Samsung looks to reinvent Apple's Genius Bar with WeWork 'care centers'
Samsung is partnering with shared workplace startup WeWork to roll out a string of "care centers" at which customers can receive help with their Samsung device while taking care of business, an idea that aims to one-up Apple's Genius Bar.
Source: Alex Welsh for blink.la via Fast Company
Mick McConnell, VP of design at Samsung Electronics America, dreamed up the pilot program after a visit to Apple's Genius Bar, reports Fast Company. The appointment started an hour and a half later than it was supposed to, an issue sometimes common at highly trafficked metropolitan Apple retail locations.
Instead of waiting in an Apple store, milling around product shelves or browsing the web on a Mac, Samsung's plan is to furnish users with a workspace complete with a large black steel and glass box outfitted with computer workstations, coffee and fruit-infused water. Set to open this month at WeWork locations in Detroit, Miami, and New York, the dedicated Samsung care center areas also feature phone booths with Samsung video conferencing systems.
"Service is a hassle. I know I'm going to have to take time out of my day to do it," McConnell said. "The concept was, if I take time out of my day, at least I can sit in a conference room, make phone calls, and do work, as opposed to sitting in a busy room with a bunch of angry people."
Though Samsung is taking up a chunk of those particular WeWorks, the goal is not to create a separate entity inaccessible by WeWork customers. Instead, the company wants to welcome subscribers (WeWork sells space on a monthly basis) into the Samsung fold, hopefully garnering new customers by doing so.
Samsung will also host a series of after-hours talks at the WeWork spaces, eerily similar to Today at Apple learning sessions.
The project has a ways to go before it is able to compete with Apple's Genius Bar, or Genius Grove, depending on the store you frequent, as Samsung care center customers are limited to "tier 1" support. That means customers can only receive technical help on owned products and mail-out repairs. Apple currently offers "tier 2" support, which covers screen replacements and other on-site jobs that require specialized personnel.
Source: Alex Welsh for blink.la via Fast Company
Mick McConnell, VP of design at Samsung Electronics America, dreamed up the pilot program after a visit to Apple's Genius Bar, reports Fast Company. The appointment started an hour and a half later than it was supposed to, an issue sometimes common at highly trafficked metropolitan Apple retail locations.
Instead of waiting in an Apple store, milling around product shelves or browsing the web on a Mac, Samsung's plan is to furnish users with a workspace complete with a large black steel and glass box outfitted with computer workstations, coffee and fruit-infused water. Set to open this month at WeWork locations in Detroit, Miami, and New York, the dedicated Samsung care center areas also feature phone booths with Samsung video conferencing systems.
"Service is a hassle. I know I'm going to have to take time out of my day to do it," McConnell said. "The concept was, if I take time out of my day, at least I can sit in a conference room, make phone calls, and do work, as opposed to sitting in a busy room with a bunch of angry people."
Though Samsung is taking up a chunk of those particular WeWorks, the goal is not to create a separate entity inaccessible by WeWork customers. Instead, the company wants to welcome subscribers (WeWork sells space on a monthly basis) into the Samsung fold, hopefully garnering new customers by doing so.
Samsung will also host a series of after-hours talks at the WeWork spaces, eerily similar to Today at Apple learning sessions.
The project has a ways to go before it is able to compete with Apple's Genius Bar, or Genius Grove, depending on the store you frequent, as Samsung care center customers are limited to "tier 1" support. That means customers can only receive technical help on owned products and mail-out repairs. Apple currently offers "tier 2" support, which covers screen replacements and other on-site jobs that require specialized personnel.
Comments
Yeh man, that's partly why Apple is so successful... 'servicing' is required so infrequently, time-outs needn't be factored into schedules!
PS : I started with a Mac in 1992 for magazine publishing and currently use an iMac, iPad, iPhone and Apple Watch 3... and have never needed a single Apple item to be 'serviced' in 25 years.
"reinvent"
That commode is too high for me anyway.
To me calling it a care center sounds like they're patronising their customers, basically calling them a bit stupid and in need of "care"; that they need help to understand the at no fault oh so amazing Samsung products.
Or, perhaps that's just me not being a native english speaker and/or in a bad mood?
Care Center, staffed by a herd of clueless cloned idiot savants named Bixby./s Their single focus, beyond Tier 1 fluff, to incessantly bemoan Apple products. But, in fact, many of the Bixby bots will be secretly directing the disenchanted Samsung masses to the nearest Apple Store for high quality products and competent trained staff.
Eight Month Update: Mr. Mick McConnell, former VP of design at Samsung Electronics America who had just closed the last eight failed Samsung Product ‘care centers’ was recently seen sadly loitering outside the Visitor Center at Apple Park, muttering to himself.
Oh yes, add a few drops of fruit juice to some tap water and up the price by a few thousand percent.
Aren't forever being told that it is only Apple buyers that are easily parted from their money.
The issue here IMHO is will this succed more than the Microsoft Retail effort (version 3 if my memory serves me well)