Journalist Alex Frankel spent two years working for well-known US companies such as Apple, GAP, and Starbucks. Whilst working in an Apple Store, he realised why Apple's retail stores are so successful - it's all about treating staff as adults.
Apple employs its fanboys
Frankel is impressed by how Apple only seems to employ true fans of the company, people with real passion for Apple products.
This was one of the key questions during his job interview at Apple, whereas Starbucks seemed to be happy with the fact that he liked coffee. At clothes store chain GAP, one of the first things new employees had to do was to sit through a video about employee theft and the risks involved.
The laid back sales approach
He also found that staff in Apple Stores don't seem to work as much, due to their sales technique. As everyone who has ever visited an Apple Store will know, the sales staff start off by asking the customer a few questions in order to decide what products might be suitable for them. The staff can then target suggestions to various people in a more personal way.
Frankel's account of this passive selling technique seems to pay off. Apple's retail stores sell some $4,000 (£1,974) worth of products per square foot every month.
