What does genius bar mean

If your phone is physically damaged or presents signs of liquid damage, the phone will need to be replaced. Here is how phone purchases work.

Keep this in mind so you have realistic expectations when you go to get your phone fixed. If you are going to the Apple Store to learn how to use your products, you might come in contact with a Creative. Creatives are employees who are certified in Apple's software applications and can train you on things like making a movie with Final Cut, or on simple things like organizing your pictures.

Customers can get access to Creative training with the purchase of a One to One membership. One to One members receive access to a portal where they can sign up for personal or group training.

One to One members also get the option of having the Genius team transfer all of their data from their old machine Mac or PC to their new one. It's up to you whether or not you think it's worth it, but if you are new to computers or tend to ask a lot of questions, I would recommend that you purchase this service. Apple Store employees are happy to answer your questions, but pulling them away from customers so you can ask an in-depth question isn't very considerate of other customers' time.

If you don't feel like purchasing One to One, or you just need more general help getting started, most Apple Retail Stores offer free workshops that go over the basics and help you get started. Bigger, standalone, stores have dedicated areas for trainings, but some of the smaller stores hold trainings in the Red Zone. The Red Zone is Apple's sales floor. When you first enter the store, there will be an employee at the front of the store who will direct you to the appropriate section of the store to address your needs.

Do not ignore this person. I can't tell you how many times a customer blew past me and walked straight to the Genius Bar asking to buy a phone. Engage the person at the door; it will keep you from looking like an idiot and you'll probably get the help you need more quickly.

There are two types of employees in the Red Zone, specialists and experts. Specialists are general employees who can sell most of the products, while experts are specially trained and certified to know everything about a specific product line. So, if you have some complex questions about the current Mac OS, ask to be connected to a Mac Expert. None of the Apple employees in the Red Zone work on commission. There are a few different ways to make purchases in an Apple Retail Store. If you make a purchase through an employee, they will scan the item and take payment on their modified iPod known as an EasyPay.

They can take cash, but you will need to walk to a cash drawer with the employee to get change. If you aren't purchasing an expensive device you can make a purchase through your phone using the EasyPay functionality of the Apple Store app on your iPhone.

You must have location services enabled for this app, and you have to be on the store's Wi-Fi, but you can scan a barcode with the phone's camera and pay through the credit card attached to your Apple ID.

You can also order a device to pick up in the store with the Personal Pickup option. Once you have purchased a product, you have the option to have an employee help you set the device up before you leave the store. If this is your first Apple product, it is a good chance to get to know your device and make sure you don't have to walk through the initial setup alone.

If you want to go ahead and sign up for your first One to One training, or a workshop, the employee can help you with that too. However, you may need to get hands-on, personal support and help from an Apple expert, especially if you are having a hardware problem like a cracked screen problem, water damage, etc. You may have to bring your device to your nearest Apple Store. Apple offers tech support inside every Apple Retail Store.

This support is offered by the Genius Bar stations. Employees of the Genius Bar, called Geniuses, specially trained to help customers with Apple hardware and software. In order to visit the Genius Bars, you may need to make a reservation. You can schedule a reservation time online before coming in. This article explains how you can make an Apple Genius Bar appointment. Apple has recently changed how genius bar appointments are made. Apple has made it a little bit difficult now. It seems that Apple wants to offer support mainly via online live chat or phone calls.

The Genius Bar employees, called Geniuses, are specially trained and certified Apple experts. The main jobs of the Geniuses are to help Apple users with hardware and software. They can answer your questions, provide personal supports, and offers repairs.

Most of the services they provide are free. They can do repairs, but you have to pay for non-warranty services if your device is not covered by the Apple warranty , an AppleCare plan. Here is how:. Now you have your Genius Bar reservation. Apple will also send you a confirmation email.

You can easily cancel or reschedule it if you want to. Make sure you back up your device before going. Connect with us.

Sign up. Term of the Day. Best of Techopedia weekly. News and Special Offers occasional. Genius Bar. Techopedia Explains Genius Bar. What Does Genius Bar Mean? In addition to other innovations like roaming cashier service, the Genius Bar is what helps set apart Apple stores apart from other computer retailers. More recently, enterprises have adopted the Genius Bar and have set up similar services in company headquarters to help educate employees about the technology they use.