Microsoft has chosen to move forward with closing its physical store locations, and it might not be the only brand that makes a decision like this. The question is whether Apple would ever follow in Microsoft's footsteps or are the two in-store experiences so different that it helps to explain why Microsoft has now made the decision it has? The Microsoft company took the world by storm in 1986, and just a year later the computer company had already made billions, helping to make co-founder Bill Gates the youngest billionaire ever.
The long time competitor of Microsoft, Apple, is known for its storefronts and Genius Bars, but in the face of COVID-19, and the ever growing online shopping experience, the need for so many physical locations is diminishing. Apple's Genius Bars are equipped to sell merchandise, provide tech support, and perform repairs. These repairs range anywhere from cracked screens to recovering Apple IDs. However, Apple stores, like all nonessential businesses were closed to the public to reduce the spread of COVID-19. During this time, Apple chose to continue to pay its employees and while stores have slowly began to reopen again, social distancing is likely to result in a different Apple in-store experience, compared to before.
According to Microsoft's store closure explanation, ever since COVID-19 impacted the industry, the company has been operating online, including helping customers, both business and personal. Going forward, the company says it will continue with this same approach by focusing on remote sales, support, and interactions with the majority of its customers. Essentially, the forced situation over the past few months has provided the perfect opportunity for Microsoft to transition to a fully online service, but the same is unlikely to be right for Apple.
Why Apple Will Keep Its Doors Open
Anyone who has ever walked into an Apple store will have no doubt been confronted by the throng of customers there. While this does not bode well for social distancing, it does for business. Genius Bars already do have the option to make appointments, and Apple could easily make these mandatory to comply with distancing guidelines.
Apple products are known to be incredibly user friendly, and having the option to pop into the mall and have someone fix your device right there follows that lead. Online services will require people to talk through their technical difficulties, that they may barely understand, and won't allow people to hold a product in their hands to test. Without a doubt this would cause some people to be unhappy with the service and less than personal experience. Not only would this cause an increase in customer dissatisfaction, but it could lead for more insurance issues. Not to mention, if people have to constantly send back a defective product, it is also more likely to be stolen, lost, or broken in the mail.
If Apple moved to a fully remote service the company would also lose out financially. Microsoft stores are fewer and farther in-between, compared to the Apple store present in almost ever mall, so Microsoft received less patronage on the whole. In Apple's case, the removal of store fronts would lead to those patrons who prefer taking their product to a store and speaking with a representative taking their business elsewhere. After all, it is not that difficult to find tech repair shops in most cities that are willing to work on any and all products. Although Microsoft has made the move to going fully digital, that same plan would not benefit Apple, nor its customers.
Source: Microsoft