The end of Apple’s training program has an upside for some businesses, like the Apple Retailer Peter Cohen works for:
Apple makes its computers and portable devices very easy to use, but let’s not deceive ourselves: Even Apple products can still be overwhelming, confusing and just plain scary for many. For them, One to One assistance and other individualized training is really helpful.
The problem is that individualized training purchased as a package is a money-loser for the store. We’re not compensated by Apple for training customers in any way. When a customer buys the $99 deal from us, they’re getting customized training for $10 an hour, which doesn’t even cover the employee’s wages.
When I was running an Apple-Authorized Service Provider, I had to make several decisions based on what Apple itself either dictated or set expectations around. Decisions that would have gone differently if Apple gave us more breathing room.
While it stinks, the fact is that these types of businesses are always living in the shadow of the giant. While One to One’s demise may allow stores like Cohen’s to charge reasonable rates for training, being in that situation is part of working with Apple as a partner.
I’m a big fan of Apple Retailers and AASPs when they do a good job. I hope they continue to thrive, but there’s no doubt it’s a hard — maybe even fragile — way to make a living.