Comments on: Store Training Changes Confirmed

By: Kerri

Kerri — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:08:56 +0000

As far as I can see, you can buy the computer in the Apple store or on their website.
“One to One costs just $99 for a full year and is available only at the time you purchase a new Mac from the Apple Retail Store or the Apple Online Store.”

By: Delmar H. Knudson

Delmar H. Knudson — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 01:38:16 +0000

I have promoted the one-to-one training experience to every one I meet as a tremendous benefit of owning an Apple Computer rather than another brand. I have convinced people to buy two iMacs, a portable Mac, and a Mac Mini in the past 3 years. I am the vice president of a Mac Computer Club, and a persistent booster of Apple products. I belong to one-on-one and ProCare, and have Apple Care (which will soon run out). I have bought for myself and others a Mac IICi, a 9500, a G3, three 2GHz G5′s, an iMac, and numerous iWork, and iLife programs. I have bought Apple hardware and software at CompUSA, 2 Apple Stores and Online. I am considering buying an iPhone with medieval AT&T service. I know quite a bit about Macs, but can always learn more. I do not think that severing continued training on Macs is a good thing for us long-term customers. I think a great deal of good will can be undone, unless some provision is made for us.

By: Tom Redford

Tom Redford — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 09:55:54 +0000

Wow- This is why Apple is a fantastic company, even when they do something detrimental to a service like 1-1, they can rely on promoters to smooth over the cracks.

By: Wow

Wow — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 04:01:42 +0000

Wow, this thread is full of apple employees reading the copy they were given last weekend at the meeting. Every apple employee is a drone who forgot to think for themselves.

By: Joe

Joe — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:01:02 +0000

Tom – Don’t be silly. If Apple can do something to get more people to buy Macs in an Apple Store, why wouldn’t they? Getting people in the stores and then getting them to purchase is the sole reason for retail stores to exist. According to your logic, why even have Apple retail stores? You can buy at Best Buy, MacMall, etc.

Buy at Apple, get trained at Apple, give all of your future business to Apple and tell all your friends about your great experiences at Apple. It all feeds into more loyal customers and greater retail sales for Apple.

By: To Tom

To Tom — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:30:52 +0000

Because on the flip side if i buy 121 and cant use it because all the times slots are filled then i feel i wasted my money and am more annoyed than a customer that was unable to buy 121 in the first place. this program will decrease the amount of 121s sold, for the better.

By: Tom Redford

Tom Redford — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:38:20 +0000

If I buy my Mac from John Lewis or Dixons, Apple still makes a fantastic profit, so why shut me out of the learning process in the stores? It is not like Apple makes no money if the computer is brought elsewhere.
Fuzzy thinking by Apple, and will unintentionally annoy people.

By: Apple refocuses One to One to cut crowding, raise revenue - MAC.BLORGE

Apple refocuses One to One to cut crowding, raise revenue - MAC.BLORGE — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:09:19 +0000

[...] IfoAppleStore reports that, as of today, only people who purchase new Macs can also purchase a $99 annual membership to the Apple Store One to One training program. By limiting membership to Mac buyers, it leaves current Mac owners without a store training option, encouraging them to buy a new Mac to qualify for One to One membership and increasing revenues for Apple. The change also seems to eliminate any One to One gifting options, and the use of One to One training to help convince potential Switchers of Mac’s superiority. [...]

By: David

David — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 01:38:23 +0000

I was going to purchase One to One for for my new iLife ’09, my imac is only a year old. Let me tell you, I am greatly disappointed. After Mastering imovie. I was going to attempt to learn Final Cut Express, One to One would have been a big help.

By: Joe

Joe — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 22:16:44 +0000

Mumbo Jumbo: Like ‘not named joe’, you’ve also got it wrong. The figures no longer show that One to One customers spend more in Apple stores. At least half of them do not buy their Macs at an Apple retail store, nor do they buy their accessories and other things from Apple stores. They do all their shopping elsewhere, but go to Apple for training. You’re going by info that’s well over a year old.

Even though they are overwhelmingly Promoters in the NPS system, this has not translated to greater loyalty. The new system should make things better for all involved. More availability for individual sessions over time, the group sessions, loyal customers spending their time and money in the stores… it’s a win-win.

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:37:28 +0000

I’m not really buying the idea that it’s pure profit, when Apple pays a whole staff of Creatives who are there for the sole purpose of servicing One to One members. I don’t know what the average usage is per member, but if someone takes advantage of, say, one lesson per month, they’re paying $8.25 per hour of Apple’s time. You can bet that hourly salaries at Apple are higher than that.

By: Mumbo Jumbo

Mumbo Jumbo — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:27:41 +0000

Firstly 121 is pure profit. You are selling a service not a product. No one has to make it. Was it cheap? Very cheap. Was Apple overwhelmed by demand? Very much so that they could only come up with this new way of buying it. They were loosing out in people buying computers else where rather than in the store. CAn you blame people? Its much easier to buy it else where when the Apple store is being used like an internet cafe.

And Joe.. the figures show that one2one customers tend to spend more at the stores they tell there friends and there friends tell more friends… They call it Promoters!

By: anon

anon — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 06:12:08 +0000

This doesn’t really surprise me at all. Half the reason they’re doing this is so they can have Creatives out in the red zone for half their shift. Apple continues to screw with their retail employees, no surprise. It’s stuff like this along with the severe hour cuts for part timers and frozen GYO that makes me not regret quitting. I love the company, but I think any ARS employee would agree that a lot of Apple’s new policies are frustrating to say the least.

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 04:23:28 +0000

Tom Redford: On the contrary, I think this is showing that Apple is keeping an even sharper eye on the ball now. The focus of One-to-One is turning toward quality of service over quantity of memberships.

By: bdufeau

bdufeau — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 03:35:40 +0000

secret specialist spills the beans, spot on. no need to repeat whats already been explained.

to survive in these times they need to get the benefit of SELLING a product that provides a great user experience which they are providing training on for virtually FREE.

this will free up availability, and quite frankly goes back to Apple’s original retail vision of catering to the end-user who wants to spend $$$$ and receive a GREAT computing experience, worth more than many other consumable products in life, and cannot be measured by specs on paper.