NYC362

As a retired teacher, I'm all for unions.  However, once a union is in place, they are the bargaining representative for the employees. 

So, if Apple introduces new benefits for its employees, in any unionized store, that has to go through the union first.  There isn't anything nefarious here.  The Towson store union needs to negotiate with Apple for those benefits.  My guess is they will get the same benefits as the non-union stores, but there will always be a delay and another hill to climb to get them.  In addition, Apple might ask the union to bear some of the cost of new benefits.  That will be realized in higher union dues for the employees.  

Okay, I'm an Apple Specialist and you'd be surprised how many people have no passcode on their phones. Then you have the people who use "codes" like 0000 or 1234 to open their phone.  Even more people keep every password under the sun in an unlocked Note file.  

The majority of people do keep their phone and passwords secure (as evidenced but the roughly half of customers who cannot remember their Apple ID password!), but there's a large number who do not.  This person is lucky that all that got ordered were a couple dozen hamburgers.  It really could've been a lot worse. 

People- use a six digit passcode with non-repeating numbers; don't keep your passwords on your phone; and don't use the same password for everything.

If you plug the battery into a MacBook, iMac, or iPad (Air or Pro), the update can take just a few minutes.  

Kayne?  

Who cares.

Now, when are we going to hear what Apple is doing with Primephonic?  That is by far more important. 

I'm relatively new to retail, working at Apple for just over two years.  No, it is not the easiest of jobs, but it could be so much worse.   

Maybe I'm really lucky.  My management at my store has been great to me and encouraging of others.  Sure, there are some people who whine about everything, but I'm convinced they'd do that anywhere.  Customers here in NYC come from all over the globe.  The overwhelming majority are nice, polite, and appreciative of our efforts.

During the pandemic, the company not only didn't lay anyone off, but they kept on seasonals who were supposed to leave at the end of March 2020.  We were paid throughout the shut down and many of us- including myself- had the chance to work at home doing phone support for sales, orders, and trouble shooting.

We've been provided with masks (designed by the company and so popular, customers constantly ask if we sell them), with COVID tests- first it was PCR tests FedEx'ed to our homes.  I had results in generally 48-60 hours. Now, it is rapid tests that we do on the first day of our work week and we've been told to add 20 minutes to our clocked in time for that test.  We get discounts on merchandise.  We get stock at 15% off the market price at the beginning or end of a purchase period- which ever is lower.  (On January 31, many employees will be buying shares at about $123 a piece.). I get one sick hour for every 30 hours I work- so around 4 per month.  Have good attendance like me, and it piles up pretty quickly. 

There are many chances to move within the company.  Career experiences let you try other positions.  In my short time, I've seen dozens of retail employees move up the at ladder within the store or to business sales or to corporate and development roles.

Is it perfect?  No.  We are on our feet all day.  We are have to deal with survey results that make you want to hunt the customer down and find out what they were thinking.  (Like the review a colleague of mine received- a 2 [out of 5] because he didn't smile.  Obviously, customer idiot didn't realize we can't see smiles through masks.).  We are always conscious of metrics like connected phones, AppleCare+ sales, business intros, etc.    In store zoning could be better.  Standing "On Point"- welcoming customers into a store and finding out what they are there for- for over two hours at times is mind numbing.  I've said several times, that zoning should never be more than 90 minutes, unless someone wants to be there. 

But does anyone think that any other large retail company is any different?   I may be new to retail but my wife worked in high end retail for over 30 years, I knew exactly what to expect, and overall, I haven't had many issues to gripe about at all.

Finally, to the poster who claims the average Apple store employee is making $13 an hour.  I'd like to know where they got that info.   Salary does differ by market.  Here in NYC, I started at $20 an hour two years ago.  A starting Specialist here makes a bit more than that now.   I've been told that a neighboring market in New Jersey, the pay is about a dollar an hour less.  No idea if that is actually so though.  In any event, I really doubt anyone at Apple is making just $13 an hour.

Apple isn't perfect, but if you do your job it is pretty damn good.  

Remember, the grass isn't greener on the other side of the fence.  The problem is, everyone is looking at a green fence.