Apple's employee meeting may expand Genius support to small business
A new report suggests that Apple's rumored all-hands employee meeting this weekend will launch a new retail-based service called 'Joint Venture' that will extend the company's Genius Bar services to phone and on-site support for small businesses and prosumers.
AppleInsider was first to report Tuesday that Apple was planning a secretive meeting for its retail employees that was likely related to a new in-store initiative or service.
A new report from BGR claims the meeting, which is expected to take place after stores close on Sunday, February 27th, has been called to unveil a Joint Venture service targeted at providing technical support to enterprise customers. Rumors of the service first emerged last March when it was discovered that Apple had filed for the Joint Venture trademark under "technical support and consulting services."
According to the report, Apple plans to offer subscribers to the new service phone-based one-on-one consultations, troubleshooting and on-site visits from Apple Genius technicians. Apple Geniuses are currently only allowed to provide in-store support.
The new service may explain recent changes made by Apple to its policy for Apple Consultant Network referrals. Certified Apple consultants are reportedly upset with the Cupertino, Calif., company over a new support partnership with repair service provider OnForce that would require repair referrals to be issued to consultants through OnForce's system. According to the report, Apple began testing the system in 2009 and just recently began rolling it out on a nationwide level.
By expanding its Genius Bar services to provide additional technical support to businesses, Apple Retail will soon be in direct competition with certified consultants who offer similar services. Such competition could mirror the problematic relationship that occurred between Apple and its resellers when the Mac maker began opening its own retail stores ten years ago.
Apple has been the target of several lawsuits from resellers as a result of this competition. In 2003, San Francisco-based MACadam Computers sued Apple over alleged unethical or illegal business dealings. MACadam has since closed its doors.
In 2005, several Apple resellers filed a class action lawsuit against Apple accusing the company of unfair and unlawful competition. According to the plaintiffs, Apple stocked its own retail stores before providing inventory to resellers and engaged in unfair pricing policies.
AppleInsider was first to report Tuesday that Apple was planning a secretive meeting for its retail employees that was likely related to a new in-store initiative or service.
A new report from BGR claims the meeting, which is expected to take place after stores close on Sunday, February 27th, has been called to unveil a Joint Venture service targeted at providing technical support to enterprise customers. Rumors of the service first emerged last March when it was discovered that Apple had filed for the Joint Venture trademark under "technical support and consulting services."
According to the report, Apple plans to offer subscribers to the new service phone-based one-on-one consultations, troubleshooting and on-site visits from Apple Genius technicians. Apple Geniuses are currently only allowed to provide in-store support.
The new service may explain recent changes made by Apple to its policy for Apple Consultant Network referrals. Certified Apple consultants are reportedly upset with the Cupertino, Calif., company over a new support partnership with repair service provider OnForce that would require repair referrals to be issued to consultants through OnForce's system. According to the report, Apple began testing the system in 2009 and just recently began rolling it out on a nationwide level.
By expanding its Genius Bar services to provide additional technical support to businesses, Apple Retail will soon be in direct competition with certified consultants who offer similar services. Such competition could mirror the problematic relationship that occurred between Apple and its resellers when the Mac maker began opening its own retail stores ten years ago.
Apple has been the target of several lawsuits from resellers as a result of this competition. In 2003, San Francisco-based MACadam Computers sued Apple over alleged unethical or illegal business dealings. MACadam has since closed its doors.
In 2005, several Apple resellers filed a class action lawsuit against Apple accusing the company of unfair and unlawful competition. According to the plaintiffs, Apple stocked its own retail stores before providing inventory to resellers and engaged in unfair pricing policies.
Comments
Just like the scouts finding new lands many moons ago to build new communities, cities and the such. Im sure the native inhabitants were not happy at first, but then again look at where we are today..
Nothing should be surprising in the world of business, as anything that can happen probably will happen.. That is a certantity.
Apple Geniuses are currently only allowed to provide in-store support.
You guys have funny ways of telling stories.
See that was my ideas. My emails to Steve didn't go to waste LOL !
I'm glad it made you that million bucks you thought it would.
It would be understandable if the company charged with selling the products wasn't moving them as well as anticipated. Then there could be a contractual statement that cancels their franchise.
For Apple to open retail stores near their franchisees is just wrong. To not equally supply them is also a bad thing. The bigger Apple gets the more bad karma it is gathering.
We need to remember that the only reason we all like Apple so much is that their only serious competitor right now is Microsoft. If there were an awesome operating system out there that was as good as OSX and not a Microsoft product, I think I'd go with it.
I've got Ubuntu on one computer. It is a hobby for me. If it were easily configurable so that all of my peripherals worked, I'd use it almost exclusively. Unfortunately I can't even get the Opera browser to play Quicktime videos. I'll stick with Apple only because they're better than Microsoft not because I'm in love with the company.
Just like the scouts finding new lands many moons ago to build new communities, cities and the such. Im sure the native inhabitants were not happy at first, but then again look at where we are today..
Ouch?
iMacs are great for a small business, especially those not tied in with any windows only software. The hardware is compact, yet powerful and aesthetically pleasing. Plus macs don't need to update as much software as often so you don't get constant restarts or dialogue messages that employees need to bug you about. Backups and restore with time machine is stupid easy and parental / employee controls are well implemented and fairly easy to set up.
True. I just recommended my wife to buy iMac & Mac mini server for her dental clinic. I think it'll be just perfect. Less time to mess around.
But since I never use OSX before I'm only 100% sure theoretically. We'll see.
I'll stick with Apple only because they're better than Microsoft not because I'm in love with the company.
Now there's a revelation that'll surprise no one here.
Nothing to be surprised about here.. The name of the Game is Profit and market share and part of this is keeping every part of the business inside of the box. Anything that can be related to these products could at any time be taken upon by the company to add to there own repertoire of services offered.
Just like the scouts finding new lands many moons ago to build new communities, cities and the such. Im sure the native inhabitants were not happy at first, but then again look at where we are today..
Nothing should be surprising in the world of business, as anything that can happen probably will happen.. That is a certantity.
Yes, rich off their backs. I'm sure they've seen the error of their ways. Jesus, how American.
Sure it is really bad for business for the little guys - but is Apple now doing more sales and generating higher revenues and greater profit through its retail stores than Authorized resellers where before?
And might not the same be possible with new services offered? I am actually surprised they did not have some sort of major effort in that regard back when the Xserve was introduced.
And does this not parallel just about every industry, from grocery stores, to pharmacies, etc? a move from dozens of small community based stores to a few massive stores and strip malls with the likes of Target and Wal-Mart etc. If anyone is to blame for such changes it is all of us the consumers who make the decisions to shop at target and wal-mart instead of the corner drug store. And I don't think too many of us agonized over the decisions we make every day either. It is only in hind sight that we think oh how sad that corner store closed down, I really liked that place, can't remember the last time I actually spent any money in there since the prices and plethora of products offered at wal-mart is so much better - and dammit, what is with all this foreign trade deficit?
sorry got off on a bit of a tangent there - but the point is that if Apple decides (as an anthropomorphic way to say that if the board of directors and or CEO etc reach a decision) that it is necessary for the continued growth and success of the company and increasing share value to expand its product and or service offerings into an area which will likely result in squeezing out at least some of the existing players in that market - then that is what will be done.
Provided they do it in a way that is not illegal or unethical then sorry to say but the outcome is not hard to predict.
Please correct the title: Apple's employee meeting may expand Genius LACK OF support to small businesses
Find another company that gives you more support for less and in person?
Good luck!