The Apple Store, with over 500 locations, has been an incredibly successful campaign since it was laid out by Steve Jobs over fifteen years ago. The company, unlike many other companies, has kept their human element and hasn’t gone completely digital. Even though their sales remain strong when it comes to the Internet, their stores make all the difference when it comes to customer support. Even though most companies can’t afford to hire the 30,000 required employees to run that many stores, there are still tons of things you can learn from a company that makes it a priority to keep their physical locations running.
Don’t Sell the Product, Sell the Benefits
Apple Store people are excellent at selling the benefits behind the products more than just the products because the benefits are highly customizable. Let’s say someone walks into the Apple Store with two young children. This person approaches a specialist and says he wants his first iPad. A specialist at an Apple Store will target the “secondary” customers as well as the first, the adult, especially since iPads often have childrens' interactive applications available. You can do the same. Talk about how a product will benefit not only a client’s life, but the lives of those they love.
Don’t Vary from the Steps You’ve Established
Steps to service are a guide, not a restraint, and all companies should have them so all employees treat customers exactly the same way. For example, Apple has their A-P-P-L-E interaction with customers step. The first “A” is “approach with a customized, warm greeting,” followed by “Probe politely to understand the customer’s needs.” Having a set of values like this can guide an interaction so that it is pleasant for all involved.
