Roger Fingas
In an "all-hands" meeting for retail staff this weekend, Apple reportedly introduced a slew of significant changes including three new job titles, renamed existing positions, and even an updated corporate credo it wants workers to follow.
The new jobs — applicable in the U.S. and the U.K., and possibly elsewhere — include "Pro," "Creative Pro," and "Technical Expert," according to MacRumors. The first is a sales position above Expert, and reserved for the people the most familiar with Apple products. Creative Pros have similar level of knowledge, but applied to learning.
Technical Experts will fill a new middleground between Technical Specialists and Geniuses, helping to alleviate wait times for support. The people will for instance take on some mobile repairs — something that was previously restricted to Geniuses — while doing troubleshooting for some other products and software, two examples being the Apple Watch and Apple TV.
Meanwhile the company has renamed the different sections of the store, changing the sales floor from the "Red Zone" to the "Product Zone," and "Back-of-House" to "Backstage." Appropriately some job titles have been altered — Red Zone Specialists are now simply "Specialists," while Back-of-House and Inventory Specialists have become "Operations Specialists" and "Operations Pros."
"Family Room Specialists" have also been turned into "Technical Specialists" though, and "Business Specialists" are now "Business Experts."
The new credo has six stanzas and sets out broad aspirations. "We are here to enrich lives," the text begins. "To help dreamers become doers, to help passion expand human potential, to do the best work of our lives."
Separately, a unconfirmed tip received by AppleInsider suggests that Apple is establishing its sixth Hong Kong store in the APM Mall, Kwun Tong in the Kowloon area. China has become a focus of the company's retail expansion, particularly Hong Kong, given the city's wealth. The person claimed that Apple could have the outlet open in time for next month's "iPhone 7" launch.
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28 Comments
Apple - Steve just died again. You've lost your essence, and the momentum is seriously waning now. You cant create excitement without the product innovations and 99 pct of your retail staff is flat and lifeless. Creating a new internal job structure and creedo wont fix it - create an amazing new product and pay your people well enough to make passion for your brand the most important thing they need to be worried about. And while you're at it, you might want to promote individuals based on their talents and capabilities and nothing else. Some of the very best people I've ever worked with left you because your system ignored them. Lose the system and turn back the clocks.
I've never had a bad experience at an Apple store. Just the opposite - it's always been a wonderful experience. Talented, knowledgable people who listen and seem to care. And they smile and display enthusiasm. I'd want these workers for sure. Whatever Apple does to improve that, I'm game.
Working in retail and customer service is a horrible job. That being said, I have always had good Apple Store experiences even if the workers may be in a less than ideal work environment. So hats off to Apple Store workers, they help me out and leave me with a good feeling.
P.S. I worked for Apple as an At Home Advisor supporting iOS for 6 weeks. I could not handle it and had to quit. Working for Apple in customer service/retail is totally different than working for the main product design/manufacturing part of Apple.