Author:  Gary Barnett

Apple’s recent launch of the iPhone was the most hyped consumer-related technology event so far this year. For weeks leading up to Apple’s big day, water cooler conversations centered on this new gadget. There was an unbelievable amount of anticipation about the release date. And, when that date finally arrived, people waited in line for hours, and in some cases days, to be one of the first to own the iPhone.

The overall product launch seemed to go pretty well.  There was, however, one hitch that I kept reading about … activation.  There were reportedly many different reasons for activation issues.  Among them, the sheer volume of simultaneous subscribers and the difficulties associated with porting phone numbers from one telecommunications carrier to another. But, according to the Wall Street Journal, only 2% of those who purchased iPhones actually had activation issues.  That statistic raises an important question: if 98% of consumers were able to activate their iPhones without any hiccups, why was there so much negative buzz?

Many consumers who had problems with their activations reported that it took a multitude of phone calls to different contact center agents (and sometimes different companies) and several hours to get their new iPhones up and running – extremely frustrating by all accounts.  These consumers documented their experiences and shared them with countless numbers of others using blogs, wikis, chat rooms, and Web television, as well as traditional media. And, just like that, a momentous launch of an innovative new technology was marred by less than momentous customer service.  In the process, brands were denigrated and future sales were potentially negatively impacted.

The important lesson that can be learned from this event is that you should never underestimate the empowered consumer, and ultimately the value of good customer service.  Whether you’re launching a new product or service, or providing ongoing support for existing offerings, take a step back and look at how your customer strategy correlates with your business processes.  It might just help you elevate your brand and grow your customer base.

What are consumers saying about your business?  

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 17th, 2007 at 6:37 am and is filed under Customer Service/Consumer Demands. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.