Apple remodeling 100 stores with larger Genius Bars, displays
While the tough economy is prompting many retailers to cut back on their spending, Apple plans to pour millions into remodeling roughly 40% of its stores and will soon introduce new One-to-One services and other changes geared towards better customer service.
Apple Senior Vice President of Retail Ron Johnson told USAToday on Wednesday that the company plans to makeover 100 of its retail stores this year, retrofitting them with customer service Genius Bars that are 50 percent larger and display tables that can showcase twice as many Macs.
"We know that a lot of people are cutting back, but we're doing the opposite," he told the newspaper. "We're investing in the downturn."
Beginning June 2, Apple will also make significant changes to its One-to-One personal training service geared towards helping new Mac customers get the most out their systems.
Currently, anyone who's willing to pay $99 can sign up for a year's worth of the training service, but Johnson says Apple will start limiting signups to only those customers who purchase a Mac at an Apple retail store or the Apple online store. Legacy users won't be booted from the program, however, and will be offered the opportunity to renew their subscription for the same $99.
As part of the changes, One-to-One sessions will be limited to three hours, up from one hour. Similarly, up to three participants will now be allowed to take part in the sessions. In addition to its remodeling efforts, Apple will also open 25 new stores worldwide this year, including its fourth flagship location in Manhattan and new shops in Paris, Germany and Italy.
Apple Senior Vice President of Retail Ron Johnson told USAToday on Wednesday that the company plans to makeover 100 of its retail stores this year, retrofitting them with customer service Genius Bars that are 50 percent larger and display tables that can showcase twice as many Macs.
"We know that a lot of people are cutting back, but we're doing the opposite," he told the newspaper. "We're investing in the downturn."
Beginning June 2, Apple will also make significant changes to its One-to-One personal training service geared towards helping new Mac customers get the most out their systems.
Currently, anyone who's willing to pay $99 can sign up for a year's worth of the training service, but Johnson says Apple will start limiting signups to only those customers who purchase a Mac at an Apple retail store or the Apple online store. Legacy users won't be booted from the program, however, and will be offered the opportunity to renew their subscription for the same $99.
As part of the changes, One-to-One sessions will be limited to three hours, up from one hour. Similarly, up to three participants will now be allowed to take part in the sessions. In addition to its remodeling efforts, Apple will also open 25 new stores worldwide this year, including its fourth flagship location in Manhattan and new shops in Paris, Germany and Italy.
Comments
I wonder if those laid off get their jobs back? Were any "geniuses" laid off prior?
you're a buffoon - you realize that, right? They laid off 50 people from their enterprise sales group. Hardly noteworthy compared to the thousands laid off at microcrap and elsewhere - not to mention it has more to do with their sales strategy than the economy.
This makes perfect sense to do this sort of thing during an economic downturn. Less foot traffic in the stores means less of an overall disruption. Hotels do it all the time - remodel their rooms while they're empty so they don't have to turn away guests.
I didn't know they were closing our store and when I went to the mall last week and saw the closed sign, there was a weird emptiness in my stomach. I may have a problem...
with larger Genius Bars
Have you looked at some of the Geniuses? They're pretty large already!
you're a buffoon - you realize that, right? They laid off 50 people from their enterprise sales group. Hardly noteworthy compared to the thousands laid off at microcrap and elsewhere - not to mention it has more to do with their sales strategy than the economy.
This makes perfect sense to do this sort of thing during an economic downturn. Less foot traffic in the stores means less of an overall disruption. Hotels do it all the time - remodel their rooms while they're empty so they don't have to turn away guests.
No, you're an idiot.
April 24, 2009 Apple (NASD: AAPL) laid off 1,600 employees from its retail stores during the second quarter, according to an SEC filing.
The number represents more than 10% of the company's retail workforce.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10226486-37.html
Have you looked at some of the Geniuses? They're pretty large already!
They're SuperWozzed.
No, you're an idiot.
April 24, 2009 Apple (NASD: AAPL) laid off 1,600 employees from its retail stores during the second quarter, according to an SEC filing.
The number represents more than 10% of the company's retail workforce.
Read the article, my friend. That doesn't mean 1600 people got laid off. It means they employ 1600 fewer "full time equivalent" employees. Let me walk you through it. For example, if 10 part time employees are forced to each work 4 fewer hours per week, that's 40 hours a week and 1 "full time equivalent" employee. Considering every store easily has over 20 people on the payroll, its fair to assume each store could have cut at least 2 "full time equivalent" employees. The fact of the matter is, we don't know the mix of actual layoffs versus hourly cutbacks. Certainly some people were let go entirely, but definitely not 1600.
You're an idiot.
April 24, 2009 Apple (NASD: AAPL) laid off 1,600 employees from its retail stores during the second quarter, according to an SEC filing.
The number represents more than 10% of the company's retail workforce.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10226486-37.html
That was one of the least informative articles on that matter that I've seen yet. Apple did not lay off 1,600 employees. The term used in your article is "shed", not laid off. Apple shed 1600 full-time positions. If you look up some other articles on the matter you will find that Apple shed most of these jobs not by laying off people, but by not filling vacancies when a person quit. Not hiring is not the same as laying a person off, the closest Apple really came to major layoffs was a reduction of working hours for some.
Their answer for why it wouldn't work varried from the fact that it's a phone and not a true wifi router, to the fact that the phone ran windows mobile and the netbook ran windows, and somehow it was something microsoft was blocking. That was their help to me.
I guess I'm being tough on them being that it was a fairly complicated issue. The solution came in the form of turning the radio power up on the phone, and disabling the DHCP allocator.
Other than that I'm sure they are experts at more basic tasks.
Make the already best customer experience in a comp store even better, that's pure Apple. Thumbs way up I think
Yeah something's way up. Your nose and their ass. (just kidding!
the closest Apple really came to major layoffs was a reduction of working hours for some.
exactly. Some people don't understand there are ways to cut expenses without full-fledged layoffs.
That was one of the least informative articles on that matter that I've seen yet. Apple did not lay off 1,600 employees. The term used in your article is "shed", not laid off. Apple shed 1600 full-time positions. If you look up some other articles on the matter you will find that Apple shed most of these jobs not by laying off people, but by not filling vacancies when a person quit. Not hiring is not the same as laying a person off, the closest Apple really came to major layoffs was a reduction of working hours for some.
exactly. Some people don't understand there are ways to cut expenses without full-fledged layoffs.
I think the point he was trying to make (even if he lost site of it) was the fact that they made this comment: "We know that a lot of people are cutting back, but we're doing the opposite," he told the newspaper. "We're investing in the downturn." all while "shedding" those jobs.
They are being a bit misleading in that statement is all.
I think the point he was trying to make (even if he lost site of it) was the fact that they made this comment: "We know that a lot of people are cutting back, but we're doing the opposite," he told the newspaper. "We're investing in the downturn." all while "shedding" those jobs.
They are being a bit misleading in that statement is all.
what's misleading is the headline to Techduds article, which clearly is as far into the article as he bothered to read.
Read the article, my friend. That doesn't mean 1600 people got laid off. It means they employ 1600 fewer "full time equivalent" employees. Let me walk you through it. For example, if 10 part time employees are forced to each work 4 fewer hours per week, that's 40 hours a week and 1 "full time equivalent" employee. Considering every store easily has over 20 people on the payroll, its fair to assume each store could have cut at least 2 "full time equivalent" employees. The fact of the matter is, we don't know the mix of actual layoffs versus hourly cutbacks. Certainly some people were let go entirely, but definitely not 1600.
Right - but only 50 as you stated.
what's misleading is the headline to Techduds article, which clearly is as far into the article as he bothered to read.
You who posts only 50 layoffs- you're a joke.
What headline? Put the pipe down already.