Brokenness

We see and live in a world that the less sensitive, amongst us, cannot enter.  


They think we are crazy.  


We see the brokenness of the world. It is not seen by all. 


We are aware.


This is my curse. This is my greatness.

Retail is Detail And Apple Is Paying Attention.

The Genius Bar is home to Apple’s resident Geniuses. Trained at Apple headquarters, they have extensive knowledge of Apple products and can answer all of your technical questions. In fact, Geniuses can take care of everything from troubleshooting problems to actual repairs.

Do the geniuses at Apple's Genius Bar receive any bereavement counselor training? I'll tell you why I ask. My daughter, Molly, who was having problems with her MacBook, decided to take a trip into her friendly neighbourhood Apple Store and I was lucky enough be visiting her that day so I was asked to come along, how exciting? If you have never been in one of these stores I can tell you that they are a carefully designed piece of architecture. With simple lines, pristine environment, symmetrical dimensions, and gregarious, clean-cut, staff they really are a marvel in marketing. An extension of the products sold within.

We were directed to the back of the store, to the Genius Bar, and asked to take a seat on a high, wooden stool where we were to wait for our ''genius'' to assist us with our problem. I have to tell you I was so very impressed, talk about the WOW! Factor.

As I sat and waited I couldn’t help but notice how many blue-shirted, staff members were out, wondering the selling floor. I swear it had to be a 1 employee to 1 client ratio. Ever employee had the ability to approach the ‘‘client’’ with the grace of a word class ballerina and immediately engage them in delightful conversation. It was magical. I would like to note at this time that my daughter, a 20 year old university student, did not seemed to hold what was happening around us in the same regard. Was this something that she had come to expect in the new world of retailing? If so, I have got to believe that Apple is responsible for raising the bar.

Within minutes our genius approached and he was everything and that. He was polite, intelligent, witty, and with charm. He went straight to work and began his search for the cause to Molly’s frustration. While we were sitting there we were drawn to the events taking place with the woman seated next to us. The genius that was assisting her approached with a distinguishable calmness. He slid her noticeably ‘’older’’ laptop across the counter with the words ‘’I’m sorry but there is nothing I can do.’’ The customer in disbelief replied ‘’are you sure?’’ to which the genius said ‘’Nope, she was just too old, you were lucky to have had her for as long as you did.’’ Were they talking about the laptop? The woman carefully picked up her laptop and slid it into it’s coffin ... er I mean carrying case; zipped it up and stood there for a few minutes while her eyes slowly filled with tears. The genius reached out and touched the woman on the shoulder and expressed his sympathies and then suggested that the woman take a few minutes before maybe looking around the store for a replacement computer.

We really do become attached to our computers, laptops, ipods, ipads, don’t we? There is a connection to the electronics of the new age, one that was never felt for radios or TV’s of the past. Maybe it’s because our laptops are filled with our personal thoughts in the form of journals, letters, emails, and blogs. With our favourite songs and movies, with videos of fun times and photographs of cherished memories. They have become more than just electronic devises; they are a part of our lives, of our families.

The respect that Apple gives to these devices and the stores that sell them is maybe more deserving than we realize and recognizing this was maybe the true genius of Mr. Jobs.