Bellevue Square Genius demeans woman customer
updated 03:00 pm EST, Mon March 3, 2008
Woman upset at treatment
Apple stores are not immune to one of the most common retail woes, after the Genius at the Bellevue Square store in Washington State alienated at least one female customer. Electronics retail locations typically exhibit a trend of believing women to be less technically competent than males. A woman identified as Anjela went into the location with the intent of buying a MacBook Air, but was received poorly when the Genius, Bill, chose to neglect her and speak with her husband.
"Well, first of all, Bill DID NOT LOOK AT ME," Anjela recalls of her visit, when Bill was first called over. "He did not greet me. He greeted my husband, introduced himself, and shook his hand... and completely ignored me. He didn't ask my name, what we were there to buy, or who the new computer was for. He did not make eye contact. He simply behaved as though I were not there, and steered my husband through the crowded store -- ignoring me and leaving me behind."
Anjela made Bill aware for whom the computer was purchased for, but the "Genius", as she puts it, continued to push the extended AppleCare warranty, discounts that are available, and so on, to her husband.
After the employee refused to acknowledge her presence, Angela left the store, with her husband following soon after.
"If I decide to get myself a MacBook Air despite all this," writes Anjela, "and right now, I'm not sure I will; if Bill's attitude was typical of what I'll face should I need technical support or any other sort of customer service from Apple, I don't want any part of it -- I certainly won't be going to one of your stores to be ignored by an employee; I'll be ordering it online."
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Apr 2001
Whole story?
Is it possible that the woman proved herself to be computer illiterate early in the conversation, so the Genius began speaking to her husband? As long as he would do the converse if the man was ignorant and the woman was more knowledgable, that would be fine, right?