apple How Apple Brainwashes Its Store Employees

[Jason S. Global Moderator]

Shop floor staff making almost 60k a year? Come on. No way. If that's the case, I should give up designing for a living ;)

yeah if the average verizon store employee is making $60k/yr, i'd quit my job today and go work for them.

[Calum Veteran]

Wow.. they make $30k a year. Talk about being abused.

Isn't it average for retail assistants in the UK to make around ?15k or less a year? If so, I would deem that acceptable. I realise the UK and America are two different nations, but my point still stands in this case.

[Mando]

Isn't it average for retail assistants in the UK to make around ?15k or less a year? If so, I would deem that acceptable. I realise the UK and America are two different nations, but my point still stands in this case.

Yup pretty much what I was thinking.

My employers have recently been taken over by a big multinational based in the US. It always cracks me up when the US counterparts come over here and cannot believe the different work ethics and "company brainwshing of their minions" doesnt happen to work over here. Last "hi-5" someone tried to start with me was met with a blank stare and a scottish accent saying, sorry, what are you doing?"

heh

[Astra.Xtreme]

Verizon employees absolutely don't make $60k /year. They make around the same $30k and then get commission. If you work in a huge city and are a good salesmen, you might have a chance at making $60k. In all reality, they probably make close to $40k including commissions.

The article is clearly full of biased BS from the typical mindless Apple hater. Saying that the employees are brainwashed just proves how much of a fool the author is. The employees are simply treated well and given the reassurance of self-worth (ie. the company cares). Having a huge company actually care for it's employees is an extreme rarity now days.

[vanx]

You are right but 30k will in a country where the poverty line is 1/3 of that will do more than put a roof over your head and food on the table. These people do less work than Wal-Mart employees and those only get minimum wage. Some people just complain to complain.

Why are you drawing comparisons with line of poverty and amount of work done? They are not valid frames of reference against which salary is and should be decided in a corporate environment. Personally, the higher my salary is above the poverty line the better. The more I can put away for a rainy day while living comfortably the happier I am.

Likewise, amount of work done should have no correlation to the amount of compensation. It's the value of work undertaken that should be an essential metric. For example, if something takes me an hour to do but would save a client 10 man hours a day, I would make sure to charge appropriately which is only fair. Apple retail employees may not do as much work as those in other companies, but that does not matter. High product margins combined with sky-high sales figures ensure fantastic revenue. Apple, despite their "human" agenda, are still a business and do care about profits. I'm sure so do their shareholders as bottom line affects their dividends. Apple is anything but starved of cash, so their reluctance to pay people in their retail sector higher salaries is appaling.

[ichi]

All the "corporate culture" bull**** is quite common. It's not always obvious, but more often that not it's there in big companies.

Why would a company NOT want it's employees to place corporate interests over their own personal interests and values?

There are lots of seminars that teach managers to spread all that crap, you can tell how they all use the same kind of buzzwords.

[ILikeTobacco]

Why are you drawing comparisons with line of poverty and amount of work done? They are not valid frames of reference against which salary is and should be decided in a corporate environment. Personally, the higher my salary is above the poverty line the better. The more I can put away for a rainy day while living comfortably the happier I am.

Um, your the one that said 30k wasn't acceptable because they needed to put a roof over their head and food on the table, which is also known as the poverty line. Also, the Apple store is not a corporate environment so why even bring that into it? It is a retail store. Wal-Mart makes billions in profits a year. Should all of their employees be paid $60k also to be door greeters?

[Quillz]

Wow.. they make $30k a year. Talk about being abused.

Depending on where you live and the size of your family, some can live quite comfortably on $30k a year.

[vanx]

Um, your the one that said 30k wasn't acceptable because they needed to put a roof over their head and food on the table, which is also known as the poverty line. Also, the Apple store is not a corporate environment so why even bring that into it? It is a retail store. Wal-Mart makes billions in profits a year. Should all of their employees be paid $60k also to be door greeters?

What I referring with "roof over head and food on a table" was a figure of speech, not meant to be taken literally. Apple's retail division is a part of the overall Apple Inc, so it is corporate. Your door greeters comparison is ridiculous at best. The amount of revenue door greeters generate in proportion to overall profits is miniscule at most. Apple US retail employees bring in revenues of hundreds of thousands of dollars per head. For them not to have salaries that take that into account is an insult.

[Kenji]

Isn't it average for retail assistants in the UK to make around ?15k or less a year? If so, I would deem that acceptable. I realise the UK and America are two different nations, but my point still stands in this case.

I make roughly ?12k a year working a supermarket, its horrible.

[ILikeTobacco]

What I referring with "roof over head and food on a table" was a figure of speech, not meant to be taken literally. Apple's retail division is a part of the overall Apple Inc, so it is corporate. Your door greeters comparison is ridiculous at best. The amount of revenue door greeters generate in proportion to overall profits is miniscule at most. Apple US retail employees bring in revenues of hundreds of thousands of dollars per head. For them not to have salaries that take that into account is an insult.

If that's ridiculous to you, then how about the cashiers at Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is a corporation after all and the cashiers are directly related to bringing in thousands of dollars per day in profits. They only get minimum wage. Maybe they should be making 60k a year since they bring in that much in profits in 2 months? Nobody walks into an Apple store not knowing what they want. You don't go there trying to find a new phone because you already know all they have is the iPhone. You don't walk into there looking for a tablet because you already know all they have is the iPad. Your idea of paying people more than they are actually worth is a terrible way of doing business. You pay them the average wage of a retailer. To think they deserve anything else is beyond ridiculous.

[guitmz]

wow.. i dont even make 10k BRL, how I wish at least 10k USD/yr

[vanx]

If that's ridiculous to you, then how about the cashiers at Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is a corporation after all and the cashiers are directly related to bringing in thousands of dollars per day in profits. They only get minimum wage. Maybe they should be making 60k a year since they bring in that much in profits in 2 months? Nobody walks into an Apple store not knowing what they want. You don't go there trying to find a new phone because you already know all they have is the iPhone. You don't walk into there looking for a tablet because you already know all they have is the iPad. Your idea of paying people more than they are actually worth is a terrible way of doing business. You pay them the average wage of a retailer. To think they deserve anything else is beyond ridiculous.

Cashiers are not directly related. They scan goods and get money from people. They get no sales credit as people already come to them with stuff they wanna buy Apple retail employees are involved in selling an experience, in hyping up the aura of the ecosystem. And yes, people do know they want to get an iPhone when they walk into a store with intentions to get one. Likewise with an iPad. However, employees upsell like there is no tomorrow. One of the key metrics of retail sales employees should be how much revenue they bring in. Apple retail staff excel in that aspect. If I bring hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue, why should my pay be dictated by that of an average employee in that sector?

[shifts]

In the uk we have what feels like a system of keeping us in tow with a minimum wage and a reliance on that job. It's an in built culture to stay with the job as "there are plenty of other people who will do it" rather than a more positive reinforcement method. Make someone feel worthless in a job and you arent going to get the best out of them.

Mobile phone stores are the worse. Their churn rate of staff is something to be believed. Don't make target, it's easier to sack someone, re hire and re train rather than trouble shoot and help.

Back to the brianwashing. The title seems another sensationalist attempt at a headline. There is no one real company better than the other. If you enjoy what you do that;s something unique.

[ILikeTobacco]

Cashiers are not directly related. They scan goods and get money from people. They get no sales credit as people already come to them with stuff they wanna buy Apple retail employees are involved in selling an experience, in hyping up the aura of the ecosystem. And yes, people do know they want to get an iPhone when they walk into a store with intentions to get one. Likewise with an iPad. However, employees upsell like there is no tomorrow. One of the key metrics of retail sales employees should be how much revenue they bring in. Apple retail staff excel in that aspect. If I bring hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue, why should my pay be dictated by that of an average employee in that sector?

Because they don't bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue. They just run your credit card in the counter. People coming into the store are already planning on buying something for the most part. Its business. If you don't think its fair, start your own business and set yourself up from the rest of the world. Bestbuy employees upsell also, going to complain about their crappy wages too? Jewelry store employees are the same way. Should McDonalds employees get paid more everytime they say "Would like anything else with that." 30k is a lot of money for a simple retail job no matter how you look at it. There is no reason for it.

[ILikeTobacco]

wow.. i dont even make 10k BRL, how I wish at least 10k USD/yr

Cost of living is a bit less there though isn't it?

[jerzdawg]

Weird. My dad made 25k in the military and was easily able to provide for my mother, sister, and I. We had 2 cars, owned a 3 bedroom house with a large backyard, and I had every gaming console while flying to Germany and Austria once a year. Sounds like you need some money management classes. 30k a year is above the poverty line. And before you argue that the poverty line shouldn't be the standard, in the USA, the poverty line is enough to buy a car, computer, and cellphone. We have a skewed idea of what it means to be poor.

and where exactly did this take place? and how long ago? $25k is $2083 a month with ZERO taxes being taken out. so how exactly would someone pay rent/mortgage, utility bills, property taxes, 2 cars, gaming console, airplane tickets, healthcare? what am I missing here? where is this mythical place that I can move my family to that I just need to work at Apple with my 30k a year and live like a king?

[Julius Caro]

even after reading the article I dont understand where the 'brainwashing' is. if apple has succeeded in motivating their employees into doing a better job, I'll be damned. as for 'brainwashing' itself, you need to be a little naive to not see thru some bulls****

now, I think verizon peeps work on comission. and working for telcos is like working for the devil himself.

[ILikeTobacco]

and where exactly did this take place? and how long ago? $25k is $2083 a month with ZERO taxes being taken out. so how exactly would someone pay rent/mortgage, utility bills, property taxes, 2 cars, gaming console, airplane tickets, healthcare? what am I missing here? where is this mythical place that I can move my family to that I just need to work at Apple with my 30k a year and live like a king?

Lived in Freehold, New Jersey for a year(where I was borned). Oklahoma for 5 years. We didn't pass the 30k mark until we got stationed in Germany and only then because of the added pay you get from being stationed overseas. Morgage payment on a 40k house is only $300 a month. Another $100 on house insurance and taxes. $150-200 on utilities. We are at $600 now on the high end. $2083 a month after taxes back in 95 left you with around $1600. We still have $1000 free to buy food and entertainment. Healthcare was free thanks to the military. We had used cars while I was young. The most expensive one we had was $5000 which the loan for that ended up being less than $100 a month. The other car was a cheap 85 minivan which took all of two years to pay off. Nobody said anything about living like a king. It's called being content with what you have. My dad fixed our cars when they broke down. A 40k house isn't much and not even in a nice neighborhood, but it was a rough over our heads.

To put all this in context, we are talking about freshly graduated college students here making 30k a year. In college, they would have been lucky to be making 18k a year which is min wage working close to full time. Most college students I know work less than 20 hours a week at 8.5 an hour. They would be spoiled rotten making 30k a year. It is more than enough money for a single person to be making fresh out of college, period.

[vanx]

30k is a lot of money for a simple retail job no matter how you look at it. There is no reason for it.

Figures like these speak for themselves: http://www.asymco.com/2011/12/08/how-productive-is-an-apple-store-employee/

The stores generate over $100k per employee per quarter. In 2010, revenue was $481,000 per employee. This [2011] year the average is around $320k excluding the fourth quarter.

If my average revenue is high, I want to be paid accordingly. Simple as.

[t_r_nelson]

an occupation that has become one of the favorite "McJobs" in our economy for hip college graduates.

Just goes to show that having a college education doesn't necessarily equal intelligence.

[Southern Patriot]

k, you provide for a family of 4 on 30k a year, its fine for people like me who are in or graduating from college, but anyone with real aspirations and dependents will know this is not enough. So no - you are attempting to be self righteous when in reality it is sheer ignorance.

Our family of 4 has done pretty well on just over $30K a year for the past 3 years. It all depends on where you live and the local cost of living.

[The Laughing Man]

Here in Massachusetts anything below 35k is a death sentence.

[ILikeTobacco]

If my average revenue is high, I want to be paid accordingly. Simple as.

Then it shouldn't any more difficult for you to go work somewhere that pays commission considering you agree to the terms of your pay when you take the job. As you said, simple as.

[Southern Patriot]

What I referring with "roof over head and food on a table" was a figure of speech, not meant to be taken literally. Apple's retail division is a part of the overall Apple Inc, so it is corporate. Your door greeters comparison is ridiculous at best. The amount of revenue door greeters generate in proportion to overall profits is miniscule at most. Apple US retail employees bring in revenues of hundreds of thousands of dollars per head. For them not to have salaries that take that into account is an insult.

OK, want a more accurate comparison between Walmart and a typical Apple store employee? As an electronics sales associate at Walmart (doing almost exactly the same thing as the Apple store employees), I was making about $8.75 an hour and getting roughly 35 hours a week. That works out to just under $16K a year. Only a little over half of the $30K an Apple store employee makes, and I'd be willing to bet they get much better benefits as well.