Page 176 - The Apple Experience

to jump-start creativity. The next time you hold a creative brainstorm on
improving customer service, you might want to have the Apple Store kit

available for the session!

Apple Makes Troubleshooting “Fun”

Apple’s customer service philosophy extends to its phone support,

AppleCare. One recruitment ad for an AppleCare position describes the jobs

as follows: “Apple is passionate about creating the world’s most innovative

products. We are just as passionate about assisting the people who use them.

So as an At-Home Advisor for the AppleCare Program, when customers call

in with questions, you won’t just provide answers, you’ll provide an

experience. You’ll focus on the small details and be able to impress, engage,
and inspire. You’ll help to delight each and every one of our customers,

realizing that troubleshooting can be rewarding and fun.”
4
Apple is probably the only company that describes troubleshooting as

fun. The same job site had hundreds of other positions for a variety of

technical repair positions. Most of the jobs required skills such as the ability

to diagnose, troubleshoot, and repair defects. Apple was the only company

soliciting technical repair positions where passion was a prerequisite for the

job. Apple is always thinking about the customer experience—in the store or

on the phone.
Many people say that Apple stores are popular because of the quality of

the products. Of course, that’s partly true. If your products stink, it’s going to

be harder, if not impossible, to turn those products into a memorable

experience. But according to Ron Johnson, “People come to the Apple Store

for the experience, and they’re willing to pay a premium for that. There are

lots of components to that experience, but maybe the most important—and