By Eileen L. Berman, Ed.D.
Recently, I purchased a MacBook Pro and have been struggling with the changeover from my PC which I have used for umpteen years. I bought the One to One plan which is available upon purchase and gives me access to a techie at the Apple store who can help me with the transition. This plan is what probably has saved me from tossing the computer out the window or – worse still – a nervous breakdown!
These kids are fabulous! They know the computer like the back of their hand and are able to teach as effectively as well. However, during the last two weeks I changed my location and my e-mail was not functioning properly. I could receive messages but not send. You can imagine my frustration. Worse still, I blamed it on this dang machine thinking, "What next?"
Fortunately, there is an Apple store about five minutes from my house, so I drove over there ready to give them my Mac back!
When I walked in, I asked for the manager who, after listening patiently (and admirably) to my harangue, he said, "I’m going to get a genius to help you." With that, I looked at him and laughed; I thought he was being funny. But, lo and behold, Apple has designated their top tier techies to the "genius" category to deal with problems that appear insoluble to mere mortals!
After a brief wait, the "genius" appeared: A young man probably either in his late teens or early 20s! He didn’t say much but he listened intently and then told me about the problem: It was my carrier in Rhode Island which is regional and not able to perform outside of that region. I could receive messages but not send!
I had a couple of options, but we both decided (with his input weighing very heavily...if not exclusively … on my decision), that the "genius" would set up another account on Google and do it in such a way that messages could go through my old network but I would access them with my new carrier. I would also have a new e-mail address but the way he configured it I had a choice whether I wanted to change it or not, depending on how much time I wanted to spend doing so.
Genius, indeed! I was impressed … and let him know that! How long did it take him to reach this level of knowledge? "Years," he humbly replied.
Yes, he really was a genius … able to do things I never thought possible! But Apple, in their wisdom, elevated him … and others like him … to a position of prominence. (He proudly wore a name tag around his neck with large letters, G-E-N-I-U-S.)
I decided to write this up for two reasons. First, I wanted to show how frustrated and irate customers can be appeased by a company’s having in place a system to handle difficult problems. There are so many "widgets" with idiosyncratic properties that it really does take a "genius" to figure some of them out!
Second, to have the managers who read my blog to understand the need to perhaps do things a bit differently in today’s marketplace. For a company to survive in this world of technology, it would be advisable to devise a system which hires and recognizes talent by "rewarding" them in ways that feed their self-esteem as well as their pocketbook. This, in itself, is a "genius" idea!
You can visit Dr. Berman on her website, rebuildyourcareer.com, or contact her by e-mail at drberman@rebuildyourcareer.com.
Posted by IIE Blogs at 03/09/2010 02:55:38 AM |
Wow! I wish you had published this BEFORE I purchased my new Dell computer. Although you were having difficulties with your new computer, at least there was someone who helped you in an efficient manner and in a manner that you, as the consumer, could understand. We all are not computer geniuses - hence, the most appropriate title for your article! If I had read this prior to my purchase, I would never have purchased my Dell. On the phone for hours with techs from India hasn't left a very good taste in my mouth. Instead of solving the problem in an expediant manner, we just go around in circles. My problem gets tossed around from computer "not genius" to the next. Not a very good way to help the consumer. Perhaps you should forward your blog to Michael Dell - perhaps he can learn a thing or two from your experience and pass on his new found knowledge to those that work for him! I loved your last sentence - and yes, perhaps if he came up with an idea to hire people that can represent his product while at the same time making the consumer feel as if they made the right decision. For those of you deciding to buy a new computer - pay the extra and go with an APPLE!! At least there you know you'll get the service you paid for while at the same time learn from them and be able to operate your new machine with confidence and ease!!
Posted by: johanna parkin ( Email ) at 3/9/2010 3:51 PM
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At least there is some peace of mind in knowing that the technical limitations of us mere mortals is common enough to have merited a response by Apple in the form of "G_E_N_I_U_S" at the ready. Good for you for not falling victim to techno-intimidation. We're all going to have to get used to relying on the twenty-somethings!
Posted by: Lee ( Email ) at 3/21/2010 8:26 PM
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