The Apple Experience: Secrets to Building Insanely Great Customer Loyalty (11 page)

DiPiero acknowledged that her experience ultimately led to her decision to buy a Mac instead of a PC. She was so overjoyed she
developed this APPLE acronym to describe her experience, which she sent me in an e-mail:

A
is for
awesome
. The staff listens, directs, and instructs.

P
is for
pristine
. The store has a clean, uncluttered appearance.

P
is for
patience
. The helpful and friendly staff take their time with customers.

L
is for
learned
. Employees know their stuff, and they educate customers, too.

E
is for
energetic
. Employees survey, greet, and respond to customers as soon as they enter.

Developing multitaskers can bring your company to the next level. Don’t make the mistake of believing that an employee who is good at putting out one fire after another is a good “multitasker.” That’s not multitasking. Too many people equate multitasking with juggling multiple projects. If you juggle five projects at the same time and they all turn out badly, then what good does it do you? The same applies to customer communication. If you’re proud of yourself for handling three customers at the same time, but none
of them are likely to recommend your service to others, then what good does it do your organization? You might have answered their questions, but you failed to turn them into promoters. True multitasking is accommodating three customers and making them all feel special.

Customers experimenting with iPads.
Source: Getty Images

The average Apple Store attracts more than 20,000 visitors a week. It’s rare to find an empty store. I live in a midsized town where few stores are ever really, really busy. It’s the kind of place where there’s always easy parking at the shopping mall, even during the holidays. I had to buy some accessories at the Apple Store one day, and because I just wanted to get in and out quickly, I decided to go on a Wednesday morning right when it opened, thinking that the store would be nearly empty with the exception of a few employees. I got to the store five minutes after the store opened at 10:00 a.m., and much to my surprise, there were fifty customers already there.
Fifty!

The Apple Store is always busy. Always. Yet, I’m regularly amazed at the way Apple employees can carry on conversations with several customers and make everyone feel as though they are getting personalized attention. Does it happen each and every time? No, it doesn’t. And when customers feel neglected, they are quick to voice their displeasure on Facebook or Twitter. It doesn’t happen in every conversation, because multitasking is a very difficult skill to teach and to master. Apple simply cannot train 30,000 employees to master the skill of multitasking. But Apple employees get it right much more often than they get it wrong, and that’s one of the reasons why Apple has far more “promoters” than it does “detractors.”

Our community manager, Carolyn, once returned to the office after spending an hour at a nearby T-Mobile wireless store. She didn’t go to buy anything or to browse. She simply had one small question. As Carolyn entered the store, she was sure she would be done in minutes because there were only three people in the entire store. The trouble was there were only three employees, and nobody knew the first thing about multitasking. None of the employees made eye contact with her nor did they acknowledge her. Carolyn waited
forty-five minutes, got her question answered, but left with such a bad taste for the experience that she left the service.

Compare Carolyn’s experience to the day I walked into an Apple Store to purchase a MacBook Air. A Specialist patiently explained my options and answered my questions for nearly one hour (truthfully, I had made up my mind after ten minutes, but I wanted to see just how far I could push the customer experience). Now let’s be honest. It’s not reasonable to expect any Apple employee to spend one hour with one customer when dozens of others are looking for guidance. So they don’t. They multitask instead. I felt as though the Specialist gave me her full and undivided attention when, in reality, she also made two other customers feel exactly the same during the time she was working with me. I spoke to the other two customers before they left the store. Both said they would give their experience a
10
on the Apple Store survey. Here’s how we are all made to feel cared for.

Specialist:
Carmine (she used my first name several times in the conversation), based on what you’ve told me, I believe the thirteen-inch MacBook Air with 128 GB of storage would best suit your needs. But it sounds as though you’re still trying to decide between the thirteen-inch and the eleven-inch model. Take your time, try out each one, and I’ll be here to answer any questions. Would you mind if I briefly help this person next to us while you’re thinking about it?

Carmine:
No, of course not. Go ahead. (By this time the Specialist had already built trust. I trusted that she was knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly. She also asked permission before interrupting the conversation.)

Specialist
(addressing Customer 2)
:
Hi, welcome to the Apple Store. Are you interested in our notebook computers?

Customer 2:
Yes, I am. Do these all come with the new operating system, Lion?

Specialist:
Yes, Lion is installed on our computers. It’s an awesome experience. I think you’ll be really pleased. As you can see, we are very busy today. I’d love to help you right after this customer, but you might be served more quickly if you request a Specialist using the iPad
next to the computer. Just tap “ask for Specialist,” and someone will be right over.

Customer 2:
OK. I’ll do that. Thanks.

Specialist:
No problem. I’ll come back to check on you. (The Specialist now “owns” the relationship. You will learn more about owning the customer relationship in Part II.)

Specialist
(turning back toward me)
:
I see you’re holding the eleven-inch MacBook Air. Can you believe how thin and light it is? Pretty cool, isn’t it?

Carmine:
It is. But I think the screen is too small for me. I like the thirteen-inch model better.

Specialist:
I can see why you would like it. It sounds like you’re on the road a lot and you’re not always plugged in to a larger display. (The Specialist repeatedly referred to our previous conversation, demonstrating that she did, indeed, listen to me.)

By this point in the conversation, another Specialist, “Sam,” had arrived to help Customer 2. But while we were discussing my decision, a third customer interrupted our conversation. Interruptions occur frequently at the Apple Store, and although some customers can be rude, Apple employees treat everyone with a smile and a friendly greeting. If the employees are irritated, they don’t show it. I’ll continue with my observations:

Customer 3:
Excuse me. I just came in to buy these headphones. Where can I go to ring it up?

Specialist:
I can help you here and get you on your way. I just need your credit card. (Apple employees carry EasyPay devices, specialized mobile checkout systems.)

Specialist
(turning toward me as Customer 3 is fumbling for credit card)
:
Have you decided between the 128 GB or the 256 GB model?

Carmine:
Well, despite all of the multimedia currently on my computer, it still only takes up 75 GB on my hard drive. So I think I’ll be OK with
128 GB of storage. (Although the Specialist is handling another transaction, she is maintaining eye contact with me and nodding in agreement. She is still actively engaged in the primary conversation.)

Customer 3:
Well, that was easy. Thanks.

Specialist:
No problem. Thanks for coming in. We’ll see you next time. (Apple employees end conversations with an invitation to continue the relationship, which we will discuss more in Part II.)

Specialist:
Carmine, it sounds like you’ve made up your mind. I think you’ll be very happy. I can’t wait to hear about your experience. Before you leave, I’ll give you my card so you can contact me with any questions. (By giving a customer a card with a name and number on it and inviting the customer to extend the relationship, employees can turn someone from a “satisfied” customer into a “promoter.”)

Let’s return to the example of the ice cream parlor to see how the Apple experience translates into another, non-computer-related field. Here are two scenarios of how a customer interaction might play out. The first is conducted by a typical, nonmultitasking employee juggling multiple customers. The second scenario is an example of effective multitasking.

Employee:
Have you made up your mind?

Customer:
No, I haven’t.

Employee:
OK, I’ll take care of the next customer while you’re thinking.

Employee:
Have you chosen the flavor of ice cream you’d like to enjoy today?

Customer:
No, I haven’t.

Employee:
Do you like chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry?

Customer:
Oh, chocolate. I love chocolate.

Employee:
So do I! Our flavor of the month is dark chocolate brownie. It’s the richest chocolate in the store, and it’s loaded with real brownie chunks. Please take your time, and I’ll assist the next customer in line while you’re deciding.

In
Customer Experience
, researchers discovered the customer emotions that drive or destroy value. Emotions that destroy value are irritation, hurriedness, neglect, and frustration. Emotions that build value are trust, happiness, pleased state, and care.
²
Multitasking leaves everyone feeling as though they have been acknowledged, served, and cared for. That helps build trust, happiness, and pleasure. It’s the Apple way.

My wife, Vanessa Gallo, manages our practice, Gallo Communications Group, where we provide communication skills coaching to some of the world’s most admired brands. She has a master’s degree in developmental psychology and worked as an instructor at San Francisco State University as well as a corporate trainer for a large, publicly traded company for years before her role at Gallo Communications. Vanessa applies psychology to all facets of communication and customer service, including the art of multitasking.

Early in Vanessa’s career, she also managed a tasting room for the largest winery in northern California’s Livermore Valley. If you’ve ever been to a very busy winery, then you know it requires the best multitasking skills an employee has to offer. At any given time there could be dozens of people in the room, some who are enjoying their wine while the staff provides education on each glass. Staff must move from person to person, provide insight, and keep track of where the person is in the tasting process, in addition to closing transactions at the register upon checkouts. Additional patrons are behind the first row of people already at the bar. They are waiting or trying to find room to squeeze in. Meanwhile, an entire tour bus
of visitors could show up pouring fifty people through the door. When I visited Vanessa, I had two thoughts. The first: I would never want this job! The second: Everyone in the room was calm, perfectly choreographed, and the customers were enjoying a memorable experience.

When I asked Vanessa about why effective multitasking is so important when handling a packed house, she gave me an interesting way to look at it. When you invite people to your home for a party, the hospitable routine should include greeting your guests upon arrival, directing them where to put their coats, showing them where the drinks and goodies are, introducing them to other guests who’ve already arrived, and possibly giving them a tour. This routine requires a host who can multitask and do so in a way that makes the guests feel welcomed and content, which ultimately leads to a successful party.