Page 86 - The Apple Experience

because, well, it looked different. Gazing through the megasized floor-to-
ceiling windows, DiPiero could see that the store looked clean and

uncluttered, a far cry from the typical department store DiPiero would visit.

The design was just the beginning of DiPiero’s Apple experience. It would be

one of the most unique shopping experiences of her life and ultimately

convince her to become an Apple customer.

Upon entering the store, DiPiero looked for the cash register. All

department stores have a cash register, she assumed. She didn’t see any.
Instead “Jeff” approached her, introduced himself, and asked how he could

help. “Everyone looked involved, interested, and interesting,” she said. “At

department stores, you can’t find a clerk to help you or to talk to. And if you

do, the employees are talking to each other about their work schedule or

other office-related issues. Also, most employees never make eye contact.

The Apple Store was completely different.”

A Teacher Takes a Lesson from Apple

A former elementary schoolteacher, DiPiero was used to surveying the room

to keep an eye on how everyone was interacting. She noticed that the Apple

employees were doing the same thing, an action she described as

“multitasking.” Although employees were taking care of several people at the

same time, DiPiero felt as though she was getting personalized attention. “It
reminded me of being a teacher,” she said. “When a teacher has yard duty,

they multitask. They scan the playground. You’re looking at the whole

picture. You see those kids clear across the yard? What’s brewing over there?

Should I be ready to step in? You can tell by a child’s body language. It’s a

skill you learn as a teacher.” DiPiero says she has never used the word

multitasking to describe employees in any other retail environment, but it was