Charlie Kindel has written an interesting article about Why Nobody Can Copy Apple and his conclusion is very simple:
It only focuses on one customer: The Consumer.
I see this as a wholeness in which it’s not only about seeing the market as a business or its customers, but also about seeing the customer as both a private person and a business person. That’s how I started to think after reading his article.
This goes hand in hand with the development of social media. The old way is to think of business and work as something separate from your private life. On social media, the tendency is to let them melt together into one. We do business with persons, not with companies or brands. Many people still don’t understand this and are afraid to show themselves in person on Facebook. But we, as customers, expect to see the person behind the business more and more.
Except for companies like Apple, which is a paradox. Imagine how cool it would be to follow Tim Cook or Jony Ive on Twitter, Facebook or a blog? Actually, that might be what’s missing right now? The shareholders want to get the feeling of what’s happening, and all they can rely on are rumours, rare interviews, and speeches. And we all need to fill the void left by Steve Jobs. I always thought of Apple as an exception to social media, but now that I’m starting to think this way, I’m actually scared. I think Apple needs social media right now! I don’t think Samsung’s CEO is blogging or anything, but imagine if Tim Cook were the first in this business to do it? He would definitely be one of the most interesting people to follow…
It’s not like one has to reveal secrets just because one has a blog. People want to feel connected to the people behind the products today. Steve Jobs managed to create that feeling without social media, but Tim Cook, who seems to be a really nice and clever man, doesn’t have a similar strong connection with the customers and fans. A blog would be an excellent channel for him. He could connect with the customers.
Also, another thing that Apple does against ”the rules” is the system for feedback. I understand that Apple is big, but it is another paradox to consider the extremely high level of customer care in Apple Stores, in contrast to the dull online feedback system. I send in suggestions and feedback all the time, but never get a simple ”thanks”. When I send feedback to other companies, they often respond and make me feel heard.
I think Apple Communities could use a friendlier tone, and it would be great to know whether someone at Apple actually reads what goes on there in the discussions. That’s also a place where it would mean so much if people could feel they helped develop Apple’s products to get even better. Of course, it’s all the designers and engineers at Apple who does 99,9% of the hard work, but even so, it wouldn’t hurt to emphasise the feeling of ”all of us Apple users are a big family, and we help Apple as much as we can”.
You know, I think that’s how it all began? I remember that there were some kind of Apple groups in Växjö (Sweden), and there were more of them all over the world. Today I don’t know what has happened with those groups, I never hear of them. But today, we can create that sense of belonging to a group online.
And I think many people long for ways to connect with Apple in this way.
So, please, Apple: consider becoming more social online!
