(Un)Necessary Frustration

Apple Store Genius Bar
Park Meadows Mall
June 2014
While in Denver I purchased a new MacBook at the Park Meadows Apple Store. This store is always a madhouse of activity. The air practically buzzes from the numerous conversations; add the shrieking of an unhappy child being pulled away from the children's table by an impatient parent, and the noise level is nearly intolerable.

I love Apple products and have used them for years, but I do not understand why the process to get assistance is so frustrating and complicated.  I knew what I wanted to purchase, but I first had to find an associate in a blue shirt with an iPad in order to be placed on a list for a sales associate. The store was filled with blue-shirted individuals, but many had iPhones and could not help me. Finding the person with the iPad was like a scavenger hunt. In my opinion, this person should be stationed at or near the entrance to greet and assist people as they enter.

Once I was on the iPad list, the process went more quickly. After I purchased the computer, I was passed off to the person in a blue shirt with a green iPad, who scheduled a Genius Bar appointment so I could leave my old computer to have the files transferred to the new laptop.

I sat in the Genius Bar area for nearly 40 minutes waiting for a genius in a blue shirt. My assigned "genius" was not the sharpest crayon in the box and spent nearly 15 minutes asking other blue shirts how to make my request for the data transfer and how to note that I wanted the old laptop recycled.

A day and a half later, an email informed me the new computer was ready for pickup. At the Genius Bar, another blue shirt presented me with the new laptop as well as my old one. At this point, I thought it would be easier to recycle the old computer myself rather than try to explain my original intent.

Perhaps this system is efficient, but I think it adds unnecessary frustration for the consumer. I still love Apple products, but I do NOT like the in-store experience.

Comments

  1. My experience in an Apple store has always been positive, even during the busy Christmas shopping season. Makes me wonder if it's that particular store.

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  2. That doesn't sound like an efficient system at all. But it might be broken links in the chain that are the problem rather than the whole chain. Your "genius" sounded like he was quite ineffective in all aspects.

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  3. That doesn't sound like a good plan to me...Hopefully it will get changed. Hope you like you new computer:)

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  4. THe APple store makes me nuts . The Last time I had to go there, I told the Genius Guy that working in INTENSIVE Care was a calmer environment than the APPLE Store.

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  5. Oh Nancy, I feel your pain!! This is the number one reason I changed from iPhone to Samsung Note--I COULD NOT stand to go to the Apple store for repairs or help of any sort. I can take my Samsung phone to the A.T.&T. store and as long as I have any phone in my hand other than an iPhone I'm good to go.

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  6. Ugh, that sounds like a rough experience, it's such a bummer when you get the inexperienced in the midst of chaos. When you can/if you have to, make an appointment ahead of time, before you even get into that store. The last time I was unable to do this, I made a lot of tracks on my knitting project, in the meantime. I was also hot and clammy, but maybe that was my frustration as well, ha!

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  7. MY daughter tried to buy a mac at a store in the cities...no one would help her she said it was like she was invisible. She sent them an email saying they blew it. She recently ordered hers online...I hope she likes it. I hope you like yours too Nancy:)

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  8. Congrats on the new laptop, but sorry that you had to go through all that to get it.

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  9. Hmmm. My experiences at the Apple Store in Cherry Creek have been fantastic every time. Their employees have been super helpful, experienced, and efficient. I, too, wonder if it's just certain stores that haven't been managed just right. Anyway, I'm glad you got your new Mac.

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  10. We don't have an Apple store. At the moment, that doesn't seem to be a bad thing!

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