Ron Johnson: Apple Retail Stores ‘are a victim of their own success’

“Working in the favor of Apple’s new retail store chief Deirdre O’Brien are 500-plus physical shrines to Apple products around the world that are usually jam packed,” Brian Sozzi reports for Yahoo Finance. “But make no mistake, O’Brien’s core tasks — taking Apple retail stores to the next level in terms of customer service and overall count — [are] nothing to scoff at. And the creator of the Apple store, Ron Johnson, is well aware of that, even though he is now watching his former employer from afar.”
“‘Apple has the premier retail experience — under Angela [Ahrendts] they made significant improvements, but they also have significant challenges,’ Johnson told Yahoo Finance. ‘In a way, they are sort of a victim of their own success. The stores are so popular, the real challenge is handling the amount of traffic coming through,'” Sozzi reports. “”
“Ahrendts’s tenure is viewed as largely a success by most Apple watchers. But that doesn’t mean Ahrendts hands a well-oiled machine devoid of issues off to O’Brien. In some spheres, it’s talked about that Apple should double its store count to relieve store congestion,” Sozzi reports. “O’Brien is a 30 year veteran of Apple — she was on the front line with Johnson when the first crop of Apple stores opened in the early 2000s. ‘Deirdre is an excellent operator — she helped launch Apple stores in 2000, she was in stores every day,’ Johnson recalled. ‘She will be really equipped to take the stores to the next level.'”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Many more stores, and with better acoustics, please!
Two things additional things about Apple Retail Stores: One, a constant since inception, is that the stores are overly acoustically “bright” making them extremely loud. Hard floors, glass, hard ceilings; it can get deafening. In smaller stores, this makes hearing instructors’ classes, or even staff members more difficult than it should be. Some acoustical design (sound deadening) would go a long, long way to making the stores more comfortable overall. Secondly, the stores are increasingly more crowded – a nice problem to have – which is obviously recognized as an issue as we see Apple expanding stores pretty much wherever they can. (Just don’t forget the acoustics! Quieter stores will seem less crowded, even if they actually aren’t.) – MacDailyNews, August 16, 2018
SEE ALSO:
Apple’s new retail head needs to fix the biggest problem with Apple Retail Stores – February 8, 2019
What’s next for Apple’s Retail Store empire? – February 8, 2019
New Apple retail chief Deirdre O’Brien receives stock grant worth up to $8.2 million – February 8, 2019
Angela Ahrendts’ Apple departure points to wider mystery – February 6, 2019
Examining Angela Ahrendts’ five-year tenure as head of Apple Retail – February 6, 2019
Apple CEO Cook thanks Angela Ahrendts in company-wide memo to employees – February 6, 2019
Apple names third retail chief in seven years – February 6, 2019
Apple’s Angela Ahrendts to depart in April; Deirdre O’Brien named senior vice president of Retail + People – February 5, 2019
Apple’s Angela Ahrendts has a plan for next-gen retail – January 29, 2019
Why Angela Ahrendts left Burberry for Apple – June 20, 2018
Ralph Lauren to add Apple’s Angela Ahrendts to Board of Directors – May 9, 2018
Angela Ahrendts is again Apple’s best-paid employee – December 29, 2017
Apple now requires CEO Tim Cook to fly only on private jets – December 28, 2017
Apple CEO Tim Cook paid close to $102 million for fiscal 2017 – December 28, 2017
Forbes’ World’s 100 Most Powerful Women: Angela Ahrendts #13, Laurene Powell Jobs #14 – November 2, 2017
Deirdre O’Brien named Apple’s vice president of People – July 21, 2017
Tim Cook took home $10.3 million, Angela Ahrendts earned $25.7 million in 2015 – January 6, 2016
Apple’s Angela Ahrendts emerges as highest-paid U.S. woman with $83 million – May 5, 2015
Apple’s retail chief Angela Ahrendts paid $73.4 million in cash and stock last year; BoD member Drexler steps down – January 22, 2015
Apple’s new retail chief Ahrendts granted $68 million in restricted stock – May 6, 2014