Chapter 98 customer experience

Jobs didn't like losing control of anything, especially when it came to the customer experience.But he faced a problem with one part of the process that he hadn't yet mastered -- the experience of buying an Apple product in a store. The days of the Byte Shop are over.Sales in the computer industry have transitioned from local computer specialty stores to large chain stores and mass merchandisers, but in these locations, most of the clerks have neither the basic knowledge of Apple products nor the willingness to explain the unique features of the products to customers.Jobs said: "All the salesmen care about is the $50 commission." Other computers are ordinary, but Apple computers have some innovative features and are more expensive.He didn't want iMacs being placed next to Dells and Compaqs, with uninitiated clerks reciting the configuration of each computer to customers. "Unless we have a way to get our message across to customers in the store, we're screwed."

In mid-to-late 1999, Jobs began secretly interviewing some managers who could develop Apple's retail stores.One of the candidates had a passion for design, and he had the childlike enthusiasm of a natural retailer—Ron Mmson, then vice president of merchandising planning at Target, whose main job was Release new distinctive products, such as a teapot designed by Michael Graves."Steve was very approachable," Johnson recalls of their first meeting. "He was wearing a turtleneck and ripped jeans, and he was straight to the point about why he wanted to open a retail store. He told me that if Apple wanted to be successful, , it must win through innovation. But if you can’t communicate innovation to customers, you can’t win through innovation.”

In January 2000, Johnson came for a second round of interviews.Jobs suggested that they go for a walk together.At 8:30 in the morning, they went to the Stanford Mall, a sprawling sprawling building with 140 stores.The stores were still closed at the time, so they walked up and down inside, discussing the layout of the mall, the role of the mall in relation to other stores, and the success of certain specialty stores. reason. They talked until 10 a.m. when the shops opened and they went to Eddie Bauer first.The store has two entrances, one directly facing the interior of the mall and the other connected to the car park.Jobs said Apple retail stores can only have one entrance, which can better control the customer experience.They agreed that the shops in Eddieburg were too narrow and long, and the best situation was to let customers understand the overall layout of the shop as soon as they entered.

There are no technology stores in this shopping mall. Johnson explained the reason as: "Traditionally, the rent is generally cheaper in places with less convenient transportation. When consumers want to buy large items such as computers, they don't buy them often. I’d rather drive there when I’m looking for more goods, because the rent will be cheaper there.” Jobs disagreed.He believes that Apple stores should be located in shopping malls in busy neighborhoods—those with a lot of pedestrians—no matter how expensive the rent is.He said: "We can't let customers drive 10 miles to see our products, but within 10 steps." Especially Windows users, we must set up "ambush" for them. "If they're passing by, they're going to walk in out of curiosity. If we make the store attractive enough, and we have a chance to show them our product, we've won."

Johnson believes that the size of the store can reflect the importance of the brand.He asked: "Is Apple as big as GAP?" Jobs is much bigger than GAP.Johnson then said that the Apple retail store should also be larger than GAP's. "Otherwise you're an irrelevant brand." Jobs described to him Mike Markkula's famous quote: A good company learns to "instill"—it must do everything in its power to convey its value and importance, from packaging to to marketing.Johnson liked the concept.This can definitely be applied to retail stores."The retail store will be the strongest physical expression of the brand," he said, describing the first time he stepped into the Ralph Lauren store on Madison Avenue and 72nd Street in Manhattan as a young man. What you see—the wood-panelled, mansion-like storefront exudes art. "Whenever I buy a polo shirt, I think of that building, which is a physical expression of Ralph's ideas." It’s the same strategy. When you think of the GAP brand, you immediately think of its huge stores—clean spaces, wooden floors, white walls and neatly stacked clothes.”

After the inspection, they drove back to the company and sat in the conference room playing with the company's products.The number of products is not large enough to fill a store in the traditional sense, but this is an advantage.They decided they wanted to build a store that would feature "less", simple, airy, and give people lots of places to try products."Most people don't understand Apple products," Johnson said. "They see Apple as an anomaly. If you want to change your image from anomaly to cool and fun, having a store that gives people room to try it helps a lot." The store style will also follow the characteristics of Apple products: fun, simple, fashionable, creative, just right between fashionable and intimidating.