I have fun routine here on my MacBook Pro when I want to crank out a blog post. I crank up the Parallels Desktop and start up Windows Live Writer which promptly crashes. Start it up again life is good, blog away. I’m used to it. It didn’t do this before but something changed and that’s my new routine.
We are all used to this CTL-ALT-DEL, 404 error, Blue Screen of Death, Spinning Ball, world of ‘personal computers’.
Now consider the evolution of your phone experience.
That phone on your desk or the phone you (might still) have at home. When you pick it up: Dial tone. Always. Lots of people in offices pick up the handset and, without putting it to their ear, start pounding numbers on the keypad. Why? Dial Tone. Always there and just expected.
Fast forward to your mobile phone. Most people (mainstream, not you my friends the geeks, wonks, etc) just expect it work. When it doesn’t, people get seriously angry. As more and more of your digital life moves onto the phone, the tolerance for mistakes is going to get even less. Tons of opportunities exist when expectations start high and aren’t being met by the mainstream players.
That mobile phone is truly your up close and personal computer.
Enjoy your weekend.
Dude, you're still on that soapbox? You were talking about this 10 years ago... not that I disagree or anything.
Posted by: Ron | July 25, 2009 at 10:22
Ahh, yup. It continues to amaze me that this is still timely.
Posted by: rick segal | July 25, 2009 at 10:30
I upgraded my iPhone 3G to a 32GB 3GS last month. Rogers did the right thing and charged me the "new customer" fee. Only $299. Kudos to them. Yesterday I was showing a friend who owns a BlackBerry what the 3GS can do (fast maps, fast compass, dead-simple tethering, etc.) when I dropped it on the table of the diner we were at. Last night a small interior crack in the display showed up. This morning at 8:30am I went online at Apple, found the Yorkdale store, signed up for an appointment at 9:40am and then finished reading my morning paper (I always end with the comics).
I arrive at the Apple Store and exactly on time the technician Dexter listens to me for 30 seconds and says they'll replace the screen and I can come back in 45 minutes to pick up my phone. No further questions. No cost. It just happened. I guess he listened to what I said and felt it was probably a manufacturing defect that made it susceptible to cracking from such a small drop (which is what I felt...I drop-kicked my 3G many times...out of clumsiness, not anger, and it only resulted in a few scratches).
Observations:
1. Great customer service as compared to ANY industry.
2. No other phone vendor can touch this service.
3. I'm glad I have some of my retirement savings in Apple stock.
...Neil
P.S. A few months ago my daughter did drop-kick her 3G while running down the street and shattered the screen. That one was a no-argument she-pays-for-it, but again the replacement was done in 15 minutes. I know from other manufacturer phone replacements that Rogers sends the new unit "within 5 business days" (and are actually faster) and that you can get loaner phones, but a replacement with a new unit within 15 minutes? Have I said already that I'm glad I have some of my retirement savings in Apple stock?
Posted by: Neil Wainwright | July 25, 2009 at 14:43
I know that this is not related to the point you were trying to make, but your post made me think that the behavior on the mobile phones is different than what is expected with landlines... When picking up a landline, I expect to hear a dialtone before I start punching in the numbers - or at least I press talk before dialing. On the mobile, I punch the numbers and then press send... Different user behavior, conditioned by usage.
I wonder how kids make calls on landline these days, do they press talk before entering the number, or do they just punch in the numbers and then press talk?
On another note, I received a call from my 3 year old nephew the other day - how did he do it? He simply clicked on my photo on Skype... His notion of a phone call is way different than mine. Phone numbers are so "2000 and late".
Posted by: Marc | July 26, 2009 at 11:02
Telephones have had over 100 years to mature. Trust me, 20 years in you were lucky to get a hold of the operator. It's also a device that works on just two copper wires. :)
Posted by: Josh Einstein | July 27, 2009 at 22:06