Apple announced that its retail stores will close at 2 p.m. local time to allow employees to prepare for the 6 p.m. debut of the iPhone. The time will be used to prepare iPhone displays, make sure that POS software and sales procedures are in place, and to prep the staff on the iPhone and its features. The extended closure means that anyone who needs Genius Bar assistance must arrive very early in the day, or wait until Saturday for help.
Check this homemade TV commercial that spotlights the iPhone and New York City’s diversity.
E-mail this story
Related posts:
Loading ...
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Actually my local Apple Store has said their Genius Bar will be closed throughout the day, from open to close of the store, and that any Geniuses on duty will be selling or answering questions.
Anyone notice the smudge marks on the MSNBC video review? Similar to the original Nano.
OK, so, I have $10k in macs and as much in software, bought through the local apple store.
It’s bad enough when there is a problem that I have to “schedule” a time to be told one of my machines is broken. It’s bad enough when i have to wait to discuss buying another 5k promac while the “genius” takes care of pimply faced kid spending $79 on shuffle and needs instructions on how it works.
Now, when i need to speak with someone on more equipment purchasing I can’t because they will be busy selling phones to yuppies and high school kids?
Right. Can Apple do much more to push aside and tell their core customers that they are no longer welcome?
If I want poor service I’ll run Adobe CS 3 on a dell.
Oh please, Chris. Try to imagine for a minute if no one needed to make an appointment for the Genius Bar and could just walk up. It would be unorganized, long lines, long wait times & pure hell for everyone. So, I don’t wanna hear your whining. I don’t care how much you spend on your Macs, everyone is treated the same and you sound like you wanna be above all that. Well, you’re not, so get over yourself and make an appt before you come in. You’ll be glad you did.
Oh, and since when does a Genius sell iPod Shuffles?? That would be the Specialist’s job. Sounds like you don’t even know how the store works at all.
Chris doesn’t matter how much you spend on Apple stuff. Macinjosh is right… everyone is treated the same. Fairly! Your getting old and grumpy. Take a break…
Actually, while I don’t think it’s wrong for Apple to dedicate all its employees to the iPhone on launch day, I do think it would make sense for Apple to organize the genius bar around product lines. It doesn’t make sense for someone with a complex tower to be waiting on the same line as someone with an iPod problem (which I suspect in 99% of the time is a battery problem)or someone with an iPhone (“how do I….”) problem. All of Apple’s Genius Bar staff won’t have the same set of skills, so I think it actually make sense to organize different queues for different equipment lines and/or problem types.