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Angela Ahrendts on Apple Retail Criticism: 'I Don't Read Any of it, and None of it is Based on Fact'

Friday May 24, 2019 4:21 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Former Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts today did an interview with Bloomberg, where she spoke about her time at Apple.

The opportunity to take the Apple Store experience "to the next level" and have a greater impact on surrounding communities was one of the reasons why Ahrendts joined Apple. She also cited programs like Today at Apple, designed to "help reskill the current generation," as factors in her decision to work for the Cupertino company.

Ahrendts said that looking back at her tenure, the redesign introduced at Apple retail stores around the world was one of her major successes, as were the Today at Apple classes.
Just as I was saying, I think that we were able to redesign the stores, and there are incredible flagships in the pipeline for the next four years. But they're not even stores, we call them town squares or gathering places because the entire community is welcome. [...]

I think the other thing we were just talking about - the in store experience we call Today at Apple and the fact that we were able to completely redefine and redraft some of the roles and create new positions for the teams and create a whole new zone in the store where they could now educate and come up with all the Today at Apple programs.
When asked about criticism of the changes that Apple put in place in its retail stores, Ahrendts said that she doesn't pay any attention to it. "I don't read any of it, and none of it is based on fact," she said. "It's everyone trying to find stories."

She went on to say that when she left Apple, customer retention rates were at an all-time high and loyalty scores hit historic highs. "I know the facts," said Ahrendts.

Ahrendts said that she has no regrets and there's nothing that she would have changed about her work, though she did wish she had moved faster. "We did a lot in five years, but I always challenge myself to move faster and do more," she said.

All in all, Ahrendts called her time at Apple "mission accomplished" because the company was able to reach the goals of its 5-year plan.
We had a five year plan, we executed that five year plan, and there is a tremendous amount in the pipeline that will only continue to make the impact on the communities that we wanted to make.
Ahrendts left Apple in mid-April and has since joined the board of Airbnb. Her role has been taken over by Deirdre O'Brien, now Apple's Senior Vice President of Retail and People.

Ahrendts' full interview can be watched over on Bloomberg.

Related Roundup: Apple Stores
Tag: Angela Ahrendts
[ 268 comments ]


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Franco Borgo
12 weeks ago
how can she know if any of it is based of fact if she did read them :-)
Rating: 133 Votes
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bcash97
12 weeks ago
Does she think that all criticism is baseless? I personally felt very lost last time I visited an Apple store.
Rating: 107 Votes
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Sneakz
12 weeks ago
Well clearly she reads some of it
Rating: 98 Votes
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dwfaust
12 weeks ago
How can she say it's not based on fact if she hasn't read any of it? Wow. Mind blown.
Rating: 79 Votes
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brenton289
12 weeks ago
Sounds like Apple will be better off without her. It's that sort of attitude that has fed the current culture of Apple.
Rating: 65 Votes
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iRalph
12 weeks ago
So if she didn’t read any of it how does she know it’s not based on facts ?
Rating: 49 Votes
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sundog925
12 weeks ago
....shut up.

the retail stores suck ass now. literally no organization, stand in this line to stand in that line, no help whatsoever. annoying af to go into now.
Rating: 47 Votes
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Exponent
12 weeks ago
Wow, talk about arrogant - and so keeping in line with the current Silicon Valley zeitgeist!
Rating: 44 Votes
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Diamond Dog
12 weeks ago
Lol, the fact that she can't even stay consistent long enough to last ONE sentence speaks volumes. Good riddance.
Rating: 39 Votes
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reden
12 weeks ago
The worst thing about Apple stores is when you are trying to buy something, and no one can help you, at a STORE lol. I remember I had to stand and wait for 20min to buy something, so absolutely ridiculous.
Rating: 34 Votes

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