Would you Like an iPod with That?

The New York Times recently profiled the plight of the Apple employee – not the one who comes up with amazing new engineering feats and cloud computing manifestos — but the retail “specialists” who take you for a test drive with the new equipment in the comfort of their own store.

(Full disclosure, I don’t own a Mac and our family only has an iPod or two among us. I have worked retail sales in a Federated Department Store as a flyer/floater –through the last years of high school and college often behind a cash register (or folding table) in a highly trafficked area like Fine Jewelry, Men’s or Juniors or the toughest of them all: Women’s shoes.)

This particular article focused on the never-ending supply of young candidates for these retail jobs, the limitations of the salary and ability to move up in the organization and how Apple’s retail sales staff is moving $16 billion in merchandise worldwide.

Separate yourself for the moment from the personal experiences you may have had with the store and its technical support and consider this purely as an example of customer service. Is this the future of retailing?  The “roving credit-card swipers to minimize checkout lines…the petting-zoo layout… the philosophy that employees aren’t just selling or fixing products but are ‘enriching people’s lives’.”

Most times, I’m just looking for a salesperson (no matter the store) who really knows the goods and can advise me of the features/benefits/options of the product. (Like a great ad.)  One who can direct me to the fitting room and the cashier. (Like a knowledgeable guide.)

Truth is, most times, I’m just looking for a salesperson.

So although we often focus on the formats and store designs (such as the public square design at J C Penney’s or the expansion of WalMart) we should consider that a retailer’s assets may be tied up in inventory but rests with its staff.

After all, I’ve returned to less than amazing stores because the staff member helped me make what I believed to be the best purchasing decision: enhancing my belief in the store as a brand as much as the branded product.  

So with its employees, Apple has it all in one core. Customers who love the brand and remain dedicated to it. And a highly aspiring sales team that may not be making the most money, but they are as brand loyal as it gets: as much, if not more so, as Apple customers are for the iProducts.