This is Cult of Mac’s exclusive column written by an actual Apple Store Genius who answers all your questions about working at an Apple Store. Our genius must remain anonymous, but other than “Who are you, anyway?” ask anything you want about what goes on behind that slick store facade.
This week our Genius answers why the iPhone screen can be repaired in stores while the iPad has to be shipped away from special care. We also discuss whether working at the Apple Store can be turned into a solid career, plus the top 5 most annoying things customers do at the Apple Store.
Got a question you want the inside scoop on? Send us your questions and the answers will be published first in Cult of Mac’s Magazine on Newsstand. Send your questions to newsATcultofmac.com with “genius” in the subject line.
Q: Why can the Apple Store fix my broken iPhone screen in under 30minutes, but when I broke my iPad screen they had to swap it with an entirely new device, rather than just swapping the glass?
Apple really hasn’t made the iPad has repairable as the iPhone quite yet, even for Geniuses. Because of the design of the iPad display, when certain components break we have no choice but to swap your iPad for a new one and send the broken unit to be refurbished.
Right now it’s impossible to pop-off the iPads’ display and replace it with a new one due to all the glue Apple uses to keep it secure in the frame. With the iPhone, we can turn out the screws at the bottom and access a number of different components that can be replaced, like the vibration motor, speakers, camera, receiver and more.
The iPad is designed to be as thin as possible and I guess that meant Jony felt sacrifices to repairability outweigh the benefit of thinner and lighter iPad. Apple hasn’t developed a system yet for us to reattach iPad displays and looking at how thin everything is becoming, I’m not hopeful that will change soon.
Q: How long have you been working at the Apple Store? Are there any opportunities to make a career out of it and would you recommend it?
I have been working at the Apple Store just short of two years now. I started in a part-time position at the Genius Bar as a Family Room Specialist, a sort of lower-level genius that handles the mobile support queues and a few other tasks like training sessions. I applied to work full-time after I had learned the ropes and shortly after I was promoted to Genius. Despite the seemingly high turnaround, the fight for the better paying positions, like genius, can be pretty tough. There is a lot of competition. Most of the management positions require management experience, especially in retail, but on some occasions the experienced and qualified geniuses gets promoted to a management position.
For me, working at Apple has helped me develop and grow each day. It is a happy place to work, most of the time. Difficult customers and crazy workloads can sometimes make it hard to keep positive but it’s these people that succeed best at the Apple Store. In the end, It’s just a job for me. One that looks good on the resume. If you can get one of the higher paying roles and stay positive in the craziness that is the Apple Store you can definitely make a career out of it.
Q: What are your top five customer pet peeves?
- Backup your stuff before you get to the store if you expect to keep any of your data. If you’re worried about losing your content, back it up regularly.
- Don’t bring in three different devices for one genius bar reservation. Make a reservation for each product if you have multiple devices with issues.
- If you are going to throw a fit in the store because we can’t see you at the Genius Bar right away, make an appointment in advance. It takes little time and can save you a temper tantrum in the middle of the mall.
- Even if you think you need a replacement, don’t just say, “I need a new iWhatever.” We can’t just swap stuff willy-nilly.
- Don’t hassle your technician for a replacement when your device is out of warranty. It doesn’t matter how many products you own. If you want extended coverage, buy a protection plan.
