I think the market behaves like a spoiled kid when talking about Apple. Nagging and complaining, and poor Tim Cook is becoming more of a target for their complaints than appreciated for his work.
I hate it when people complain without offering a fair suggestion of how ”whatever it is” could be done better. When it comes to Apple, it’s hard to make such suggestions because it operates behind closed doors. I think it’s a good achievement for Apple to keep working on those innovations, products, and services behind closed doors, as they do, considering the pressure from those impatient dogs that bark outside.
I mean, what good is it in launching a product before it’s good enough to be launched? Apple had its map failure half a year ago, and at the same time, the iPhone 5 lacked enough new features to satisfy the barking dogs. So, why should Apple risk doing something like that again? I am sure that I will never get in the same position as Tim Cook, but if I woke up in a miracle fairytale and actually found myself to be the CEO of Apple tomorrow, I am absolutely sure of one thing, and that is that I would not launch any products before they are ready. Simple as that.
I think Apple shows that they have high integrity in running their business in the way they believe is best. If you have any complaints about that, well, then nothing stops you from starting your own business and showing the world how it should be done.
By increasing dividends and buybacks, Apple has made an effort to satisfy those barking dogs and to give back to shareholders, which is fair. I think it takes a lot to satisfy those barking dogs, and I’m sure Apple has to focus on more important tasks.
At the same time I think that Apple’s policy for communicating with their customers and the stock market needs to change, because the expectations have changed but also because the possibility to invest in relationships with the customers and the market has changed and if Apple doesn’t start to work more on their relations in social media – there are so many other companies that will. Since I first blogged about this, I have become more confident in that opinion every day.
When I think about how great they are at building relationships with customers face-to-face in Apple Stores, it’s even stranger that we don’t get that online. Also, many people love Apple and would be proud to help. In the 90’s, Guy Kawasaki got famous as an Apple evangelist. The way to do it in 2013 is to spread the message through Apple enthusiasts, and I think it would be easy to arrange.
I so wish that Tim Cook would read this…
