Page 62 - The Apple Experience

Create Transparency

Transparent managers are open and authentic. They disclose information

if the information improves the customer experience, and they expect the

same from their employees. For example, one fearless Apple manager asked

an employee how things were going on the floor. The employee responded,

“Fine.” The manager asked the question again and added, “Be open and

honest.” The manager got an earful, but it was feedback he needed to hear.
An employee also needs to trust a manager enough to be open. A

specialist on a busy Apple floor might have to say, “I’m overwhelmed in this

section right now.” The manager can replace that person in the section, move

the person to another section, or give the person the right tools or resources

needed to serve the customer better. But if the employee doesn’t trust the

manager, the employee might stew about it and get frustrated, which could

lead to deteriorating customer interactions. You will learn more about
developing an effective feedback loop, which is a result of established trust, in

Chapter 5.

Right Wrongs

Managers who right wrongs apologize quickly. They don’t let pride get in

the way of doing the right thing. Everything in an Apple Store is about

creating “promoters,” customers who are so happy they will recommend

Apple products to their friends. Anything that gets in the way of that

relationship must be addressed quickly. If a manager mistakenly criticizes an
employee or, because he’s human, is having a bad day, it’s up to the manager

to clear his head and apologize for his behavior. Righting a wrong quickly

and authentically will restore trust among the team and even add a reservoir

of trust that could benefit a supervisor in the future.