Exclusive: My Mac reveals path to Apple premium status

CRN yesterday was granted an exclusive tour of Melbourne's My Mac shop in Flinders Street, which had just completed a renovation after adopting Apple's new premium reseller program. 

My Mac owner Steve Bardel reveals what the program was about and what he did to secure the honour of being the first in Australia to look like an Apple Store. 

CRN: When did Apple approach you with the concept?

Steve Bardel: Probably six months ago. Initially, we were a bit hesitant but after negotiating we found it was the right time to do it.

CRN: How long has this shop been here?

SB: Ten years now and I founded it.

CRN: Why were you picked over other premium resellers?

SB: I think it would probably be based on the location, being on Flinders Street. opposite Federation Square. It's probably the best Australian premium reseller location in Australia.

CRN: How did you do it?

SB: We had to close the shop and move into the service centre (next door), we had to renovate our service centre. I guess there was a lot of planning to try and have as little disruption to the cash flow of the business and everyone was conscious of that.

They gutted my shop, so it was built back up from a shell - everything is new, the flooring, ceilings, walls, light fittings - everything was updated.

CRN: And all this was done by Apple?

SB: Not all was done by Apple, we engaged shop fitters (who) followed the design put forward by Apple. 

It was a very easy transition; we allowed plenty of time, we shut for over three weeks. There aren't many  (premium resellers) that could do that. We enabled it to happen by being flexible.

We were aware that we had to create a better customer experience - if we can have a better looking shop and have a better customer experience.

CRN: Who paid for it?

SB: Apple made a contribution.

Click through to th next page where Bardel reveals the new program for premium resellers.

CRN: What's the program about?

SB: You can see it, obviously, [Apple's] stepped up. Before, I think an Apple premium reseller was only really branding, there was no uniform; they tried to make the shops the same but it was all different.

Now I can actually see why My Mac is an APR over an Apple reseller - when you walk into my Melbourne store you can tell you're walking into a premium reseller and there are some premium resellers out there that probably don't care to carry out in that manner.

I think the increased requirements from Apple will be good because it will help us stand apart from (lower-tier resellers). Apple is contacting every premium reseller.

Also, it has to be a certain amount of square metres some shops might not be able to fit into because they might not be the right size. Under the new program there is (only) one premium reseller (at the moment).

CRN: What doesn't your shop have that a direct Apple one does?

SB: We still can't do the iPhone (direct). We have a service bar, the equivalent of the (Genius bar).

CRN: Did you have to hire or train staff?

SB: We had staff, but all sales staff have to have Apple training now; it probably wasn't so controlled in the past. It's for free.

CRN: Apart from refit what else did you do?

SB: There's the training and the general look and feel. We have guidelines now where before we may have had guidelines but they were hard to follow because the premium channel was so fragmented.

Now, bringing in this new program and saying to people this is it - you either do it or don't - is good for the channel. It means we have to lift our game. The way we put out the machines, the number of demo machines - My Mac has never had this many points (of access).