Originally, this post was a draft from September 29, 2008, named “About the new Apple Store in Glattzentrum”, never finished, never published. It’s the oldest draft I have, so I’m gonna start with this one.
Below is the what I wrote.
As you might have guessed from the photo earlier, I was there last Friday when the second Apple Retail Store in Switzerland opened in Glattzentrum. (Geneva “Rue de Rive” was the first on the day before.)
I didn’t go there like super early and wait in line, but I visited the store about one hour and twenty minutes after it opened, so about at 11:20 AM. And I still was among the first 1500 customers, so I even got the free t-shirt ^^
The applauding and cheering that was going on was pretty much predictable, at least for me, because I’ve seen videos of Apple Stores opening and people buying iPhones on the launch day. There are usually clapping Apple employees all over the place. But the people passing by the store…
I didn’t even finish the sentence! I think I wanted to say: “But the people passing by the store have no idea what’s going on, they think it’s some sort of celebration (which it is!) and deriving from the crowds that form, they think there must be a chance to get something for free or at a reduced price.
No. (Except for the free t-shirt)
It’s just a store opening. But what a fabulous one! I don’t know any other retail store that attracts so many enthusiastic people on opening day like an Apple Store! Correct me if I’m wrong!
As you know from my earlier posts, I then began working for Apple. First at the Apple Store Glattzentrum, then helped the Apple Store Rosenstraße for opening and first two weeks, and also experienced the Apple Store Rue de Rive before finally opening the Apple Store Bahnhofstrasse and staying there. Working for Apple is awesome, although sometimes exhausting, nerve-wracking and frustrating, but always enriching. By the way, if you work for Apple too and are reading this, let me say this (as a matter of fact, let me say this to everyone):
Working for Apple is my dream come true. Literally.
It’s not picture-perfect, but nothing in life is. Anyway I’m not gonna go into detail here. Not because I’m not allowed to, but because there is no need for it. The only thing that gets on my nerves from time to time are narrow-minded customers (that’s what I meant by “sometimes exhausting, nerve-wracking and frustrating”). If there were any unpleasant circumstances within the company I work for, I would rant about them of course; I am not afraid of speaking my mind freely while being monitored. There. I said it.
Of course, like I said, there is nothing to rant about, except for certain customers who do not understand and simply accept certain things (insert noise of grinding teeth here). I don’t blame them for anything, I’ld get mad too if certain things don’t work out as I expected them to. But please, people, chill out. Or sign up for Yoga classes or something.
I could go on and on, but that’s beside the point. By the way, the thankful customers overweigh. I especially like Americans. “Awesome”, “I appreciate it”, “I really appreciate it” is what you hear the most. I love ‘em! And then there are the really thankful customers who bring you sweets like chocolate as a token of their appreciation.
Bottom line: it’s a rollercoaster, depending on the day and the customers. But it definitely builds character.
