“You’re paid to be the face of Apple, a happy person who’s there to help people solve their problems, and that’s fun, but it’s also draining.”īefore making an appointment, first try these easy possible solutions: To decompress after his shift was over, Epperson would go home, go to his room and not talk to anyone. Few customers realize that Geniuses have asked “Hi, how are you? Are you having a good day?” maybe a hundred times on any given day. “While everyone thinks of Geniuses as tech people-and they are-it’s also a super-social job,” he says. Secondly, keeping calm can be a challenge. It not only means the problem will take longer to fix, but it also drains the resources of the team. Firstly, the biggest pressure Geniuses feel is not wanting to make a mistake or misdiagnose a repair. While Epperson loved his time at Apple, he says the job can be difficult for a couple of reasons. “I’ve seen this happen at the Genius Bar where a girl will come in with her boyfriend who’s all ‘I built a computer from scratch one time using a toothpick.’ And you’re like, ‘Cool story! But this is the context of the situation, and these are the tools I have.’” Ultimately, having an outside “expert” hovering overhead will just gum up the process and make your repair take longer. “There’s tricks to keeping everybody on time, but really as a customer you’re shoving yourself into a system that revolves around a schedule.”Įverybody has the boyfriend, the cousin or the uncle who knows everything about computers. “Each Genius, if they’re working on computers, they’re seeing an appointment every 15 minutes, and then they’re taking a mobile appointment-an iPhone or iPad problem-every 10 minutes.” says Epperson. As you might expect from Apple, there’s an art and science around how the company schedules its Genius appointments. By not having to sit, wait, and watch others get helped ahead of you, it helps to alleviate a major frustration of getting tech support-all the time it can take. If it’s at all possible to make an appointment in advance, you should. It’s their job to direct you to the best person on the floor for your particular need. The person (or people) on point are typically positioned by the doors, have an iPad in their hands, and have their heads up as they look around for customers to help. I think most people at my store are happy with their job.Regardless of whether you need help buying or fixing a computer, start with the “person on point”-especially because if you try getting assistance from another staffer, they’re just going to lead you back to one of these workers anyway. $500 off a single product once every three years, stackable with the 25% off. 25% off all major product lines once a year. 401k, Employee Stock Purchase Program (10% of all payroll goes to company stock, with a 15% discount), and health/vision/dental insurance. I don't plan on staying at Apple forever, and kissing ass (and owning it) for a $1-4 raise is not something I'm comfortable with.īenefits are good.
I don't participate in workplace politics. To get noticed, you have to kiss a considerable amount of ass. Genius pay fluctuates wildly based on experience.
iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Macs, and also iPhone and Mac hardware repairs. Family Room Specialists ($15-17) are Genius Bar staff, but only take iPhone, iPads, and Watch appointments.
Most people get hired in as a sales Specialist ($15). Management is personable and reasonable, for the most part.
What sets us apart from other retailers is our training on how to talk to people, and how solutions are reached. You're talking to a customer and helping them find a solution.