When “Apple Store” shows up on your resumé — like it does on Stephen Hackett’s — people ask questions. Did you get free stuff? Did you know about products before they were announced? Did you ever get an email from Steve?

Being one of the most successful companies in the world has made anything Apple-related newsworthy and special, including working in its retail stores. The truth is that selling computers at the Apple Store isn’t that much different from selling them anywhere else, but it is better.

It’s better because Apple is different than most other companies. Despite its monstrous success and growth the last few years, the company has not lost its focus on providing excellent experiences for its customers.

The Apple Store is the place where those experiences are made far better or far worse. Being on the front lines means gathering some great war stories. Stephen is here to share a few of his.

Reviews

Here are some things some people have said about Bartending:

“Stephen provides a fun and enlightening look at what it’s like to be on the other side of one of the busiest IT counters in the world.”

— Ben Brooks, The Brooks Review

“What happens when the polished, scripted professionalism of Apple tech support meets the sometimes-clueless, sometimes-elitist and occasionally heart-wrenchingly desperate crowds of needy customers? Stephen Hackett is here to tell you, and he does so masterfully.”

— Aaron Mahnke, A Better Freelancer and Wet Frog Studios

“Stephen’s story-telling abilities are only outmatched by the excellent humour in these stories. You simply must read this book!”

— Myke Hurley, the 70Decibels Network

“Stephen’s unique style best depicts the stories of Geniuses and the “real people”, who are the core of the Apple Store experience. To understand that Apple’s retail stores can be more than just a business, Bartending is a must-read.”

— Federico Viticci, MacStories