If Steve Jobs went in this store to get anything fixed or even make a purchase on a busy day tables would be flipped.
As an Apple loyalist going back to my first computer the Apple Lisa it is frustrating to be giving this bad review.
Another reviewer wrote that Apple wants people to be using online support vs coming in to the store and honestly it must be true because I can't think you could envision more inefficient method of providing customer service than what I have experienced every time I've been in this new (and beautifully designed) store.
My first experience was just going in to buy Apple TV. Had to wait to check in, then another wait, this one 35 minutes. I wandered the store waiting and looked over everything including drones and still was just hanging around just for the privilege to buy this product.
Same scenario a few weeks later to buy a watch. Again long wait times and this time after the long wait I find out they don't even have the watch I want in stock.
Next visit is to repair a hairline crack in my iPhone X screen. A crack not caused by dropping but one that just showed up so I signed up for two hours of Apple classes figuring that would save me a trip in and back two times and I could learn while I wait. Bad idea. I came in well before my first hour class but again the wait from check in to speaking with someone (tech) to help me was over 40 minutes. I step out of the class and the tech told me the repair would take at the minimum 2.5 hours. I ask why would a screen replacement take that long and he said they were extremely busy. I tell him I don't have the time to wait that long and that the store is not convenient for me to leave my phone and come back. He then tells me he will suspend the work order for a week so that I can come back in at another date and it would have everything ready to go so I don't have to wait so long.
I came back today, scheduled an hour class so that I could learn while waiting and again walk in and stand in a line of people just to check in. Finally get waited on and show my email with my suspended order to the Apple rep who typed a few things in her iPad. I am then told it won't be done before 2pm. It's 11:30. I ask why and am told it has been extremely busy back in the tech/repair dept., apparent lots of battery replacements going on. I ask why it is that Apple customers can not schedule repairs, that it is only first come first serve? I don't get any reply other than this is how it is set up and it wouldn't be fair for me to cut ahead of other customers. I tell the Apple rep. that I have no interest in cutting in front of anyone, but feel Apple should have an appointment system in place for those of us who cannot get easily to the store or wait hours for simple services. I suggested that they could have a couple techs assigned to appointments and the rest take walk ins. This time the response was a defensive reply of how the current system works. The overall tone of the conversation with this employee was at best dismissive. I have myself a Mac, MacBook, iPad Pro, two Apple TV's, Air Pods, watch and the iPhone X. This doesn't count the products my husband and kid have. All of these devices should show up with my Apple ID. So the person helping me should see I am a very lucrative Apple customer. Not sure how you expect repeat business when you treat any customer poorly and give repeated bad experiences especially not your most loyal. If Apple doesn't want to hire more techs or change the system to make it more efficient for their good and loyal customers I can see them losing more and more market share.
Having a top notch product is essential but if you do not have good customer service and support or even ease of sales or in stock products do not be surprised when the competition takes over. Steve Jobs would be horrified.
These are not my only bad experiences at this store ( just the latest) but ironically they all occurred at the new Hilldale location. The store itself is beautiful and easier to get to now that it is not in the mall and I did enjoy/learn at my Apple classes (good instructors). Unfortunately that will not be enough to keep me as a customer.