Can the church learn from the Apple Store?

While reading an article in Fortune magazine during a workout this morning I came across an insightful and in-depth look at the wild success of the Apple Store.

NOTE :: Now those that know me probably are rolling their eyes at the mention of Apple...I'm a much-loving Mac user and highly loyal to their brand. Some call it the cult of Mac...I just call it a good customer experience all around. But I digress.

Did you know the Apple Store is far and away the most lucrative retail store per square foot, averaging just over $4000/square foot in Annual Sales? The next closest is Tiffany's with $2666/square foot. For the record, Best Buy is $930/square foot. So this is not just some glitch on the map but something worth noting and learning from. The average Apple Store over 13,800 customers weekly while the NYC Fifth Avenue store averages 50,000+ weekly.

"Our goal was never to have a store for a cult. It was to be a store for everyone."

So what can I learn as a Creative Experience Director of a Church? Is the church a place for a "cult" or a place for all people? Do we have an experience designed by church people for church people? Or do we design a place to welcome all people regardless? We are looking at the future for us in terms of a building as we outgrow the school where we meet and this resounds for us tremendously. How can we create an environment for people to explore and get to know God at their own pace? A place for doubters, seekers and followers...

"We asked people, 'Tell us about the best service experience you've ever had' They said it was a hotel. This was unexpected. But of course: The concierge desk at a hotel doesn't sell anything; it's there to help. We said, 'How do we create a store that has the friendliness of a Four Seasons hotel? Let's put a bar in the store but instead of serving alcohol, we dispense advice."

Do we offer a place in church for people who have questions? Do we rely too much on people taking the iniatitve when they get home to call/email/contact us with the question...will they even ask once they leave? What if we have a place where people can get both pertinent information and advice from trained people?

"Apple has changed people's expectations of what retail should be about. After they've seen Apple, how do they feel looking at a drugstore or the jeans section in a department store?"

Are churches ready and expecting to change people's perception of God and the pursuit of truth? Can we demonstrate to those come in that other "experiences" pale in comparison to a church community that works?

Food for thought...