Apple retail service even slower??

Since the new revamp of Apple retail services, has anybody else had slower service than ever at the store? Service at our local store went from crowded but OK, to terrible and having to wait a long time even to ask a question.

Nope, it's about the same. Maybe your store is just busier and has more people with questions?

The new revamp has nothing to do with it. As schweb pointed out, Apple stores are just getting more and more business. The Apple name brand is becoming more popular and sales are sky-rocketing. It's always best to make an appointment if you need to gain access to the genius bar.

I've only ever been to one Apple Store, but it's been my experience that if you want any kind of personalized service, you'd better schedule an appointment. Even if you know exactly what you want, you have to try to get the attention of one of the employees, who is usually helping 4 other customers out at any given moment.

I don't think it's for any lack of effort, it's just that they aren't hurting for business.

Never been to one do all business via Apple Online. 350 miles to the nearest Apple Store.

Apple couldn't put enough qualified sales people on the floor at either of the 2 stores here.

I walked in during the end of December shopping season when I bought my first Mac, same day I joined here...
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I was able to get a one on one, hour long session to play around, ask questions, shoot the breeze, etc.

Not any more. I've tried going in at all times of the day during the week (while everyone is suppose to be at work) to find packed stores - forget the weekend. The regular day time staff is double the size it use to be during the December buying period. The number of customers in the store at any given time has at least quadrupled.

You already can't turn around in the store without seeing another blue shirt. If they put any more staff in there, they'd have to start giving numbers out to customers for the opportunity of even entering the store.

Even 2 years ago, you couldn't walk in without there being one or two blue shirts standing there to greet you. Not today. For Apple to keep up in this area, they'd have to start building a new store, doubling the size of the previous store every 12 months to keep up. Sort of like processor speeds were doing in the 90's. The phenomenon is in full swing and the converts can't seem to get enough.

meh, if i have a question, I google it. I don't like talking to the people in the shops. They are essentially trying to sell you something, so therefore I find it hard to trust what they are saying.

On the occasion I go into the Apple Store, I go straight to the counter and buy what I need.

It's a delicate balancing act, for sure. Look at what's happened to Barnes & Noble. Their stores are massive, easily 50,000 sq. ft. in some stores. iPad comes out, and bringing with it multiple other e-book readers in tow, and a few years later, B&N finds themselves in real financial trouble with e-book sales tripling from the previous year and surpassing physical book sales. A store that size requires a HUGE amount of sales to cover the cost per square foot. Apple could begin expanding stores, doubling the size and increasing staffing, only to find a few years down the road that online sales are cannibalizing from retail sales to the point that the store's sales can't keep up with costs.

We went there a couple of days after they first revamped their store to check out the 4g for my dad, and ask some questions about a new plan. Even though we signed up on the ipad, which is apparently the only way to do it in the store now, it did take much longer than the usual way of you asking someone. I think this could be due to 3 reasons.
1. There are people who aren't confrontational and don't want to go ask someone for help, and would rather have a specialist ask them if they need help.
2. Because everyone has to sign in for service, everyone has to wait for the next assistant, which prolongs the normal waiting time in #1. It makes sense for it to take longer. It's expected!
3. It's a new thing, and the workers will probably learn or get used to the new way of assisting people.

I did notice that there were more workers there than ever before, as well as 2 security cops(due to the robbery a few weeks ago).