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Apple Retail Under Angela Ahrendts: Focus on Mobile Payments, Customer Experience, and China
Angela Ahrendts officially joined Apple just under three weeks ago, but the new retail chief already has a solid plan in mind for improving both the online and retail Apple Store experience for customers. In a detailed report on Ahrendts, 9to5Mac suggests the retail leader will focus on three separate areas in her efforts to revamp Apple retail: China, mobile payments, and a redesign of the "end-to-end Apple Store sales experience."
Growth in China is highly important to Ahrendts as it represents a major market where Apple hasn't managed to gain a strong foothold. As of February, Apple only had seven percent of total smartphone market share in the country, but the company has worked to secure deals with all of China's major carriers over the course of 2013, leaving it ripe for expansion. Ahrendts has plans to bolster Apple's retail presence in the country, reaching 30 stores by 2016, up from the current 10 stores.
Along with expanding Apple's footprint in China, Ahrendts is also said to be aiming for an overhaul of the end-to-end Apple Store sales experience, reimagining product discovery, customer interactions with employees, and mobile payment options, another tenet of Ahrendts' three point plan. Over-the-phone service, Personal Setup, and the company's trade-in programs may also see improvements under Ahrendts.
Ahrendts has also reportedly re-architectured Apple's in-house retail team to better suit her needs, with longtime Vice President of Retail Stores Steve Cano moving on to international sales. Wendy Beckman, head of retail in Europe, and Denny Tuza, head of retail in China, will gain new responsibilities, while Apple's VP of Apple Retail Real Estate Bob Bridger and the company's VP of Retail Operations Jim Bean will both retain their roles. Bob Kupbens, the new VP of Online Retail will handle Apple's online stores.
Back in October, when Ahrendts' hiring was first announced, Apple CEO Tim Cook said he was "thrilled" she was joining the company, emphasizing that she shared Apple's values, "focus on innovation," and the company's dedication to customer experience.
As CEO of Burberry, Ahrendts famously revamped the company's entire shopping experience, and it's likely that she will bring similar improvements to Apple customers at a time when the company is poised to launch several new major products, including the iPhone 6 and the iWatch.
Growth in China is highly important to Ahrendts as it represents a major market where Apple hasn't managed to gain a strong foothold. As of February, Apple only had seven percent of total smartphone market share in the country, but the company has worked to secure deals with all of China's major carriers over the course of 2013, leaving it ripe for expansion. Ahrendts has plans to bolster Apple's retail presence in the country, reaching 30 stores by 2016, up from the current 10 stores.
Along with expanding Apple's footprint in China, Ahrendts is also said to be aiming for an overhaul of the end-to-end Apple Store sales experience, reimagining product discovery, customer interactions with employees, and mobile payment options, another tenet of Ahrendts' three point plan. Over-the-phone service, Personal Setup, and the company's trade-in programs may also see improvements under Ahrendts.
Ahrendts and new online stores VP Kupbens are seeking to improve mobile payments in Apple's retail stores and mobile apps for both the online and in-person purchases. Ahrendts is said to be eyeing a major focus on blurring the lines between Apple's online and physical stores in order to improve the overall experience for Apple customers.As she settles into her role and begins enacting major changes to the retail and online sales experiences, Ahrendts has been visiting Apple stores close to Cupertino, in San Francisco and Palo Alto. Employees have described her as "honest," "warm and genuine" and "so Apple."
Ahrendts has also reportedly re-architectured Apple's in-house retail team to better suit her needs, with longtime Vice President of Retail Stores Steve Cano moving on to international sales. Wendy Beckman, head of retail in Europe, and Denny Tuza, head of retail in China, will gain new responsibilities, while Apple's VP of Apple Retail Real Estate Bob Bridger and the company's VP of Retail Operations Jim Bean will both retain their roles. Bob Kupbens, the new VP of Online Retail will handle Apple's online stores.
Back in October, when Ahrendts' hiring was first announced, Apple CEO Tim Cook said he was "thrilled" she was joining the company, emphasizing that she shared Apple's values, "focus on innovation," and the company's dedication to customer experience.
As CEO of Burberry, Ahrendts famously revamped the company's entire shopping experience, and it's likely that she will bring similar improvements to Apple customers at a time when the company is poised to launch several new major products, including the iPhone 6 and the iWatch.
Related Roundup: Apple Pay
Tags: Angela Ahrendts, Apple retail
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Top Rated Comments
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70 months ago
The whole picture is completely touched up for no apparent reason, complete with the background blurring. She CAN afford make up, she ISN'T 21 - but to have a professional photo that is so obviously doctored for no real purpose is absurd.
I assume you never photographed with a proper camera/lens for portraiture...
Large sensors, Long focal distances, and fast apertures make pictures like that all the time: soft details, sharp points of focus (eyes), blurred backgrounds.
Anyone can make a picture sort of like that without retouching just by using a 85/1.4 lens or 135/1.8 or something like that and a 35mm camera, or even APS-C.
70 months ago
So much airbrushing
She's a major executive from the fashion industry. If her publicity photo wasn't professionally polished, all her business peers would think she's gone insane. In her current position, street cred within her industry is massively more important than the opinion of some random tech blog reader.
70 months ago
So much airbrushing
Don't be rude.
She can afford make up. And she isn't exactly 21.
70 months ago
It all depends on the implementation, but the issues are exactly the right ones. Its not that Apple Stores are bad, its mostly that the experience of buying something could be better and more streamlined, as could everything else the stores handle. Its all a bit clunky and weird.
Sure, the stores are somewhat victims of their own success (too crowded, too little time to take care of everyone), but Im sure its possible to come up with clever ideas to make that experience better.
During the last years (heck, during the last decade) the stores didnt change much and its about time for that to change.
Sure, the stores are somewhat victims of their own success (too crowded, too little time to take care of everyone), but Im sure its possible to come up with clever ideas to make that experience better.
During the last years (heck, during the last decade) the stores didnt change much and its about time for that to change.
70 months ago
Customer Experience, Mobile Payments...Oh...there's a new idea :eek:
she is worth all of those millions
she is worth all of those millions
70 months ago
She WAS a major executive from the fashion industry. Now she is a VP for a tech company.
Why should her photo need to enhance her looks any more than a male VP at Apple?
That was an old Burberry pic (presumably)
This (http://www.apple.com/pr/bios/angela-ahrendts.html) is her Apple portrait. Not as flattering, but more genuine.
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