There is all kinds of press around Apple adding iPads next to their products in stores so people can better self help. I can see those iPads taking up valuable ‘play with the hardware space’ since that is mostly what people do in the Apple Stores. But, it might help the issue with finding someone to take your money when you want to buy something. Trying to buy things has been a point of pain for me over the last couple years in about any Apple Store.
Will this mean less employees? There is aways available Genius people and the name takers/callers around that area. Perhaps, Apple is looking to lower their in-store headcounts.
Today there is rumored an announcement from Square and Apple… maybe those iPad sales devices will get Squares that will let us set up our computer, swipe our card and go pick up the device at the back counter… hopefully it wont be pushing us to accept the new computer via home delivery. Since Apple will already know what you want to order, they could show ‘inventory’ at the last second and offer to have it in your hands, shipped from the factory, in just days. Again, lowering the Apple in-store overhead.
Oh yea, I was going to talk about the updates to the iPhone Apple Store app.
The app can now be used to get someone’s attention to help you while your in a store. Along with checking the times for training events or asking for personal training.
When you launch the Apple Store app inside of a store, you can tell the Genius that you are there. I’ll get a screen shot of that the next time in a store… it’s pretty automated.
If your in a hurry, you can use the free app to request a product be ready for your pickup. This has some time limitations since they need to rotate their inventory and don’t want to have the only white iPhone left sitting for weeks waiting on your visit.
You can now do more than just view the default product set up too. The Apple Store app lets you customize your Apple product like you can do via their site. This is handy when talking to a in-store tech about your options, sometimes they stick with certain configurations they are familiar with.