I recently shared a post on Twitter about Apple’s exceptional customer experience practices. In this post, I aim to expand on that and show some lessons we can learn from Apple about creating a great user experience.
I’ve had an interesting streak with Apple. I went from being a hater of Apple products (“what is all this commotion about these expensive devices?”) to inquisitive (“I would like to experience this ecosystem you talk of.”) to a fan (“How did they think of building this?”)
Why I think Apple products are cool
Apple. inc understands its audience.
You would swear the team sits all day, watching customers go about their daily lives. That’s the only explanation I have for features like a measuring tape and the words “Good morning, Somila” displayed on my screen each morning.
These features and efforts are also not in vain. Thousands of customers across the world sleep outside Apple stores each time a new model is released. That’s not all. The company has consistently been ranked as one of the most valuable companies in the world since 2010.
So, it’s clear. They are doing something (or something’s) correctly. User Experience is one of the things they do exceptionally well.
Lessons we learn from Apple about Customer Experience
1. Obsess over your mission.
FourWeekMBA notes Apple’s mission as follows: “to bring the best user experience to its customers through its innovative hardware, software, and services.”
Alternating between a newer MacBook (which automatically powers on when the laptop lid is opened) and an older one (which requires the “manual-intensive” click of a button to power the laptop) is a clear indication of Apple’s pursuit of continuous improvement.
2. Incremental builds towards customer experience
Each year dozens of videos are shared on YouTube, mocking Apple’s lack of innovation. I enjoy Rob video’s on this topic.
The updates made on these devices are often so incremental that you could even miss them altogether. But it’s the accumulation of these features that lead to a delighted customer.
It’s that broad smile I give after I notice the “Good morning” text on my device, plus the extra effort I feel whenever I switch on another laptop brand, that makes me feel an overall sense of satisfaction with Apple’s products over time.
3. Repeat this consistently
Customers continue to camp in front of Apple’s stores because:
- They are eager to see and use the new, improved product;
- They are loyal to the brand.
Over time Apple taught customers that every year, there will be a new version of their devices and that new version will contain new (or somewhat new) features. Therefore, year after year, customers return to purchase the newer version of Apple’s products.
Conclusion
When you’re trying to build products that offer great experiences, Apple is a case study worth studying.
The company has made it a mission to improve the customer’s experience with every update deployed. This is seen in more obvious features like no-touch powering of your device, to more subtle delighting features like greeting the user.
Apple’s products are a reminder of how customer-centered products create raving customers and sustainable revenue streams.
You’ll also be interested to know when you shouldn’t worry about improving the customer experience. Read my article on this topic here.
