First step in "delighting the customer"

Apple almost has this down to a science. As posted in previous posts, I ordered the Air the day MacWorld opened. At the time, I received information that the delivery time was approximately 2-3 weeks. By the time the invoice came out, the ship date was 2/6 with a delivery date of 2/12. Well, leave to Apple to start the delight process with an email to me this morning indicating my Air has shipped! Making its way from China, my Air has an expected arrival date of 2/4. So stay tuned...

Mapping the technology buying lifecycle

I consider myself an early adopter when it comes to technology. Growing up with the Commodore Vic-20, I was always interested in the latest gadgets and technology that made having it "cool." Microsoft came along and had me fully entrenched by college. Working the Apple II in high school just didn't seem cool enough. I left the graphical stuff up to engineers to develop cool video games. So it's not hard to see why Apple could only build a faithful core of users.

Some 20 years later, I finally bought my first Apple product, the 2nd gen Nano. WHY? It was cool. Devices that are small and easy to use are cool, especially considering all the gadgets that one carries around; cell phone, mp3 player, laptop...etc.

After my Nano purchase, I figured, that's all I will need from Apple. A mp3 player that I can use with iTunes to play my music. Well, at 4GB and the introduction of the 5th generation video iPod, I purchased my next Apple product less than a year later. Good job Jobs! Now the appeal is not only more space (30 Gb), I also got the ability to put video on my iPod.

Low and behold, the introduction of the iPhone! Steve really knew how to push my buttons. I was a cell phone "HO"...changing for the latest and greatest about every 6 to 9 months. So in less than 6 months from purchasing the iPod, I drop $400 for the new iPhone. Deep reflection on might part revealed why I change phones so often. First, there was never a great device for getting email...thus the move to products like Crackberry and Blackjack. Second, web browsing was a horrible experience on a small device that was very link based. Third, receiving information was primitive at best. Fourth, the keypad always took up too much real estate. Fifth, power consumption was always an issue. Sixth, I had to carry a separate device for music because the device either did not play it, power became an issue, or ease of putting music on the device was cumbersome.

The iPhone solved all of that for me. So it wasn't surprising that pulled the trigger on the opening day of MacWorld and pre-ordered the new MacBook Air. While SSD is rather expensive right now, the overall form factor of the Air is very SEXY!

Now getting back to the product adoption lifecycle. In less than 18 months, I have gone 3 and out, punted, and moved way to the left. I have never bought a technology purchase of this magnitude in this manner; sight unseen AND first gen!

Given all the problems with the current platform of Microsoft (virus attacks, ease of use, low innovation), I am expecting the Leopard OS to delight me!

I believe there is a vision and strategy at Apple that has been laid out and well executed to target the people just like me. Apple has brought the usage of the laptop a lot closer to allow Microsoft babies an easier transition to a newer platform. Proprietary and closed system didn't bode well 20 years ago, but given the developments in the last 5 years, I think it is definitely less of an issue today.

Watch for future updates as I will be posting more as I receive and open the product on or around Feb. 12!

Moving to the left

Who would have guessed that a kid raised on Microsoft products would
buy the newest MacBook the day of MacWorld? Well maybe that is
exactly what Steve Jobs has been planning.