A new report provides an inside look at the launch of the Vision Pro in Apple stores, describing it as a 'fiasco' in many locations.
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While the Vision Pro launch was particularly problematic, it also highlighted broader issues with the changes that had occurred in retail staffing over the years. Launching an entirely new product category for Apple was never going to be easy, but on paper, Apple seemed to have a solid plan. Hundreds of retail employees were flown to Cupertino to receive days of hands-on training with the new device. These employees would return to their stores to lead four-hour workshops for other sales associates, who would receive additional rehearsal and hands-on demo time.
However, reports suggest that the reality was quite different. Store staff had only an hour to rehearse a complex demonstration and become familiar with a script that spanned over a dozen screens. Officially, they were only allowed two opportunities to practice among employees before the first actual demonstration with customers, and in practice, many did not even have that opportunity.
A former Apple insider noted that the underlying issues ran deep. Steve Jobs had recognized the importance of well-staffed stores with carefully trained employees, but cost-cutting measures since then have taken their toll. By the time the Vision Pro was released in early 2024, many Apple salespeople had only recently become permanent employees after being hired as temporary employees in the fall.
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They had little experience with an Apple product launch. "It was the first time a lot of people had to learn a script," said Kevin Gallagher, a longtime Apple Store employee from Towson, Maryland. "They didn't have the skill set to do it."
With stores understaffed, many employees did not receive the training and internship time that Apple had planned.
In Steve's time, half the staff was dedicated to helping customers use their devices through training sessions and one-on-one meetings with creators. That ratio has gradually declined, with in-person sessions and small hands-on workshops never returning after the pandemic, replaced by Today at Apple that are much less detailed and more geared toward promoting Apple products.
The dilution of Steve's original idea for staffing Apple stores has been going on for over a decade. There are calls for the company to not only hire more retail employees but also open more Apple Stores to reduce overcrowding and unacceptable support delays.
See also: On this day: Apple Vision Pro was released two years ago
The challenges with Vision Pro run deeper than the demo sessions, but the issues with training and preparation certainly didn't help.
