Apples secret to success

The “secret” sauce of Apples success is so commonsensical that it has never occurred to most computer manufacturers.

In a nutshell I would think it goes something like this:

1. Deliver innovative “state-of-the-art” products and continually strive to improve them. (Equally applicable to hardware and software.)

2. Do not loose sight of the fact that we engineer and manufacture products for NON-EXPERT computer users. Make it friendly and simple. Then keep it that way! This does not in ANY way exclude powerful experts, but power must be wrapped in a non-threatening and non-intimidating velvet glove so to speak.

3. Aesthetics count for MUCH more than most people ever dreamed. Fit, finish, even packaging all denote quality or the lack of it. The whole total user experience from opening the box on day one to sending it off for recycling when the product is replaced with a newer version – they all have an impact on how the customer perceives the company and whether or not the customer will buy from us a 2nd or more time.

4. Be FAIR (even leaning toward generous) on warranty matters. A product that fails on the 366th day of life should be covered under a courtesy warranty if at all possible. The cost to the company of such good will gestures is negligible and the benefits incalculable over years of a customer’s buying life.

5. Do not be afraid to charge a premium price for a premium product. But if you proffer a “premium” product make damned sure it really is just that – head and shoulders above the competition. With cheap laptops available for under $400, it’s not always easy to explain to a user why they should pay at least three times that amount to buy our products. But the combo of fit, finish, tech, and service will make it work time and again. Price paid is long forgotten when a product fails to deliver the service or function it was purchased for. Quality, Quality, Quality is the key.

6. Marketshare means NOTHING! Better to have a solid and loyal 10% than to have a shaky and fickle 40% that will drive you to distraction, not appreciate or understand what you offer, nor be loyal over decades.

7. Support and Training should as much as possible be provided free of charge up to a ’saturation point’ for most customers. Whether they avail themselves of this support and training is up to the individual. But those who do will glean the most out of the product in the long run, and unlocking the mega-power that is inherent in Apple Software is worth the effort to learn how. Most do not know it’s even there, but those who do suddenly find themselves labeled as gurus and experts in their chosen fields- all because they really KNOW how to get the most out of their software and hardware. An expenditure of time and effort well made. (Also the fact that the training is free can save the company thousands of support phone calls.

Guiding a user to a local training session often will result in additional sales and upgrades just by getting them into the Apple Store once again. (I for one know this works like a champ and personally seldom walk out of an Apple Store having spent less than five hundred dollars on various pieces of software or hardware that I generally do not strictly need, but which go to me based purely on the “gee whiz” factor alone.

8. Integrate, integrate, integrate! Each and every Apple Product builds on others and opens features and functions that you find increasingly wonderful with each passing day. Email on my smart phone that deletes itself from my main mailbox when I delete it from the phone, movies I bought or rented being available on my iPod ad iPhone without my asking for them to be put there, and a of course iDisk that has saved my ass more times than I can count – all are examples of one or more Apple Products building the entire user experience and making it generally better with each additional component purchase! BRAVO APPLE! Computing the way it is supposed to be!

9. Be NICE to the customers! They’re not all perfect. And they make stupid mistakes and ask stupid questions and can generally be a pain in the ass. But without them, we don’t have a company nor a business. So polite, smiles, welcoming, and gently encouraging them to learn and explore their computers will assure and insure they keep coming back to Apple year in year out. (Not bad for you if as an employee have your retirement money is invested in Apple Stock! Remember that fact every time you have a difficult customer. It makes dealing with them easier!)