Page 155 - The Apple Experience

has refined the customer service model to the highest degree of any major
corporation, but with 30,000 employees around the world, even Apple has a

difficult time achieving its ideal experience in each and every transaction,

especially if someone on the sales floor does not get trained repeatedly in the

five steps. Here are two examples—one where it went wrong and another

when it went right.

When It Went Wrong

In the first store we met a Specialist, Alba, who did not walk through the

steps of service, and she did not score any points with Patty. See if you can

figure out why.

Patty: Hi, I’m thinking of buying an iPad for my husband. Can

you tell me more about it?
1

Alba: Well, there are two models. One connects you to Wi-Fi
and the other to 3G, so you can get an Internet connection

anywhere. Those start at $629.

Patty is thoroughly confused less than one minute into the conversation.

She’s acknowledged she is nontechnical. Patty doesn’t know what Wi-Fi or

3G means. She doesn’t even know what to ask next, and Alba is not guiding

her.

Patty: Is this your top of the line? (Does Patty really need “top of

the line”? Alba never probed to find out.)

Alba: This is the iPad 2. All the different models we carry do
exactly the same thing.