In a viral TikTok video, a former Apple Store employee unveils an alleged special program that retailers can use to “surprise and delight customers with added benefits.”
TikTok user @Tanicornerstone explained the alleged program in a response to a video in which he was asked about the “secrets only the employees know.”
“I used to work at Apple. So the first thing; rude customers, like we have some psychos in that store, but if you’re rude to the geniuses or the concierge, your problem’s likely to be solved – either way. even if you are going to pay for it, ”the former retail staff explained.
However, she adds that each staff member seems to have a specific number of “surprise and joy” examples that they can use to provide more than the normal service to ‘really’ great customers.
“I saw a lot in the past, people would come in with phones like water damaged and you may not replace it without compensation. The geniuses used a ‘surprise and joy’ to be able to replace someone for free,” she said.
Comments from the TikTok video confirmed the claim, including both customers who received exceptional service, or other former Apple Retail staff members. Some, however, have denied that Apple had such a policy refuted, while others say the video incorrectly equates ‘surprise and joy’ with programs that have since been discontinued.
Her clip now has over 114,000 likes and has 866 comments.
It is not clear whether the “surprise and joy” program is still in place and whether it was actually a retail policy. However, there seems to be a lot of anecdotal evidence to suggest that customers who are kind to retail staff can get better service.
“I was a BROKE student with an older MacBook whose battery needed to be replaced. The genius did not charge me,” one commenter said.
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