A Fantastic Insight Into Apple Store Meetings From A Current Employee

A current Apple Retail Store employee that goes by the pseudonym J. K. Appleseed has published a new post on Apple store meetings.

Here are key highlights from J. K. Appleseed’s article:

• How Apple has “managed expectations.”  – This is a simple, but far-reaching social concept, crucial to anyone in customer service, and we deal with it at the Genius Bar every day… 

• This is my biggest gripe with Apple Store Meetings, which happen at least once per financial quarter. I don’t want them to suck…

• The attendance point system has become more stringent this year, and it’s no joke. Naomi from HR says they want to make sure we get credit for our time, but I’m pretty sure this also helps them check who didn’t show up.

• Back when Ron Johnson was the head of Apple Retail, he would often record a video greeting to be played at Store Meetings, and I miss them. Though a branding mastermind, and by all accounts a smart, super nice guy, wow, was RoJo bad at speaking on camera! 

• Apple hierarchy like levels of celebrity. At the highest Corporate levels are the superstars. Think of Sir Jony Ive, Senior Vice President of Design. No offense, Tim Cook, but that’s a front man, with a British accent and knighted to boot. 

• One soul-searching moment is guaranteed. They call up to stage those employees who have been with Apple Retail for five years. Questions hang in the air for recipients and spectators alike. Did I see this coming? What do I have to show for this? Is that me, someday?

• The five-year award plaque is signed (or possibly stamped) with Tim Cook’s signature, and the text ends with, THANK YOU—FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE AND ALLYOU WILL DO THROUGHOUT YOUR JOURNEY AT APPLE.

• The five-year awards used to be signed (or stamped) with Steve Jobs’ signature, and the text ended with, WE HOPE YOU SHAREOUR FEELING THAT THE JOURNEY IS THE REWARD.

J.K Appleseed wrapped up the post with a really nice story on how Apple manages expectation.

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