Apple Revamps Retail Support
As rumored some days ago, Apple revamped their in-store support options on Wednesday with, as AppleInsider put it, “less bang for the buck.”
In conjunction with their Genius Bar and in-store Workshops, there are three major parts of the new offering, called “One to One,” “ProCare,” and “Personal Shopping.” ProCare already existed in a slightly different form, with One to One as a spin-off. What was previously one service for $99 per year is now two for $198 (or $99 each).
Our trainers [...] create a program customized to your level of experience. You can choose individual sessions covering everything from getting started on a Mac to making more out of your memories. Or explore any topic you like. All for just $99 per year.
Apple gives examples of the kinds of sessions you can craft with them, such as:
- Digital photography, whether at the iPhoto level or Aperture
- Building websites
- Creating podcasts
- Moviemaking with Final Cut
And a lot of others, including the possibility of coming up with ones unique to an individual. The part that seemed impressive is that they will address simple iLife apps as well as Aperture and Final Cut. At $99 it is cheaper than buying a stack of books to train yourself, but may be worth it only if you’re a tech novice or truly looking to go pro with your skills. Again, this used to be a part of ProCare but has now been spun off.
ProCare membership starts with a complete setup of your Mac. Then stay up and running with premium benefits like same-day service at the Genius Bar, Rapid Repairs, yearly tune-ups, and more. All for just $99 per year, for up to three computers.
If you have a ProCare membership prior to May 2, 2007, you get the previously mentioned One to One program for free. The “new and improved” ProCare includes initial set-up with transfers from your old Mac or PC, priority repairs, priority Genius Bar reservations, and yearly tune-ups.
While the value of some of these may be dubious (yearly tune-ups?), most of ProCare is not new to Apple customers.
A free service where you and a dedicated Mac Specialist explore and test-drive products to find out which ones are best for you.
I suppose there is a small, but growing, group of people new to Macs and iPods (I’m looking at you, little old lady) who would appreciate this kind of personal service. On the other hand, the Mac market is not quite as confusing as the PC one since there are fewer options. Reservations for a personal shopping experience can be made from the web site.
However, as with the newly introduced nuances of ProCare and One on One, it is clear Apple has its eyes on a new set of “switchers”—people who’ve been hearing the buzz, but may need some hand-holding as they make the switch. In fact, the hand-holding may be what convinces them to switch in the first place, though the new pricing may fail to impress them.
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If Apple is truly interested in getting people to switch, they should offer all of this for free. How often do you need to transfer your stuff to a new Mac? How many times do you need to be taught how to use iPhoto?
I bought Mom a MacMini last year.
She loves the One to One sessions. Every couple weeks she would spend an hour or two with an Apple expert to learn whatever she had questions about. It’s definitely a worth-while service for the true novice who needs the hand held walk through.
Yes, but you will shell out money to Apple for anything. Not everyone is like that. I’m sure it’s a useful service, but if it were free (consider it a marketing expense for Apple) it would be a lot more enticing for potential switchers.
Beeblebrox,
In what universe do you live where there is no need to pay computer trainers? Does Microsoft give away free Office training? Does Adobe give away free Photoshop training? Why do you always have to be purposefully obtuse?
Yes, but you will shell out money to Apple for anything.
I think it’s time for you to look up ad hominem argument again, since you misuse the fallacy in every single post.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem
Actually, my mother paid for her own lessons so she could learn the things she wanted to do on her computer.
By the way, if you take a single One on One session at the local CompUSA, it’s $60… 3 sessions for the low price of $150.
Do a few searches for software tutorials on CD and the prices are around $30 - $50 a pop. Web seminars are often $100 or more.
Oh, but you’re right… for $100, Apple limits you to only one session a week. Gawd, what bastards. To think that you can only take 52 of them! What a bunch of money-grubbing whores.
(yes, that’s sarcasm)
I think it’s time for you to look up ad hominem argument again
To quote stewie griffin, Thaaank youuuu
How often do you need to transfer your stuff to a new Mac? How many times do you need to be taught how to use iPhoto?
I reckon if you’d A. recently bought a mac and B. it wasn’t very busy you could easily find an apple store employee who would be delighted to show you how iPhoto works. For those with the luxury of a nearby store, that is.
Any kind of formal training, of course it is appropriate to pay for.
Especially considering the training includes products like Aperture and Final Cut.
Oh man, did it really take two of you to say so little with so many words?
vb, you should look at that definition again. My comment about your eagerness to hand over every last penny of your hard-earned cash anytime Apple asks for it is perfectly relevant. A customer like you is not the norm. I’ll bet you buy Applecare for all of your Apple products too, dontcha?
The point is that YOUR defense of Apple charging whatever for whatever is of dubious merit. After all, people still pay for dot mac accounts, but that doesn’t mean it’s not an over-priced feeble system in desperate need of an overhaul.
IF Apple is targeting switchers, and if one assumes they want to expand their customer base, then making these programs free (as opposed to doubling the price) would be a much more effective gesture to that end.
And it wouldn’t have to be an either/or in terms of actual services. You could show a user how to transfer from PC to Mac for free, or do it for them for a low fee (as opposed to a recurring $100 fee), and you could show customers how to use iPhoto or iTunes for free and charge for the pro apps like FCS or Aperture.
What was previously one service for $99 per year is now two for $198…
I think the whole point of this article is that prior to this “revamp” of the Apple Store “hand-holding” services, the price was at least edible for new switchers.
Now, with the new $198 for the annual service package, all-of-a-sudden, becomes out-of-reach for most potential Mac switchers.
Not that properly-delivered “pro” services are not worth a cent (according to Bbx) it is the appearance of Apple nickel-and-diming its coveted customers - newbies and switchers - that alarms me. It could have been priced better than 2x the price for 2x the service.
This Pro-Care Schmocare Hullabaloo is all but useless for power users like VB or Bbx anyway and neither is the One to One.
These services are focused on people who are drooling to switch to the Mac but haven’t got the courage to jump the fence for this very reason. These people MUST be rest assured they will be just fine after the switch - and believe it or not, good services rendered cost some money, my friends.
And it wouldn’t have to be an either/or in terms of actual services. You could show a user how to transfer from PC to Mac for free, or do it for them for a low fee (as opposed to a recurring $100 fee), and you could show customers how to use iPhoto or iTunes for free and charge for the pro apps like FCS or Aperture.
Isn’t this exactly the point? You can get these things out of the store employees anyway? Go and say “I’m thinking of switching, but I’m concerned about being able to transfer my data”. “Oh, you can do that.” “Oh really, how?” etc.
First of all, I’ve never said DotMac was worth any amount of money… so you are trying to make me look “wrong” by putting words in my mouth.
Second, I’ve never paid for AppleCare since I’ve always owned desktops (For a laptop, I’d consider it) but that’s neither here nor there because that has nothing to do with the worth of the One to One service (and neither does the cost of DotMac).
You are now using the Straw Man tactic… Look that one up too.
What I did say is that my mother has found the One to One services invaluable and used them at least once a month, usually more often, since she could ask them about any topic and learn about whatever whim she had for that week. For the 25+ hours she has spent with the Apple trainers, that $4 per session has been money well spent.
I don’t see any other company offering that kind of training for that price… do you? Please point it out to me.