Apple Store Manhattan
Apple sold over a million new iPhones this past weekend and had 6 million downloads of the new iPhone operating system. I happened to stumble into the Green Hills Apple Store here in Nashville on Saturday. It’s always a busy place, but Saturday was exceptionally so with a line at least 20 deep at the door. T-shirt clad Apple store associates (concierges) provided directions and took down information at the door. In spite of the crowd, I cut to the front of the line and headed back to the “genius bar” (sort of like the holy of holies for geeks like me) lugging a box containing a 24″ iMac. My name was at the top of the list on the flat screen on the wall (I had an appointment), and within minutes a friendly “genius” called my name. I put a beautiful but misbehaving iMac on the counter; he diagnosed the problem (a bad partition on the hard drive); verified 3 times that I was okay with him wiping the hard drive clean (I was, thanks to a complete “Time Machine” backup on an external hard drive) in order to reformat the disc and reinstall the operating system. It was a task I could have done myself, but he offered to do it for me while I waited, and I let him. The whole process took about 15 minutes, and I entertained myself while waiting by lusting over…er…checking out the specs on a new solid aluminum MacBook Pro. Customers of all ages milled about the crowded store buying iPhones, listening to iPods, and just playing around on computers. If you’ve never been to an Apple store, you should go, just once for the experience. You don’t have to even be interested in computers to sense the excitement, enthusiasm, and energy of those who participate in the “cult of Mac.”
I think the church can learn a lot from the Apple Store. Here are some brief observations:
Greeters really seem glad you’re there. The concierges in their orange T-shirts are easy to spot and quick to direct you where you need to go or what you need to do. You can’t stand around too long before someone asks if they can help you. Is that how it works at your church?
Everyone can help you. Orange shirt, blue shirt, black shirt. No matter who the employee is or what their role is in the store, they are trained to offer you whatever assistance they can. Even non-geniuses can give you advice. By the way, there are no registers for check out. Everyone carries a handheld and can process your purchase on the spot. Imagine if everyone who carried a Bible to church could answer a newcomer’s questions without hesitation and help them “buy into” the gospel immediately!
Simplicity rules. Graphics are clear. The displays are not ellaborate but showcase the products in their best light. A simple store layout. Simpler message: These computers easy to use. Our message is simple too, but we don’t always make it clear. People wander around in complicated church buildings (what’s the difference in the chapel, auditorium, and gymatorium?). They wonder what all these faded posters, outdated flyers on dark bulletin boards mean. Where do you sit? Not in Aunt Ethel’s spot! When do you stand? Hopefully not before everyone else responds to the guy up front waving his arms and singing in a loud voice.
Quality is worth the cost. I will admit that Macs are pricey. You can buy many computers for a lot less, but every time I open the box on a new Mac (even a factory refurb), I can see, touch, and even smell the quality, especially in recent years. Even the packing material and documentation are a pleasure to handle and unpack. We should strive for excellence in ministry too. Is our service worthy of our King?
Educating, empowering everyone. Training is free at the Apple store, for all ages, for all levels of expertise. I’ve seen children working on podcasts and websites. Even the most un-tech-savy senior is never put down at the genius bar. (Those guys are so much more patient than I am!). People leave the Apple Store feeling like they can do something exciting with their computer. The training makes the difference. It helps everyone believe in their own creative potential. What is the church doing to inspire and empower God-given creativity of its members?
Not afraid to be different. As my kids are found of saying, I was using Macs when Apples weren’t cool (pre-iPod days). It’s not easy to adopt a non-mainstream operating system, especially in a business enviroment. Even now Mac users are still in the minority among computer users, but you’d never know it by the excitement flowing out of the Apple store. I don’t really want Christianity to become as “mainstream” (boring and ubiquitous) as Microsoft Windows. Maybe it already has in America. To quote an old Apple slogan, Christians are supposed to “think different,” even when it isn’t cool.
What do you think?
Keith Fletcher, IT director at 