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Apple's New SVP of Retail Went Undercover as Regular Salesperson

Thursday February 2, 2012 1:00 pm PST by Jordan Golson
Apple CEO Tim Cook earlier this week explained that new Apple's new Senior Vice President of Retail, John Browett, was hired not to "bring Dixons to Apple", but instead "to bring Apple to an even higher level of customer service and satisfaction." In the initial press release announcing the hire, Cook went even further, saying that "John shares that commitment [to customer service] like no one else we’ve met."

Showcasing part of John Browett's dedication to customer service, MacRumors reader Paul Harmer passed along this story of a run-in he had with Browett in the UK:
Just a quick note about John Browett -

About a year ago I was with a friend in our local branch of PC World (part of the Dixons group) looking at plasma TVs. We were assisted by a really charming and knowledgable assistant, who I must admit appeared slightly better-dressed and older than most in the store. He must have spent at least 30 minutes with us, explaining the pros and cons of LCD vs plasma, and the best deals available. An excellent impression.

Turns out it was John Browett making one of his regular store visits, but we had to prise this out of him.

Hope he does well, genuinely impressive bloke, and this ties in with your comment about his passion for customer service. He means it!

Paul
In another example of how Browett may be a better fit for Apple than previously realized, Mr. Harmer emailed Dixons Group to share the story of his experience and received an email back from CEO John Browett himself:
Dear Paul,

Thank you for your kind comments.

Hope the TV works out well.

Happy new year

John
When Steve Jobs was CEO, he was known to occasionally respond to customer emails directly. Since he became CEO, Tim Cook has been doing the same.

John Browett begins at Apple in April.
[ 155 comments ]

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Peace
40 months ago
Maybe he was a good guy at the wrong company ?
Rating: 12 Votes
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WeegieMac
40 months ago

A lot of people would like to leave the UK. :)


You're actually that arrogantly stupid to think that there's UK members of this forum venting about how bad Dixons is because we're "jealous" that a UK citizen has left for America? Seriously? You're THAT unintelligent that you genuinely think that this whole "debate" is down to Brits being "annoyed" at America "stealing" a Brit?

Get over yourself, seriously, and do it as quick as possible before your delusions of grandeur warp your concept of life any further.

It's nothing to do with people being jealous that he left the UK and a lot of us here can't. The FACT, and it remains FACT, is that Dixons/PC World is/was a hellhole of a company and their stores are abysmal shopping experiences and were BEFORE, during, and AFTER this blokes tenure as CEO.

And, for an American, you're awfully smug about the debt situation in the EuroZone/UK when your own country contributes to the vast majority of world debt and your dodgy banks and their paper thin mortgage deals and lending promises brought the world economy to the biggest credit crunch since the depression.

Don't bother replying ...
Rating: 12 Votes
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spblat
40 months ago
This story makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. It makes me want to love Apple all up.

My rational brain is therefore wanting to totally call BS.
Rating: 9 Votes
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RalfTheDog
40 months ago

Yes, the irony. DSG are a plague on the people of the united kingdom. At one point they had the entire high street sown right up. PCWorld has an utterly atrocious reputation for customer service and honouring warranties.


I am assuming DSG stands for Dixon Service Group or something? Unfortunately, we are not all from the UK and watching Dr. Who teaches us only so much about civilization.
Rating: 8 Votes
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*LTD*
40 months ago
Or maybe Tim Cook actually knows what he's doing. :eek: :rolleyes:
Rating: 6 Votes
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koobcamuk
40 months ago
This guy has really landed on his feet here. Best of luck to him.

Dixons is an awful shop and always has been. I don't care what people write about the guy, us Brits have years of experience in poor quality Dixons, Currys and PC World. They are all utterly awful.
Rating: 6 Votes
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fun173
40 months ago
That's pretty cool. Sounds like undercover boss.
Rating: 5 Votes
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RalfTheDog
40 months ago

Dixons Stores Group. The holding company of Currys, PC World and Dixons.co.uk

As others have said, renowned for terrible customer service, out of date stock and overpriced.

I have several stories as one of my friends used to work for them which prove this.


And perhaps ask nicer next time? Manners are universal.

HTH

- D


Sometimes it is hard to get the tone of voice over the internet. No offense was intended. If anything, I thought, my comment about, us Americans only exposure to civilization being Dr. Who might get a bit of a laugh. That said, keep up the good job of being British.

PS. Douglas Addams was one of my favorite authors and some of my best friends are from England, so no, I am not racist.
Rating: 5 Votes
Avatar
dwright1974
40 months ago

Wow, people in the UK sure do like to whine and complain a lot.

Here is an idea, why don't you complain or suggest improvements to those stores instead of coming here to complain? Or even better, get off your arse and create a better competitor in the marketplace.
:rolleyes:

I suppose complaining directly would require some effort and possibly require some actual "proof" that you were a legitimate customer in the past which is why it is much easier to just complain anonymously on sites like this.


Yep, just us Brits whining and complaining:

http://forums.bestbuy.com/t5/Best-Buy-Geek-Squad-Policies/Best-Buy-Experience-BAD/td-p/126 (http://forums.bestbuy.com/t5/Best-Buy-Geek-Squad-Policies/Best-Buy-Experience-BAD/td-p/126)

http://www.my3cents.com/reviews/radio_shack/service (http://www.my3cents.com/reviews/radio_shack/service)

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1725362 (http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1725362)

Yep, just us. Not because we are surprised and concerned about the Apple Store experience going down the pan.

So annoyed by some people on here tonight and where they are taking this thread!!

- D
Rating: 5 Votes
Avatar
GemP
40 months ago

Wow, people in the UK sure do like to whine and complain a lot.

Here is an idea, why don't you complain or suggest improvements to those stores instead of coming here to complain? Or even better, get off your arse and create a better competitor in the marketplace.
:rolleyes:

I suppose complaining directly would require some effort and possibly require some actual "proof" that you were a legitimate customer in the past which is why it is much easier to just complain anonymously on sites like this.


Let me help you Aristotle as you are clearly struggling with this thread, there have only been 70 or so posts so it might not be clear yet.

DSG are generally renowned for providing at best an indifferent retail opportunity. For years staff were completely preoccupied with selling over-priced warranties rather than pay attention to helping prospective customers. When they started selling Apple products they did so with little enthusiasm and less knowledge.

Now, it does appear that service in the new revamped bigger stores may have improved, and perhaps thats due to this gentleman's efforts ( I refer to the new Apple SVP at the very start of the thread Aristotle, stay with us..)

However the traditional retail experience of DSG is so far removed from the Apple retail experience that it is not surprising that many contributors to this thread are anxious to point out, as a point of information for fellow travellers, the apparent incongruity of this appointment. Some are giving him the benefit of the doubt, some are incredulous, but bottom line there will be few in the UK that didn't do a double take when they heard that the boss of Dixons was going to Apple. This from the UK's Daily Telegraph: "While Browett and Dixons are largely unknown in the US, in Britain many reacted to the news with surprise, citing the retailer's poor public image."

I hope I've given you some context on this Aristotle so you can better understand the thread comments above. None of it had to do with what country one is from and your bizarre accusation that people posting may not have actually been into the stores is rather strange. Let us know if you still don't get it though and we'll try again to guide you through this in an effort to prove these comments haven't been written by unrully Brits hell bent on pretending they've ever shopped in Dixons... (Probably one of the strangest of the conspiracy theories..) And when you drop us a line, just tell me what made you call yourself Aristotle as that just doesn't seem to be a good fit either...
Rating: 5 Votes

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