The Apple store is really creepy.

Apple has many of the markings of being a "build the best, not the cheapest" company. A reflection of this would be extending employees the power and trust to become autonomous, to disregard "corporate guidelines" and think for themselves. To dare having employees that can't be replaced. Google has/had a lot of this stuff.

What about Apple? I know this culture applies to the most senior employees. But what about "most" employees?

It seems like Apple is actually a lot more factory-like than google-like, on many fronts.

I started thinking these thoughts after visiting a few apple stores for the first time last week. It was eerie.

The employees have strict scripts for every kind of customer interaction. It's like talking to a robot. The customer service is on par with what you'd expect from a fast-food worker or a telemarketer.

The employees don't seem competent, but they don't need to be, and in fact they aren't even allowed to be. The most an employee can do is guide you along their little scripted interactions.

I've noticed there is no employee in the entire store, not even the manager, who has any power at all to circumvent the automatic process.

The greatest exercise of authority I saw was a case of a customer wanting to purchase extended warranty on an iphone, but he was a little bit past the due date to do so. This was an easy case, 90% of managers would make a call on the spot to just let him do it, the store was busy and it's a small deal with a benefit to the company anyway. The manager wanted to make the same call, but the limit of his power only extended to picking up a phone and calling up the chain, explaining the case as you would to a 4th grader, and asking for permission to make a decision.

I bet Apple is proud of their retail store design. They built a system that doesn't depend on people. They can hire any people at any time because they are disposable. Do you think it'll last?