Page 106 - The Apple Experience

to do what’s in the best interest of the guest and what they believe is required
to nurture a long-term relationship between the guest and the brand.

Drive

In Drive, Daniel Pink analyzed dozens of studies in the area of human
motivation. Pink believes that most businesses fail to understand what

motivates people. “Too many organizations still operate from assumptions

about human potential and individual performance that are outdated,

unexamined, and rooted more in folklore than in science.” Companies that
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pursue outdated methods of motivation are quick to create pay-for-

performance incentives like commissions or free gifts to get employees to

work harder. Yes, people have to earn a living. Wages, salaries, and benefits
are what Pink calls “baseline rewards.” If those baseline rewards are not

adequate, then employees will focus on the unfairness of the situation instead

of delivering exceptional customer service. “But once we’re past that

threshold, carrots and sticks can achieve precisely the opposite of the intended

aims,” writes Pink. Carrots and sticks can extinguish motivation, diminish
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performance, crush creativity, encourage shortcuts and unethical behavior,

and foster short-term thinking.

Pink discovered that for routine tasks that do not require a lot of creative

thinking, external rewards can provide a small motivational boost. But for
higher thinking creative tasks, the best approach is to motivate employees

with a combination of praise, positive feedback, and the feeling of autonomy

and empowerment.

Returning to Apple, store Specialists are paid an average of $11.25 an

hour. The salary ranges from $9 to $16 an hour, comparable to wages at

other retailers. The technicians who operate the Genius Bar can make