An Apple Experience

Recently I wrote about great customer experiences at ING Direct, especially at their new cafe in Toronto.  Amazingly, I've just had another customer experience worth writing about - at the Apple store in downtown Toronto.

Apple store - Toronto Eaton Centre

Past experiences at the Apple store revolved around the Genius Bar  - getting expert help with my iPod at the promised appointment time.  This time, I was in a hurry to buy a blue wireless Jambox speaker.  There was one left on the shelf, in black, and the store was thronged with customers and buzzing with activity.  As far as I could see, the many Apple staff in blue t-shirts were all occupied with customers.  I was never going to get out of there in time for my next appointment!

Then, one of the staff instructed me to go to one of the iPads lined up on the long tables, and click in the bottom right to call for a salesperson.  The screen instructed me to stand there and someone would come to me.  After a minute or so, I clicked again and was told there were 2 people ahead of me and did I still want to wait?  I clicked on yes, and a salesperson promptly showed up.  I told her what I wanted and she walked me to the back of the store, where she sent someone off to the back room to fetch the blue Jambox, the last one in stock as it happened, and put it in a bag for me.  She had a mobile device in her hand (an iTouch?), with a card reader.  So she captured my credit card info and asked me to sign on the touch screen, then walked me to the door, and grabbing my receipt off a printer mounted under a table near the door.  Presto, I was finished in time for my next (ugh dentist) appointment.

What a fabulous experience.  Quick, efficient, and showing off Apple technology all the way.