I 've been to Apple stores in Houston, Chicago, New York and Cincinnatti. My experience has been pretty positive. SDW, you sure this ain't a Philly thing? I've been to Philly before and while it's a nice town, it ain't exactly the friendliest place on earth.
Well, it's not really in Philly if you're familiar with the area. But in any case, no, I don't think it's a Philly thing.
Well, like the genius bar, the "no checkout counter" is an interesting idea in theory, but seems to need some work in practice.
My local (Emeryville) Apple Store is doing the "roaming cashier" thing, and when it works it's pretty cool.
Trouble being, "when it works" is contingent on there being an employee free that you can flag down when you're ready to go. Otherwise...... how do you organize the people who are waiting? Do you have to make a little line that follows a particular sales person around the store like ducklings? Is it survival of the rudest, so you just walk up to the first person with an Apple tee-shirt on and demand to be checked-out? What if everybody is doing that? How can you tell "check-out" type folks from "one-on-one" training type folks, or ambulatory geniuses? Is there a difference? Is this explained anywhere, or are Apple people just supposed to figure it out, because it's "intuitive"? Maybe you're just supposed to shoot your hand in the air and bellow "I BUY NOW!"?
Like I say, so far it seems to work OK at Emeryville (most of the time) because a lot of the time Apple employees seem to come close to outnumbering the customers, but that doesn't seem like a very smart solution, long term, and it still means that on some occasions you end up standing very close to whichever Apple employee that seems the closest to wrapping up whatever they've got going on with somebody else, only to sort of sag with weariness when they say "I'll check on that for you" and march briskly off to the back. Then you have to start scanning the room again for anybody that looks semi-free, and even then they're probably on their way to do something else so they give you the "be with you in a second" over the shoulder kiss-off.
When that's what's going on standing in a nice, predictable, boring line seems like the height of efficiency.
Ha...you and I should stick to Mac related stuff as it seems we totally agree on this issue. I couldn't have said it better. Favorite part of the post: "Ambulatory Geniuses."
I've been in the market for a new Mac and wanted to try out a Mac Pro as well as compare the 15" and 17" MacBook Pros. If I get a MacBook Pro, I'll wait for the next revision but I wanted to see how much bulkier the 17" was on the current model to get an idea.
The Mac Edge in Nashua doesn't have any BTO Macs on the floor so I called the Apple Store in Salem and asked if they had any Mac Pros with dual core 3.0 GHz Xeons or with the ATi Radeon X1900 XT. They told me they had 'quite a few' Mac Pros on display including the standard 2.66 GHz dual core Xeons, the dual core 3.0 GHz Xeons, and the quad core 3.0 GHz Xeons. So I decided to drive out there with the intent of sizing up the current MacBook Pros and possibly purchasing a Mac Pro.
When I got to the store, I started looking at the MacBook Pros and a salesman came over. I told him that I wasn't sure I wanted to buy another laptop after the problems I had with my Pismo and TiBook and we went to look at the Mac Pros. I told him I wanted to compare the standard 2.66 GHz system with the dual core 3.0 GHz system and also with one that had the Radeon X1900 XT. He then told me the only systems they had on display were the 2.66 GHz Mac Pros. Not only that, they only had those systems in stock, there were no 3.0 GHz systems in stock and they said that they never stocked the Quad systems at all, never mind have one on display. They also claimed that they didn't have any BTO parts in stock so I wouldn't have even been able to get Airport and Bluetooth, never mind a better graphics card.
In the end, I walked out without making a purchase. I didn't get to 'test drive' the system I was thinking of buying, despite being told on the phone that they were in stock and on the floor to try out. I still don't know what I'm going to buy either.
Ha...you and I should stick to Mac related stuff as it seems we totally agree on this issue. I couldn't have said it better. Favorite part of the post: "Ambulatory Geniuses."
I was thinking the same thing. Three cheers for "what happens in PO stays in PO!"
Most of you that read me know I get pretty pissed about Apple's attitude towards costumers and know I've had my issues with Apple Retail lately. The last time it was a ridiculous return policy...
{ Snip for the sake of space}
Anyway, it was a pleasant surprise to actually have a decent down to earth conversation with an Apple Retail employee. I can only hope they change and improve in these areas. He did say there was likely a remodel of the store coming, which I suppose will be good.
Your thoughts are of course welcome...
SDW
The Indianapolis Apple Store on/off Keystone Ave is where I want to go to when I die.
Last Friday I broke the screen on my Treo 650/Verizon. Coulldn't drop it on grass, or sand, or my leather-shoe-clad-toe, hell no! No I found a steel floor to bash my phone against.
No insurance.
Now what?
After a very pleasant conversation with a Verizon rep, I am getting a new, blank Treo 650 E.T.A. N.L.T. this Friday, will hotsync it with my Powerbook G4, will hard reset the broken phone, will send the broken phone back to Verizon/Palm, and will go on until June 11 or so . Cost to me: $50.00.
Now, I am really looking forward to my iPhone. However, I am concerned with the customer support that I can look forward to. Say I drop it and wipe out the screen. Again.
Is SDW2001's experience an indicator of what I can look forward to? I'm really looking forward to seeing Apple's/AT&T's support policies with regard to the iPhone.
I'm not sure I understand what you complained about. They were busy, they got to you when they were done, you complained, the guy was defensive. These are human beings we're talking about - human beings with crappy pay and crappy jobs. I just assume that these people's lives suck and don't hold it against them.
Sorry, the crappy pay/job excuse doesn't work with me. If you have a good attitude at any pay level your day and the day of everyone around you goes much smoother and you'll be more successful in the short and long run for it.
Listening to you guys makes me feel lucky. I live in a Miami, Fl, 'burb. The huge Apple Store here has several people at the registers. I've never had to wait more than a few minutes to check out. However, I still have the urge to complain - not about bad service - but about too much service.
Example:
Recently, I went in just to check out the computers (but not to buy anything) and, every
*$%#@ time I stopped to look at something, a clerk would go through a long spiel all about the product. I couldn't get away from them. They wouldn't leave me alone. There were a lot of customers in the store, and the clerks were coming out of the woodwork.
So, sometimes too much of a good thing is annoying.
That being said, the Genius bar is slow as molasses, and I have only used it when I absolutely had to. Fortunately, Appleinsider Genius bar is a lot better and you guys have solved most of my problems. THANKS.
I'm not sure I understand what you complained about. They were busy, they got to you when they were done, you complained, the guy was defensive. These are human beings we're talking about - human beings with crappy pay and crappy jobs. I just assume that these people's lives suck and don't hold it against them.
Tolerating bad service from people to whom you are giving your money, is a contributing factor to more bad service.
In the end, I walked out without buying the AC adapter and told them to mail me the replacement, which didn't come for 6 weeks. In the meantime, I went and purchased a new AC adapter from the local Mac Edge store in Nashua because I had to get my project done. I could have saved myself a lot of time and effort had I skipped the Apple Store trip entirely.
It's a shame too because I really liked going to the Apple Stores and seeing the newest Macs and Mac accessories. The only other places that are really local are CompUSA, which I am boycotting, and Mac Edge which only carries stock systems so you really can't 'test drive' what you want to purchase before hand.
Many non-Apple Mac stores, including MacEdge, will honor AppleCare, so they might have replaced the adapter for free.
Also, you have a 30 day return at Apple so, you could have taken it back.
Just the same, how did you destroy the original? Maybe you should have two as it sounds like you were a bit rough on the one you had.
Comments
I've been to Philly before and while it's a nice town, it ain't exactly the friendliest place on earth.
What the **** are you talking about, ****head?
I 've been to Apple stores in Houston, Chicago, New York and Cincinnatti. My experience has been pretty positive. SDW, you sure this ain't a Philly thing? I've been to Philly before and while it's a nice town, it ain't exactly the friendliest place on earth.
Well, it's not really in Philly if you're familiar with the area. But in any case, no, I don't think it's a Philly thing.
Well, like the genius bar, the "no checkout counter" is an interesting idea in theory, but seems to need some work in practice.
My local (Emeryville) Apple Store is doing the "roaming cashier" thing, and when it works it's pretty cool.
Trouble being, "when it works" is contingent on there being an employee free that you can flag down when you're ready to go. Otherwise...... how do you organize the people who are waiting? Do you have to make a little line that follows a particular sales person around the store like ducklings? Is it survival of the rudest, so you just walk up to the first person with an Apple tee-shirt on and demand to be checked-out? What if everybody is doing that? How can you tell "check-out" type folks from "one-on-one" training type folks, or ambulatory geniuses? Is there a difference? Is this explained anywhere, or are Apple people just supposed to figure it out, because it's "intuitive"? Maybe you're just supposed to shoot your hand in the air and bellow "I BUY NOW!"?
Like I say, so far it seems to work OK at Emeryville (most of the time) because a lot of the time Apple employees seem to come close to outnumbering the customers, but that doesn't seem like a very smart solution, long term, and it still means that on some occasions you end up standing very close to whichever Apple employee that seems the closest to wrapping up whatever they've got going on with somebody else, only to sort of sag with weariness when they say "I'll check on that for you" and march briskly off to the back. Then you have to start scanning the room again for anybody that looks semi-free, and even then they're probably on their way to do something else so they give you the "be with you in a second" over the shoulder kiss-off.
When that's what's going on standing in a nice, predictable, boring line seems like the height of efficiency.
Ha...you and I should stick to Mac related stuff as it seems we totally agree on this issue. I couldn't have said it better. Favorite part of the post: "Ambulatory Geniuses."
The Mac Edge in Nashua doesn't have any BTO Macs on the floor so I called the Apple Store in Salem and asked if they had any Mac Pros with dual core 3.0 GHz Xeons or with the ATi Radeon X1900 XT. They told me they had 'quite a few' Mac Pros on display including the standard 2.66 GHz dual core Xeons, the dual core 3.0 GHz Xeons, and the quad core 3.0 GHz Xeons. So I decided to drive out there with the intent of sizing up the current MacBook Pros and possibly purchasing a Mac Pro.
When I got to the store, I started looking at the MacBook Pros and a salesman came over. I told him that I wasn't sure I wanted to buy another laptop after the problems I had with my Pismo and TiBook and we went to look at the Mac Pros. I told him I wanted to compare the standard 2.66 GHz system with the dual core 3.0 GHz system and also with one that had the Radeon X1900 XT. He then told me the only systems they had on display were the 2.66 GHz Mac Pros. Not only that, they only had those systems in stock, there were no 3.0 GHz systems in stock and they said that they never stocked the Quad systems at all, never mind have one on display. They also claimed that they didn't have any BTO parts in stock so I wouldn't have even been able to get Airport and Bluetooth, never mind a better graphics card.
In the end, I walked out without making a purchase. I didn't get to 'test drive' the system I was thinking of buying, despite being told on the phone that they were in stock and on the floor to try out. I still don't know what I'm going to buy either.
Ha...you and I should stick to Mac related stuff as it seems we totally agree on this issue. I couldn't have said it better. Favorite part of the post: "Ambulatory Geniuses."
I was thinking the same thing. Three cheers for "what happens in PO stays in PO!"
Hey all,
Most of you that read me know I get pretty pissed about Apple's attitude towards costumers and know I've had my issues with Apple Retail lately. The last time it was a ridiculous return policy...
{ Snip for the sake of space}
Anyway, it was a pleasant surprise to actually have a decent down to earth conversation with an Apple Retail employee. I can only hope they change and improve in these areas. He did say there was likely a remodel of the store coming, which I suppose will be good.
Your thoughts are of course welcome...
SDW
The Indianapolis Apple Store on/off Keystone Ave is where I want to go to when I die.
V/R,
Aries 1B
No insurance.
Now what?
After a very pleasant conversation with a Verizon rep, I am getting a new, blank Treo 650 E.T.A. N.L.T. this Friday, will hotsync it with my Powerbook G4, will hard reset the broken phone, will send the broken phone back to Verizon/Palm, and will go on until June 11 or so
Now, I am really looking forward to my iPhone. However, I am concerned with the customer support that I can look forward to. Say I drop it and wipe out the screen. Again.
Is SDW2001's experience an indicator of what I can look forward to? I'm really looking forward to seeing Apple's/AT&T's support policies with regard to the iPhone.
Yours in trepidation
and
V/R,
Aries 1B
I'm not sure I understand what you complained about. They were busy, they got to you when they were done, you complained, the guy was defensive. These are human beings we're talking about - human beings with crappy pay and crappy jobs. I just assume that these people's lives suck and don't hold it against them.
Sorry, the crappy pay/job excuse doesn't work with me. If you have a good attitude at any pay level your day and the day of everyone around you goes much smoother and you'll be more successful in the short and long run for it.
Example:
Recently, I went in just to check out the computers (but not to buy anything) and, every
*$%#@ time I stopped to look at something, a clerk would go through a long spiel all about the product. I couldn't get away from them. They wouldn't leave me alone. There were a lot of customers in the store, and the clerks were coming out of the woodwork.
So, sometimes too much of a good thing is annoying.
That being said, the Genius bar is slow as molasses, and I have only used it when I absolutely had to. Fortunately, Appleinsider Genius bar is a lot better and you guys have solved most of my problems. THANKS.
I'm not sure I understand what you complained about. They were busy, they got to you when they were done, you complained, the guy was defensive. These are human beings we're talking about - human beings with crappy pay and crappy jobs. I just assume that these people's lives suck and don't hold it against them.
Tolerating bad service from people to whom you are giving your money, is a contributing factor to more bad service.
In the end, I walked out without buying the AC adapter and told them to mail me the replacement, which didn't come for 6 weeks. In the meantime, I went and purchased a new AC adapter from the local Mac Edge store in Nashua because I had to get my project done. I could have saved myself a lot of time and effort had I skipped the Apple Store trip entirely.
It's a shame too because I really liked going to the Apple Stores and seeing the newest Macs and Mac accessories. The only other places that are really local are CompUSA, which I am boycotting, and Mac Edge which only carries stock systems so you really can't 'test drive' what you want to purchase before hand.
Many non-Apple Mac stores, including MacEdge, will honor AppleCare, so they might have replaced the adapter for free.
Also, you have a 30 day return at Apple so, you could have taken it back.
Just the same, how did you destroy the original? Maybe you should have two as it sounds like you were a bit rough on the one you had.