Page 210 - The Apple Experience

Customers will pay a premium for excellent service and for the consistent
delivery of that service. In one survey, nearly 75 percent of customers said

that businesses do not value their customers enough. They also said they are
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willing to pay a 10 percent premium for excellent customer service. I agree.

In 1996, I bought my wife’s engagement ring from Tiffany & Co., knowing

full well that I was paying a premium for its Fifth Avenue location, its

quality, and for the joy of seeing her face light up when she saw the blue box.

But it was the service that ultimately sold me.
When I got engaged, I was working for CNN in New York City, living

in a small, 700-square-foot, studio apartment. I didn’t trust leaving the ring

there for the two months before I flew back to California where I had

planned to pop the question. “No problem,” said the friendly Tiffany clerk.

“We can keep it here in our vault until you’re ready to pick it up.” I was also

told that my wife could walk into any Tiffany store anywhere in the world

and get it cleaned as she waited—no fees or the hassle of having to come
back later to retrieve the ring. The clerk wasn’t exaggerating. To this day, my

wife and I drop into a Tiffany store from time to time and wait for a few

minutes while they clean her ring. They instantly recognize the Tiffany

design and treat us like royalty—in every store, every time. The treatment she

gets is far more rewarding than if she just took her ring to another jeweler or

jewelry repair location. Tiffany’s quality enticed me, but the consistency of

the experience won me over and created a customer for life. Apple has

followed the same philosophy to become the crown jewel of the retail world.

Training a Genius to Fix Relationships

No two geniuses are exactly alike, but at Apple they all receive the same

intensive training at Apple’s Cupertino headquarters. When Apple customers