Apple does it again – excellent service!

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I’m a Happy Apple user and since 1989 there has only been a few occasions when I had to contact the Apple support. They have handled everything fine and once they really shocked me in a positive way. The screen of my iBook stopped working. I live on the island of Gotland, right in the middle of the Baltic sea. The only city is Visby and I live in Kappelshamn, 43 kilometers north of Visby.

They sent a car to pick up my iBook on a Tuesday, before lunch. Then I could follow how my iBook went by plane to Stockholm then Amsterdam. To my big surprise, the car came back on Thursday, before lunch and delivered my iBook! Two days. I had prepared myself to be without the iBook for at least a week.

This is the kind of stories I tell people and I always recommend people to buy Apple products. I even earn some money as being an Apple coach for those who needs a helping hand when they change from PC to Apple. One of my clients that started to use Apple two years ago has been very happy and for the first time he decided to learn how his computers and devices works and he’s not afraid to try to do things on his devices, like he was before.

He bought a new iPad mini in December, went on vacation and accidentally broke the glass screen… When he was back in Sweden I recommended him to contact the Apple Support online. So he did and to start with it seemed to work out fine, but then it evolved into a really terrible story of bad customer support. I won’t give you the details, but it was so bad, that when my client told me about it I felt that I had to do something. I couldn’t think of anything else but writing a mail to Tim Cook. I didn’t expect him to answer or do anything special, it was more that I thought he ought to know about this bad treatment.

The next day I got a phone call, ”Hello, I’m calling because of the mail you sent to Tim Cook…” Oh? I got really surprised and happy. I told the man about what had happened and he wanted me to ask my client if it was okay if he contacted my client. And of course it was okay.

Today my client mailed me and told me that the issue was solved and he didn’t have to pay anything.

I am so happy. My trust in Apple is restored. I will for sure continue to recommend Apple’s devices to everyone. It means a lot to know that Tim Cook actually payed attention to the mail I wrote.

Samsung don’t get it – send out spies!

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If we boil down this question about why Apple haters and/or Android users consider Apple users to be part of a cult, we end up with the simple fact that they don’t get the full concept of Apple.

If they did, Samsung wouldn’t have to send out spies to Apple stores to ask questions to people standing in line to get the new iPhone 5C or 5S. To me, it’s so obvious why they stand there and also why Apple is still so freaking hot that an iPhone 5S gold is reported to be sold for $1800.

Samsung still believes that a bigger screen is innovation and to be the best is a matter of collecting technical features on a list.

Apple users talk about the user experience. They are happy. We love Apple because Apple makes a huge effort to simplify our lives. I don’t think that I would stand in line to get a new iPhone, because I buy my stuff online and when it comes to iPhones, I buy them directly from the carrier, but I can understand why people want to stand in that line – it’s fun to be around others that like Apple.

In my case, I get my share of that from social media and of course in my daily life as well.

I got very happy when I found out that Tim Cook has started a Twitter account. I hope that he will use it as well. In the beginning there was Steve Jobs but there were also the Macintosh evangelist Guy Kawasaki. I also remember that there were like Apple clubs that you could join, in for example Växjö where I lived, by then. Some people think Apple’s success is a cult thing, but I tell you, it’s more a sense of being part of something that makes a difference and to ”know” the persons that do the excellent job of developing Apple to what it is today and to what i will become in the future. It’s like a personal relation to the brand.

I’ve blogged about my concerns regarding that I missed the possibility to be able to follow Apple in social media and it’s a true concern. I’m writing a book about social media and has thought a lot about Apple and why they shouldn’t or should take part of social media and I can’t come to another conclusion than yes, Apple should step out and be part of social media. People expect a personal relation with brands today and that was exactly how Apple was built from start, so it’s a natural thing that they should be present on for example Twitter.

Apple is doing just fine!

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Yesterday it was time for Apple’s FQ3 Earnings report. I think it was just like what to be expected, if you are a sane person and not like a small and scared sardine in a big shoal of fish swimming around in the ocean watching out for sharks and changing direction every time one of them sees a shadow that could be a shark… I think that there has been a lot of Apple sardines trading on the market during the year. I haven’t got so much experience from trading with shares so I guess that’s not unusual, but even so, it seems to be a bit too nervous in my opinion. Escpecially considering the amount of money those sardines are handling. Sometimes it’s other people’s money as well.

I am optimistic about Apple’s future. What really counts is if people like Apple’s products and continues to buy them. A crucial part of the puzzle is education, because if you learn to use something in school, then it wears off on your future and also on your family. That’s why news like this is one of the most important parts of yesterday’s report:

The state of Maine’s Learning Technology Initiative, which provides the state’s little school and high school students and teachers with personal computing solutions allowed individual school districts to choose which products to purchase rather than standardized on a single statewide solution. We are very proud that an estimated 94% of the 69,000 total units selected this year were Apple products.

Another crucial part is all the workplaces around the globe. Ten years ago Microsoft was the most important player on that market and as an Apple enthusiast I had to argue a lot with those Windows-using persons that somehow was provoked by my decision to use Apple (which I have been doing since April 1989). Things have changed and since ”everyone” started to buy iPhones they also learned what it’s like to use Apple products and so they got curious about Macs and iPads. Today we have a trend called BYOD = Bring Your Own Device and it seems that we almost could say BYAD = Bring Your Apple Device, because that’s the actual result in my opinion. When people can make their own choice about what kind of devices to use when they work, I believe that the majority choose Apple.

So, if Apple is the preferred choice of both schools and working places, then the future looks bright.

Yet another interesting sign is Tim Cook’s remark about the web traffic:

iPad accounts for 84% of the web traffic from tablets which is absolutely incredible and so if there are lots of other tablets selling I don’t know what they are being used because that’s a pretty, the basic function is web browser.

This has been a puzzling fact for a long time, what on earth do people do with their Android tablets? Why don’t they surf the web? Don’t they understand how to do it? Aren’t the tech good enough? Is Android users not interested in what happens on the internet??? I think it would be very interesting if someone investigated this.

So, what’s in the future for Apple? We know about iOS 7, the new Mac Pro and OS Maverick that will be available during this autumn. We expect some other interesting news about products to come as well. Apple is for sure preparing something new and big if you ask me. They have lots of creative brains working to reach new goals.

We have developing markets like China and India, and the mature markets still enjoy Apple’s devices and implement them more and more in schools and working places. On top of that we also have the movie Jobs which will be launched in August 15th. Do I worry about my Apple shares? Not particularly. I’m not a scared sardine, I’m more like a happy seal resting on a sunny stone in a beautiful ocean.

Apple WWDC 2013 – Thank you Tim and Jony!

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Dear Tim Cook and Dear Jony Ive,
I’m so happy! I think you presented some really good news yesterday at the opening of WWDC 2013.

I wrote this wish list March 12, 2013 and I have written my current comments in italic:

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What do I expect from Apple during 2013?

  1. Some new models of MacBooks, iPhones and iPads. We still don’t know about that. 
  2. Fresh new version of iWork! It’s about time we get a good and well thought-out version of that incredible, enjoyable software. Yes! The new iWork for iCloud looks promising. One cool thing is that also PC-users will be able to use iWork and when they start doing that, MS Office will get a dangerous competitor, because iWorks is much more fun to use and produces better results in most cases.
  3. Making it easier to use Apple ID and iCloud, build in better solutions for sharing documents with others. No more confusing messages during updates or installations… Hm? I don’t know about that, but I really hope that will be part of the news in fall.
  4. New design for the iOS User Interface. Jony Ive – I hope you will come up with something delicate! Yes, yes, yes! Jony Ive you did it! Thank you! The new iOS 7 is SO cool!
  5. New, cool devices! Yes of course, we are getting curious: what are you Apple guys working on? Is it the iWatch, the Apple TV solution or what? Surprise me! YES! Who would ever have expected a round Mac Pro and because it’s Apple it’s not just round because it looks good – when they showed this beautiful item you could also see that the air circulation benefits from this and it will also get easier to plug in cables when you can turn it around.
  6. Continue to sell all over the world. I expect them to grow fast on markets in China and India, but also to grow on other markets of course. Hm, well it seems that India has started to buy a lot of iPhones and it seems like Apple is adjusting their OS to China’s social media Sina Weibo so it’s obvious that they really want to expand on those markets. I will follow this development with great interest.
  7. Expand their market shares in working places like schools, healthcare, factories, aircraft – well every kind of working place I can think of. Yesterday I read that SKF in Sweden has ordered 10.000 iPads (in Swedish, sorry!) for their sales persons. That’s one of the signs that tells me that working places all over Sweden and probably also the world are demanding iPads. If you ask me, we have only seen the beginning of this trend.
  8. To pay their dividends and maybe increase them a little? Yes, they have increased the dividends. Thank you Apple!
  9. I finish with my special, personal wish: Please Mr Tim Cook, give me a BIG iPad, an iPad Pro! I would love to work with a bigger touchscreen when I create ideas! Okay, I’m very happy with what you have showed me so far Apple, but where’s my big iPad Pro? I see no signs of that and I really, really wish that you work on this product.

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I have to mention the new OS X Maverick, but it was more a logic consequence from other parts of Apple’s development than a really new innovation (sorry Apple guys, just my impression, no offense…) Though it is very good that you will get iCloud Keychain for your passwords, iBooks on your computer (with a lot of cool features), multiple displays that will even include your TV, and I also like the possibility to tag file – I have gotten used to that using Evernote.

One of the best things during the opening of WWDC 2013 was that the audience was so enthusiastic and really showed that they love and respect Tim Cook. He’s so worth it. He has had a tough challenge to fill up the stage after Steve Jobs left us.

Let Tim Cook do his job!

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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 the work he does.

I hate it when people complain without having a fair suggestion of how ”whatever it is” could be done in a better way. When it comes to Apple it’s hard to come up with such suggestions because they work behind closed doors. I think it’s a good achievement of Apple to keep on working on those innovations, products and services behind those closed doors, like they do, considering the pressure from those impatient dogs that barks outside.

I mean, what good is it in launching a product before it’s good enough to be launched? Apple had it’s map failure half a year ago and at the same time the iPhone 5 did not have enough of new features to please those barking dogs. So, why should Apple risk to do 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 show that they have high integrity in doing their own business in the way they believe are the best way to do it. If you have any complaints on that, well, then nothing stops you from starting your own business and show the world how it should be done.

By increasing dividends and buybacks Apple has made an effort to satisfy those barking dogs but also to give back to the shareholders, which is fair. I think that it takes a lot to make those barking dogs satisfied and I’m sure that Apple has to focus on other tasks that are more important.

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 blogged about this the first time I get more confident in that opinion for every day.

When I think of how great they are at building relations with the customers face to face in the Apple Stores it gets even more strange that we don’t get that online. Also, we are a lot of people that really love Apple and would be proud to be able to help. In the 90’s Guy Kawasaki got famous being and Apple evangelist. The way to do it 2013 is to spread the message with the help of Apple enthusiasts and I think it would be easy to arrange that.

I so wish that Tim Cook would read this…