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I worked at an Apple store for over a year as a "salesperson" (we called them Mac Specialists at the time). Let me input my two cents: I was trained to do this

I worked at an Apple store for over a year as a "salesperson" (we called them Mac Specialists at the time). Let me input my two cents: I was trained to do this. From day one of dedicated 8-hour training sessions, we're trained to find customers the right "solution" rather than get the most money. This requires using the APPLE technique (acronym, google it). The second P stands for "Present a solution for the customer to take home today." It was common knowledge at the time (4 years ago) that consumers were brainwashed to thinking faster/more is always better. But when we can save them hundreds of dollars, this isn't the case. There were many many times I talked someone out of a $2,000 MacBook Pro for a $1200 entry-level iMac with double the specs because after probing (the first "P") I learned they didn't need to be mobile. This was really, really common. And note, this isn't about trying to convince people to spend less. Sometimes after probing, we learned they needed _more_. It is about the RIGHT solution. To add to this: specialists don't earn commission. We weren't ranked based on financial sales numbers (there are other metrics, however). There is no incentive for specialists to sell more expensive or less expensive things. It is about the right thing. So, this guy was just doing what he was trained to do. It is Apple store standard.

larrys 13y ago
So to be clear about this you're saying that if you walk into an apple store and have already decided to purchase a particular model that Apple says that you should ask the customer why they need that particular model? Or just if they ask you?
- mitchellh 13y ago
  Yes, you're supposed to try to probe the customer to learn more about their use case. This doesn't need to be rude or abrupt, it can be a casual "So what do you do?" or "Tell me more about what you're going to use this machine for while it is pulled off the shelf for you." If someone is dead set on getting a model, you aren't rude to them. Ever. But you do your best to make them happy.
  - rednukleus 13y ago
    Out of curiosity, if a customer came in to buy a $1,500 machine, but what they really need is a $200 Chromebook, what would you do? EDIT: thanks for the down votes, but its an honest question. What if the customer comes in, and the solution that is best for them is not something sold by Apple? In particular, Apple only sell high end products. I have jad salespeople tell me to go to a low end competitor in the past, and some will just try to sell you the high end stuff.
    - covercash 13y ago
      When I worked Apple retail (in a shopping mall) back in 2005, I walked a customer out to the Dell cart and helped them pick out a laptop because they had some Windows only real estate software that wouldn't run very well on Virtual PC.
      - rednukleus 13y ago
        Wow, impressive! More high margin places should operate like that.
        mjolk 13y ago
        Please, tell me why stores should get in the business of working against their best interest.
        EvilLook 13y ago
        It's against Apple's best interest in this case if the person they sold the machine to couldn't get their software to work. Then it's most likely a return and an unhappy customer. When you help the customer get a solution they need then when they need a cell phone, want a music player for when they're at the gym, or are going buying kid a laptop for school they'll remember your service and consider Apple. That is in Apple's best interest.
        valleyer 13y ago
- rmrfrmrf 13y ago
  A sales rep at the Apple Store did this with my wife, actually. When the unibody 13" MacBooks were released, she was dead-set on getting it. However, she assumed that the sales reps would try to up-sell her to a 17" MacBook Pro, so she tried to downplay her typical computer usage as much as possible. She went to the Apple Store and explained that she wanted a laptop for basic word processing, web browsing, and viewing photos, but, to her dismay, the rep directed her to the older, white plastic MacBooks and insisted that they would be the best fit for her! My wife had a great time trying to explain in the least superficial way possible that she was willing to pay more money for the better-looking computer, lol.
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
- guiambros 13y ago
  I've never been an Apple employee, but read enough about their sales tactics. Probing <> Underselling. If you know you want to buy a MacBook Pro, they'll be glad to take your money. But if you demonstrate that you're not sure about which model is more appropriate for you, or you seemed uncertain about the differences between a MBP and a MBA, that's when the "[P]robing" and the "[P]resent a Solution" make sense. It's a lot better to have a happy customer today (even if for a lower ticket price), than an undecided and confused customer for the rest of the week/month. (Or, worse, with buyer's remorse for years). That's the opposite approach of most other retail shops. The sales person usually pushes for the most expensive item first, usually motivated by the direct commissions model. Good for him/her and for the store, but not always in the best interest of the customer.
- mutagen 13y ago
  Yes, they'll inquire about your needs. I asked for my iphone with maximum memory and was asked about it. I'm a digital packrat and willing to pay extra to not have to unclutter my music, movies, media, and apps as often. I briefly explained this and we moved on with the purchase process.
  - epochwolf 13y ago
    Yup. I just upgraded to an iPhone 5 and I was asked why I wanted the 64gb model. My 32gb 4S was full. :) The employees also had decent knowledge of how AT&T's service plans worked and were as to answer all of my questions. The service at the AT&T store at the same mall was a slap in the face.
Sealy 13y ago
If a customer requires more RAM, how do you 'sell' a ram upgrade knowing that its so much cheaper elsewhere?
- mitchellh 13y ago
  I always told them to get it elsewhere if they were comfortable with installing it on their own, exactly because Apple charges so much. Specifically, I recommended OWC. Apple is completely okay with this, as long as you make it clear that the RAM is _not_ covered by AppleCare. The reason Apple's RAM is so expensive is because it undergoes very thorough RAM tests to verify it is 100%, and is also covered by AppleCare. So if your RAM goes bad, they'll replace it. Of course there is a large upsell $$$ here, but you're paying for stability. Some people just feel better going 100% Apple, despite the charge. Of course, I never had an issue with RAM from OWC, so I always recommended it. I even helped a few customers purchase it in-store using the display units. Totally fine. Another cool story: You may or may not know, but new Mac computers used to (may still do) come with a $100 rebate towards a printer. The entry-level printer is exactly $100, so it is essentially free. There really is no catch here except you have to wait 4 to 6 weeks for the check to arrive. We (Apple store employees) knew that most people forget to file for their rebate, and manufacturers bank on this. So we were all officially trained to help file the rebate form in the store as part of the checkout process, to make sure the customer got it. Also, even if the customer didn't want the printer, we'd usually try to sell it (for free, remember), and tell them to sell it on Craigslist, because they could get an easy $20 to $30. shrug Again, this was encouraged.
  - coldtea 13y ago
    >The reason Apple's RAM is so expensive is because it undergoes very thorough RAM tests to verify it is 100%, and is also covered by AppleCare. So if your RAM goes bad, they'll replace it. Isn't that second thing the case with OWC RAM too? That it's covered by some guarantee and that if it goes bad, they'll replace it?
    - adnrw 13y ago
      OWC will definitely replace faulty RAM free of charge (example: we bought 2-4 sticks for each of 6 computers a while back, and three of the sticks were bad - very simple return process and they sent out replacements before the originals were returned). I think the OP's point is that buying RAM through Apple (at a hefty premium) is a significant convenience for some people: if there's an issue - any issue - with the computer, take it back to Apple and they'll sort it out. Buying third-party RAM isn't quite as convenient. Of course, in my experience Apple will happily look at your computer even with third-party RAM, but they obviously won't fix any issues caused by it.
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
charlieflowers 13y ago
I came here meaning to be all snarky and cynical. I was going to say there's no way Apple trained him to do that, and they'd probably fire him when they caught on to what he was doing. Thanks for posting this and letting me know I was wrong. I still am puzzled. Apple is not shy about squeezing the bucks out of consumers. But this shows a level of customer-orientation that I didn't expect to see.
- joonix 13y ago
  Google does this as well. My dad's small business was shelling out thousands on AdWords per month. Their rep reached out to us, without solicitation, and offered to optimize our ad campaigns. They did so, and saved us at least $1,000 a month. This was a few years ago but I hope they're still the same.
  - sksksk 13y ago
    So does Amazon, someone reached out to us and told us that we could save around $10,000 on our hosting costs if we went with reserved instances
    - australis 13y ago
      My bank did this to me. Called me to say if you close and re-open your internet based savings account you will get the higher "intro" interest rate for 4 months. I explained that I had always wondered about this loop hole... Before I even got around to visiting a branch close/re-open, I read on my statement that the bonus interest rate has been applied.
      - zellyn 13y ago
        This sounds more like someone boosting their personal numbers than company policy.
  - robryan 13y ago
    This can go both ways, often the reps don't have enough domain knowledge to offer you anything that will actually improve ROI. Assuming you already know your way around the adwords basics. They may actually suggest broader terms and higher bids which will cost you more.
bluepill 13y ago
Well, that's great. Could you send some of your colleagues over here (Spain)? Cause I definetly think they didn't follow the same training sessions as you did.
- yoshgoodman 13y ago
  Also South Africa, here its just up sell, up sell
  - microtherion 13y ago
    Note that the article talks about Apple Retail Stores, i.e. he stores owned and operated by Apple itself. Right now, there aren’t any of these in South Africa: http://www.apple.com/retail/storelist/ http://www.apple.com/retail/storelist/
  - _djo_ 13y ago
    There are no official Apple Retail stores in South Africa, only stores run by Core Group which is the official distributor. That's why they're called 'iStores' and not 'Apple stores', they're not the real deal. With few exceptions, the sales staff at South African iStores are utterly awful; the smarmiest, smuggest and most deceitful bunch I've had the displeasure to buy from who will most certainly not try to find you the solution that suits you best but will try to upsell you on the option that boosts their commission the most. It would do wonders for Apple's damaged reputation in South Africa to establish an official presence and set up real Apple Retail stores.
emmelaich 13y ago
I don't disbelieve you and that's fantastic, but here's some anecdata: I recommend to my sis-in-law that she get a Air for her 13 year old son because I knew that the SSD makes a BIG difference. The Apple shop sold her a MBP because quote "it's faster". Yes, the cpu has a higher MHz but please.
- josephlord 13y ago
  Did he or she tell the salesman they liked to play games? Such as statement could swing a recommendation (especially if interpreted as "Call of Duty" rather than "Minesweeper").
- megablast 13y ago
  You know better than the Apple guy, but if your sis does not trust your opinion and did not tell the Apple guy what she needed then what do you expect? Or maybe you were wrong?
- udp 13y ago
  When was this? The current MBP has an SSD, too.
- yoster 13y ago
  At that age bracket, I would not have gone with the Air as that would have been a pretty bad choice. Most kids like to game a lot. I would have gone with the MBP solely because of the graphics card not because of the CPU. Most kids play the graphics intensive games that the MBP can handle.
dylangs1030 13y ago
Thanks for this insight from your experience. I was going to comment question this takeaway from the OP: "Apple recognizes what few other retailers do: customer satisfaction starts even before a product is purchased, and it is customer satisfaction that makes companies great." I had expected this was just an idiosyncrasy of that particular salesperson, but you make a good case that Apple intends for this behavior to be common. Thanks!
azurelogic 13y ago
Another former Apple retail specialist checking in. This is pretty much dead on. I redirected people to different models than they thought they wanted plenty of times after talking with them to dig up their needs. Sometimes cheaper, sometimes more expensive, but always to better fit their needs. Having also worked at Best Buy, where bleeding people dry was common (at least at my store), I can tell you it's a much different atmosphere. Another interesting point, which echoes what others have said about life-long customers and word of mouth advertising, Apple collects customer surveys. Only extremely high scores count positively for the specialist. Those people are considered to have had such a good experience that they would actually promote their experience to others that they know.
danso 13y ago
I agree that Apple, as the case is at every brick-and-mortar store that I'm loyal to (B&H Photo has often talked me out of expensive purchases), has a great incentive to not oversell an unneeded product. However, I think we need more data on recommendations before we can argue that the intent is entirely altruistic. As others have said, the low-end model is also the same model as the "Vanilla" build, i.e. the model that Apple has plenty of in stock...and a purchase in-store (with the possibility of upselling on other accessories) is more valuable than a purchase from the web. If it's the case that Apple sells a disproportionate amount of its Vanilla stock in-store, then is it coincidence that the Vanilla stock happens to be the perfect fit for so many customers? How many slightly-upgraded (but not in-stock) models are customers convinced to buy...because there has to be at least a few customers for whom the MBP is not ideal, but a slightly upgraded MBA is needed. And if you want to be totally cynical, you could argue that Apple is ensuring that the customer returns in the nearer future by selling them a less future-proof model. Yes, customers have loyalty based on the reliability of the brand...but if the compassionate-sales-job is so effective, then that alone may be good enough of a memory for the customer to overlook that he/she is replacing a new laptop a year earlier than expected.
- scott_s 13y ago
  Altruism is not a required part of the explanation.
- maerF0x0 13y ago
  This is a beautiful case of win/win. Apple wins by having a lower cost of good (on the "vanilla") and the customer wins by spending just enough to get what they need (not more). The more we can find these win/win situations, the better our economy will be. The closer we can match consumer costs to the the economic costs of their consumption, the more accurately the existing "Free" market will match the ideal market.
tixocloud 13y ago
From your perspective, how do you think they were able to get all the Mac Specialists to be trained so well to making sure it's customer satisfaction that's maximize and not sales? Like what makes their training so different? Was it because Mac Specialists truly believed in what the company stood for? How was in the incentive scheme different? Thanks! I'm just curious as I'm in business school part-time and of course, Apple is the outlier when it comes to customer satisfaction - especially since they go against the idea of commission.
brown9-2 13y ago
Are you at liberty to expand on what the other metrics are?
matwood 13y ago
I agree and have seen this in action. My last MBP I had to buy in store to get a certain discount. At first I was annoyed that the salesperson kept probing while waiting for the other salesperson to get my MBP. After a bit of back and forth he explained exactly what you did here. He wanted to make sure I was getting what I needed and if it saved me money in the process so be it. So props to Apple and it's another reason why I've stuck with Apple laptops since the G4 Powerbook days.
uladzislau 13y ago
The "other" metrics are customer satisfaction and volume of AppleCare attached. No wonder these very metrics define the behavior described by the OP.
kerkeslager 13y ago
This isn't just an ethical way to do business--it's also profitable. The OP seems to be a very satisfied customer. Apple may have lost $750 (gross) on this one purchase, but over the next 10 years will likely make much, much more than $750 on the OP's future purchases, which the OP might not make if he/she were a dissatisfied customer. This seems obvious, but many businesses don't seem to understand this.
tsm 13y ago
APPLE: Approach and welcome the customer. Probe to understand their problem. Present your solution to their problem. (And make sure something happens now.) Listen for lingering issues. End with a polite good-bye and ask them to come back.
polarix 13y ago
APPLE technique: (?) - Ask - Pause - Probe / Pick - Listen - Elaborate per http://www.exforsys.com/career-center/facilitator/core-skill-effective-questioning.html http://www.exforsys.com/career-center/facilitator/core-skill... "An effective facilitator does not just end at asking effective questions. Proper timing and accurate delivery are also important. For a good and effective facilitation, the APPLE technique might work best. APPLE is the acronym for asking the question, pausing to allow the participants to comprehend the question and think of an answer, picking a member to provide an answer, listening to the answer provided, and expounding or elaborating more on the answers given. More importantly, listen to the answers of the questions you asked."
acchow 13y ago
It just occured to me that this a reason to favor corporate sales offices over dealerships. Dealerships have a much smaller incentive to play the long game and so try to squeeze every last penny out of you whether you need that option or not (or through shady practices like weird processing fees). I hope tesla wins over the car dealerships...

larrys 13y ago

So to be clear about this you're saying that if you walk into an apple store and have already decided to purchase a particular model that Apple says that you should ask the customer why they need that particular model? Or just if they ask you?

mitchellh 13y ago
Yes, you're supposed to try to probe the customer to learn more about their use case. This doesn't need to be rude or abrupt, it can be a casual "So what do you do?" or "Tell me more about what you're going to use this machine for while it is pulled off the shelf for you." If someone is dead set on getting a model, you aren't rude to them. Ever. But you do your best to make them happy.
- rednukleus 13y ago
  Out of curiosity, if a customer came in to buy a $1,500 machine, but what they really need is a $200 Chromebook, what would you do? EDIT: thanks for the down votes, but its an honest question. What if the customer comes in, and the solution that is best for them is not something sold by Apple? In particular, Apple only sell high end products. I have jad salespeople tell me to go to a low end competitor in the past, and some will just try to sell you the high end stuff.
  - covercash 13y ago
    When I worked Apple retail (in a shopping mall) back in 2005, I walked a customer out to the Dell cart and helped them pick out a laptop because they had some Windows only real estate software that wouldn't run very well on Virtual PC.
    - rednukleus 13y ago
      Wow, impressive! More high margin places should operate like that.
      - mjolk 13y ago
        Please, tell me why stores should get in the business of working against their best interest.
        EvilLook 13y ago
        It's against Apple's best interest in this case if the person they sold the machine to couldn't get their software to work. Then it's most likely a return and an unhappy customer. When you help the customer get a solution they need then when they need a cell phone, want a music player for when they're at the gym, or are going buying kid a laptop for school they'll remember your service and consider Apple. That is in Apple's best interest.
        valleyer 13y ago
rmrfrmrf 13y ago
A sales rep at the Apple Store did this with my wife, actually. When the unibody 13" MacBooks were released, she was dead-set on getting it. However, she assumed that the sales reps would try to up-sell her to a 17" MacBook Pro, so she tried to downplay her typical computer usage as much as possible. She went to the Apple Store and explained that she wanted a laptop for basic word processing, web browsing, and viewing photos, but, to her dismay, the rep directed her to the older, white plastic MacBooks and insisted that they would be the best fit for her! My wife had a great time trying to explain in the least superficial way possible that she was willing to pay more money for the better-looking computer, lol.
deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
guiambros 13y ago
I've never been an Apple employee, but read enough about their sales tactics. Probing <> Underselling. If you know you want to buy a MacBook Pro, they'll be glad to take your money. But if you demonstrate that you're not sure about which model is more appropriate for you, or you seemed uncertain about the differences between a MBP and a MBA, that's when the "[P]robing" and the "[P]resent a Solution" make sense. It's a lot better to have a happy customer today (even if for a lower ticket price), than an undecided and confused customer for the rest of the week/month. (Or, worse, with buyer's remorse for years). That's the opposite approach of most other retail shops. The sales person usually pushes for the most expensive item first, usually motivated by the direct commissions model. Good for him/her and for the store, but not always in the best interest of the customer.
mutagen 13y ago
Yes, they'll inquire about your needs. I asked for my iphone with maximum memory and was asked about it. I'm a digital packrat and willing to pay extra to not have to unclutter my music, movies, media, and apps as often. I briefly explained this and we moved on with the purchase process.
- epochwolf 13y ago
  Yup. I just upgraded to an iPhone 5 and I was asked why I wanted the 64gb model. My 32gb 4S was full. :) The employees also had decent knowledge of how AT&T's service plans worked and were as to answer all of my questions. The service at the AT&T store at the same mall was a slap in the face.

Sealy 13y ago

If a customer requires more RAM, how do you 'sell' a ram upgrade knowing that its so much cheaper elsewhere?

mitchellh 13y ago
I always told them to get it elsewhere if they were comfortable with installing it on their own, exactly because Apple charges so much. Specifically, I recommended OWC. Apple is completely okay with this, as long as you make it clear that the RAM is _not_ covered by AppleCare. The reason Apple's RAM is so expensive is because it undergoes very thorough RAM tests to verify it is 100%, and is also covered by AppleCare. So if your RAM goes bad, they'll replace it. Of course there is a large upsell $$$ here, but you're paying for stability. Some people just feel better going 100% Apple, despite the charge. Of course, I never had an issue with RAM from OWC, so I always recommended it. I even helped a few customers purchase it in-store using the display units. Totally fine. Another cool story: You may or may not know, but new Mac computers used to (may still do) come with a $100 rebate towards a printer. The entry-level printer is exactly $100, so it is essentially free. There really is no catch here except you have to wait 4 to 6 weeks for the check to arrive. We (Apple store employees) knew that most people forget to file for their rebate, and manufacturers bank on this. So we were all officially trained to help file the rebate form in the store as part of the checkout process, to make sure the customer got it. Also, even if the customer didn't want the printer, we'd usually try to sell it (for free, remember), and tell them to sell it on Craigslist, because they could get an easy $20 to $30. shrug Again, this was encouraged.
- coldtea 13y ago
  >The reason Apple's RAM is so expensive is because it undergoes very thorough RAM tests to verify it is 100%, and is also covered by AppleCare. So if your RAM goes bad, they'll replace it. Isn't that second thing the case with OWC RAM too? That it's covered by some guarantee and that if it goes bad, they'll replace it?
  - adnrw 13y ago
    OWC will definitely replace faulty RAM free of charge (example: we bought 2-4 sticks for each of 6 computers a while back, and three of the sticks were bad - very simple return process and they sent out replacements before the originals were returned). I think the OP's point is that buying RAM through Apple (at a hefty premium) is a significant convenience for some people: if there's an issue - any issue - with the computer, take it back to Apple and they'll sort it out. Buying third-party RAM isn't quite as convenient. Of course, in my experience Apple will happily look at your computer even with third-party RAM, but they obviously won't fix any issues caused by it.

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]

deleted 13y ago
[deleted]

charlieflowers 13y ago

I came here meaning to be all snarky and cynical. I was going to say there's no way Apple trained him to do that, and they'd probably fire him when they caught on to what he was doing. Thanks for posting this and letting me know I was wrong. I still am puzzled. Apple is not shy about squeezing the bucks out of consumers. But this shows a level of customer-orientation that I didn't expect to see.

joonix 13y ago
Google does this as well. My dad's small business was shelling out thousands on AdWords per month. Their rep reached out to us, without solicitation, and offered to optimize our ad campaigns. They did so, and saved us at least $1,000 a month. This was a few years ago but I hope they're still the same.
- sksksk 13y ago
  So does Amazon, someone reached out to us and told us that we could save around $10,000 on our hosting costs if we went with reserved instances
  - australis 13y ago
    My bank did this to me. Called me to say if you close and re-open your internet based savings account you will get the higher "intro" interest rate for 4 months. I explained that I had always wondered about this loop hole... Before I even got around to visiting a branch close/re-open, I read on my statement that the bonus interest rate has been applied.
    - zellyn 13y ago
      This sounds more like someone boosting their personal numbers than company policy.
- robryan 13y ago
  This can go both ways, often the reps don't have enough domain knowledge to offer you anything that will actually improve ROI. Assuming you already know your way around the adwords basics. They may actually suggest broader terms and higher bids which will cost you more.

bluepill 13y ago

Well, that's great. Could you send some of your colleagues over here (Spain)? Cause I definetly think they didn't follow the same training sessions as you did.

yoshgoodman 13y ago
Also South Africa, here its just up sell, up sell
- microtherion 13y ago
  Note that the article talks about Apple Retail Stores, i.e. he stores owned and operated by Apple itself. Right now, there aren’t any of these in South Africa: http://www.apple.com/retail/storelist/ http://www.apple.com/retail/storelist/
- _djo_ 13y ago
  There are no official Apple Retail stores in South Africa, only stores run by Core Group which is the official distributor. That's why they're called 'iStores' and not 'Apple stores', they're not the real deal. With few exceptions, the sales staff at South African iStores are utterly awful; the smarmiest, smuggest and most deceitful bunch I've had the displeasure to buy from who will most certainly not try to find you the solution that suits you best but will try to upsell you on the option that boosts their commission the most. It would do wonders for Apple's damaged reputation in South Africa to establish an official presence and set up real Apple Retail stores.

emmelaich 13y ago

I don't disbelieve you and that's fantastic, but here's some anecdata: I recommend to my sis-in-law that she get a Air for her 13 year old son because I knew that the SSD makes a BIG difference. The Apple shop sold her a MBP because quote "it's faster". Yes, the cpu has a higher MHz but please.

josephlord 13y ago
Did he or she tell the salesman they liked to play games? Such as statement could swing a recommendation (especially if interpreted as "Call of Duty" rather than "Minesweeper").
megablast 13y ago
You know better than the Apple guy, but if your sis does not trust your opinion and did not tell the Apple guy what she needed then what do you expect? Or maybe you were wrong?
udp 13y ago
When was this? The current MBP has an SSD, too.
yoster 13y ago
At that age bracket, I would not have gone with the Air as that would have been a pretty bad choice. Most kids like to game a lot. I would have gone with the MBP solely because of the graphics card not because of the CPU. Most kids play the graphics intensive games that the MBP can handle.

dylangs1030 13y ago

Thanks for this insight from your experience. I was going to comment question this takeaway from the OP: "Apple recognizes what few other retailers do: customer satisfaction starts even before a product is purchased, and it is customer satisfaction that makes companies great." I had expected this was just an idiosyncrasy of that particular salesperson, but you make a good case that Apple intends for this behavior to be common. Thanks!

azurelogic 13y ago

Another former Apple retail specialist checking in. This is pretty much dead on. I redirected people to different models than they thought they wanted plenty of times after talking with them to dig up their needs. Sometimes cheaper, sometimes more expensive, but always to better fit their needs. Having also worked at Best Buy, where bleeding people dry was common (at least at my store), I can tell you it's a much different atmosphere. Another interesting point, which echoes what others have said about life-long customers and word of mouth advertising, Apple collects customer surveys. Only extremely high scores count positively for the specialist. Those people are considered to have had such a good experience that they would actually promote their experience to others that they know.

danso 13y ago

I agree that Apple, as the case is at every brick-and-mortar store that I'm loyal to (B&H Photo has often talked me out of expensive purchases), has a great incentive to not oversell an unneeded product. However, I think we need more data on recommendations before we can argue that the intent is entirely altruistic. As others have said, the low-end model is also the same model as the "Vanilla" build, i.e. the model that Apple has plenty of in stock...and a purchase in-store (with the possibility of upselling on other accessories) is more valuable than a purchase from the web. If it's the case that Apple sells a disproportionate amount of its Vanilla stock in-store, then is it coincidence that the Vanilla stock happens to be the perfect fit for so many customers? How many slightly-upgraded (but not in-stock) models are customers convinced to buy...because there has to be at least a few customers for whom the MBP is not ideal, but a slightly upgraded MBA is needed. And if you want to be totally cynical, you could argue that Apple is ensuring that the customer returns in the nearer future by selling them a less future-proof model. Yes, customers have loyalty based on the reliability of the brand...but if the compassionate-sales-job is so effective, then that alone may be good enough of a memory for the customer to overlook that he/she is replacing a new laptop a year earlier than expected.

scott_s 13y ago
Altruism is not a required part of the explanation.
maerF0x0 13y ago
This is a beautiful case of win/win. Apple wins by having a lower cost of good (on the "vanilla") and the customer wins by spending just enough to get what they need (not more). The more we can find these win/win situations, the better our economy will be. The closer we can match consumer costs to the the economic costs of their consumption, the more accurately the existing "Free" market will match the ideal market.

tixocloud 13y ago

From your perspective, how do you think they were able to get all the Mac Specialists to be trained so well to making sure it's customer satisfaction that's maximize and not sales? Like what makes their training so different? Was it because Mac Specialists truly believed in what the company stood for? How was in the incentive scheme different? Thanks! I'm just curious as I'm in business school part-time and of course, Apple is the outlier when it comes to customer satisfaction - especially since they go against the idea of commission.

brown9-2 13y ago

Are you at liberty to expand on what the other metrics are?

matwood 13y ago

I agree and have seen this in action. My last MBP I had to buy in store to get a certain discount. At first I was annoyed that the salesperson kept probing while waiting for the other salesperson to get my MBP. After a bit of back and forth he explained exactly what you did here. He wanted to make sure I was getting what I needed and if it saved me money in the process so be it. So props to Apple and it's another reason why I've stuck with Apple laptops since the G4 Powerbook days.

uladzislau 13y ago

The "other" metrics are customer satisfaction and volume of AppleCare attached. No wonder these very metrics define the behavior described by the OP.

kerkeslager 13y ago

This isn't just an ethical way to do business--it's also profitable. The OP seems to be a very satisfied customer. Apple may have lost $750 (gross) on this one purchase, but over the next 10 years will likely make much, much more than $750 on the OP's future purchases, which the OP might not make if he/she were a dissatisfied customer. This seems obvious, but many businesses don't seem to understand this.

tsm 13y ago

APPLE: Approach and welcome the customer. Probe to understand their problem. Present your solution to their problem. (And make sure something happens now.) Listen for lingering issues. End with a polite good-bye and ask them to come back.

polarix 13y ago

APPLE technique: (?) - Ask - Pause - Probe / Pick - Listen - Elaborate per http://www.exforsys.com/career-center/facilitator/core-skill-effective-questioning.html http://www.exforsys.com/career-center/facilitator/core-skill... "An effective facilitator does not just end at asking effective questions. Proper timing and accurate delivery are also important. For a good and effective facilitation, the APPLE technique might work best. APPLE is the acronym for asking the question, pausing to allow the participants to comprehend the question and think of an answer, picking a member to provide an answer, listening to the answer provided, and expounding or elaborating more on the answers given. More importantly, listen to the answers of the questions you asked."

acchow 13y ago

It just occured to me that this a reason to favor corporate sales offices over dealerships. Dealerships have a much smaller incentive to play the long game and so try to squeeze every last penny out of you whether you need that option or not (or through shady practices like weird processing fees). I hope tesla wins over the car dealerships...