…don’t go to stores just order your stuff online so you don’t have to meet that bastards.
That’s right. I said people suck. Go shake your head dissapointedly somewhere else.
Quite the opposite I went in prepared to try something new, my attitude was great after all I was getting ready to buy a new computer who isnt giddy when they get ready to do that. I may have had a string of bad luck but not knowing anything about the operating system and having a list of simple questions to ask should not have been over the top. It is my experience I will probably end up in the Compusa in Honolulu to get one at least those guys are working on commision and want to sell you something.
I would not call myself a converter as I had not planned on removing the windows based PC’s from my home I have to much invested in them in software. I frankly do not understand why I kept picking lemons but it seems to have happened to me.
Unfortunately, this article is not way off. Mentioning that you are, or rather were, a Windows user usually gets you quite the attitude at Apple stores. Seems that although Apple advertised they wanted switchers, that message didn’t seem to get through to their store personnel.
Why would the GeekNews author, or anyone for that matter, want to by a G5 and large monitor from an Apple store in eastern Pennsylvania (I think thats where Mall of America is) and have it shipped all the way to Hawaii. Sounds risky to me. And the shipping wouldn’t be cheap either. Why not order it from the Apple store. Unless you wanted to by it from the mall where “Dawn of the Dead” was filmed. I doubt that though. I guess I’m just having trouble believing the story.
I’ve only been to a couple Apple stores, and got great treatment. Best Buy, on the other hand, sucks! My customer service experience there was terrible, and the computer they “fixed” still sits in a closet. Nice fix, do the exact same thing I had already tried (and told them I had tried). I truly will never go near an Apple product if they are ever worse than best buy.
Well I have to agree…I love apple’s – but my last visit to an apple store in Plano TX was horrible…I was picking up my powerbook from service…had to goto the “genius bar” to get it…well after reading the sign on the counter there it says come right up and ask us anything…so i sit there waiting my turn…finally everyone else was done and it was just me…he asked me what my name was and he said I wasn’t in the queue…he refused to help me until i went and put my name in the queue – which there were NO SIGNS talking about this…he said any mac in the store had an icon to sign in – well after looking at about 5 of their powermacs and powerbooks i finally found one with it…by now I have already been waiting for about 30 minutes. So i go back to the bar after putting my name in the queue – noticed there were two names ahead of me – but they were no where to be seen…so instead of helping me he decides to go for a quick break….about 10 minutes later he shows up again…the two ahead of me in the queue still no where to be seen…so he waits..instead of helping me…finally about another 10-15 minutes later he decides to help me…I had already told him all i wanted to do was pick up my powerbook…took him 10 minutes in the back to find it..got it and grabbed the few items I was buying, new keyboard, mouse, ac adapter, and external firewire drive. Took it up to the counter…had to wait another 10-15 minutes at the counter before someone finally came to check me out…all in all they were all very snobby, had the attitude that since they own a mac they are better then everyone else…except a guy named Casey there – I talked to him over the phone and he was very customer driven and was great to deal with – to bad he wasn’t there when i went in. I know all the apple stores aren’t like this, I have friends in Chicago that love the stores around there and have nothing but great things to say about them…but this store in Plano TX – wow – I will never go back…..I have been to apple stores that are good, others like this….no wonder that every PC owner I know that has gone into one things apple owners are snobs….best buy has better service and treats their customers better.
I don’t get it. It’s like this guy keeps walking into different Apple stores looking for a bad experience. If he’s already made his mind up, why not order online from the Apple Store or one of the other hundreds of online resellers.
I have had very kind and helpful Apple Store employees in ALL my experiences.
I’ve seen this type of person a lot. Things aren’t right unless there’s a confrontational situation at hand.
Get the chip off your shoulder and go buy your Mac, pal. What an uptight dude.
I was recently in an Apple Store and was very impressed by their customer service. I bought an iPod about 6 months ago and I dropped it and it broke. The other day I finally brought it in, and I just told them it stopped working, they checked it out, and gave me a new one right there. I didn’t need a receipt, I didn’t need proof of warranty. The whole exchange took a few minutes. If you ask me that is excellent service, better than I would expect to find anywhere else. I recently converted to Apple, and while I still use my PC, Apple definitely rocks.
I was in a Michigan store where the sales rep wasn’t great but that was not because of arrogance but lack of knowledge.
Had a great experience at the Apple Clarendon (D.C) store. Took my ibook to the Genius Bar and they were very helpful and competent.
It varies. My experiences wth Apple Store people have ranged from a 50-year old woman in Schaumburg who was just outstanding, to a store manager in Oak Brook who seemed to have a general retailing background and seemed, frankly, bemused by the Apple experience, to the said “prissy bastards” who seem (unfortunately) to migrate disproportionately to the technical support area. Generally speaking, it is a better experience than the average computer store, but they need to be on their guard against a superiority complex.