During an all-hands meeting held with retail employees this weekend, Apple’s retail boss Angela Ahrendts discussed changes coming to its brick-and-mortar locations while revealing an updated corporate credo that all retail employees are expected to follow.
She also announced three new retail positions—Pro, Creative Pro and Technical Expert—renamed a few existing ones and shared tidbits on Jony Ive-approved store design and layout, as first discovered by MacRumors.
New corporate credo
For starters, here’s a new poetic credo Apple wants its retail army to follow:
Enriching lives.
We are here to enrich lives.
To help dreamers become doers,
to help passion expand human potential,
to do the best work of our lives.AT OUR BEST
We give more than we take.
From the planet,
to the person beside us.
We become a place to belong
where everyone is welcome.
Everyone.We draw strength from our differences.
From background and perspective
to collaboration and debate.
We are open.We redefine expectations.
First for ourselves, then for the world.
Because we’re a little crazy.
Because “good enough” isn’t.
Because what we do says who we are.We find courage.
To try and to fail,
to learn and to grow,
to figure out what’s next,
to imagine the unimaginable,
to do it all over again tomorrow.AT OUR CORE
We believe our soul is our people.
People who recognize themselves
in each other.People who shine a spotlight
only to stand outside it.
People who work to leave this world better than they found it.
People who live to enrich lives.
In addition, Ahrendts talked about new and renamed positions.
New & renamed retail positions
The following retail positions have been added in an effort to help reduce Genius Bar/Grove and service wait times, as per MacRumors:
- Pro—a new sales position above Expert
- Creative Pro—a new learning position above Creative
- Technical Expert—a customer support position in between Technical Specialist and Genius
Pros and Creative Pros, which are sales positions, are considered the most knowledgable about Apple products and services. Technical Experts are said to provide mobile repairs and product troubleshooting, the tasks previously limited to Geniuses.
The new positions are applicable in the United States, the United Kingdom and possibly elsewhere, sources said.
Some of the current retail positions/layouts have been renamed, too:
- Red Zone Specialist → Specialist
- Family Room Specialist → Technical Specialist
- Business Specialist → Business Expert
- Back-of-House Specialist → Operations Specialist
- Inventory Specialist → Operations Pro
- Back-of-House → Backstage
- Red Zone → Product Zone
For those wondering, the Backstage is where the Inventory and Operations teams work while the Red Zone (now called Product Zone) is the sales floor.
Next-generation store design
Lastly, Apple told employees that dozens of locations are being renovated with the new design language which debuted in mid-2015, including the relocated Apple Annapolis (Apple dropped the “Store” moniker recently) in Maryland on Saturday.
Thrilled about Apple Union Sq, the next generation store designed to entertain, educate and inspire our community. pic.twitter.com/soLAOr6Oow
— Angela Ahrendts (@AngelaAhrendts) May 23, 2016
More than 30 of Apple’s brick-and-mortar locations, including Apple Union Square and Apple Brooklyn, are now based on the next-generation store layout.
The new design language for retail stores is based on large glass panel doors, a 6K video wall, a massive sales floor, interactive wooden cabinetry for accessories and areas like The Avenue, Genius Grove, The Forum, The Plaza and The Boardroom.
Of course, updated versions of Jony Ive’s iconic wooden display tables are integral to the updated look and feel for Apple Stores.
Source: MacRumors