Apple Stores To Experience Customer-Centric Changes
By Brianna Ahearn, contributing writer
Apple customers will soon have an improved experience thanks to upcoming changes in the company's retail and online stores, as well as the Genius bar. Business Insider reported on July 26 Apple will be improving customer service as part of the changes. The most notable change is the overhaul of the Genius bar appointment system for Apple customers. Currently customers get 15 minutes for issues concerning a Mac, while iPhone and iPad concerns warrant a 10 minute time limit. If a customer issues with more than one device, they have to make an appointment for each issue. With the updates Apple plans, consumers will be able to book appointments for a longer length of time. New Senior Vice President of Retail and Online Stores Angela Ahrendt took leadership of the company in May 2014, and in a memo she sent to employees, says, she wants “to evolve the customer journey online and in our stores.”
The iTunes store will soon be available in version 12, a new version of the popular online media store, MacWorld reports. Users will be able to use iTunes more effectively with the application's new updates. As part of the new iTunes, iBookstore has been separated from the main iTunes store, and now exists as a separate application. Apple has also redesigned the navigation, making it easier to login, redeem an iTunes giftcard and access other account functions without scrolling through a long list. The navigation bar was refreshed with new icons for each media format, to help users differentiate between Movies, Music, Television Shows, and Apps. Retrieving the library has been improved as well, with the application no longer requiring users to toggle between the two; now the section has been divided into categories, such as My Apps, My Music, etc. Family Sharing has also been expanded to allow six users to share media without sharing the same account. The new version of iTunes is now in beta, and is expected to roll out for all users soon.
Apple has shown it's committed to monitoring its customers' experiences and making adjustments as needed. The latest Apple store opened July 26 in the Chongqing Municipality of China, with 20 additional stores planned for the country. Tim Cook and Ahrendt will be overseeing the development of stores in Italy and the United States as well. Also in the works for the company is the increased availability of iPhones for consumers at their Apple stores. Apple will begin letting consumers purchase an iPhone 6 through carrier upgrade programs such as AT&T's Next, Verizon's Edge and T-Mobile's JUMP. The change means Apple customers will no longer have to purchase their iPhone at a full price with no contract, or a sign a 2-year agreement. The company is anticipated to train their employees for the new program throughout this upcoming August.