During the first day of BlogWorld Expo, there was a lot of talk from panelists about how companies need to listen to their customers, and engage in conversations. This philosophy was hammered home throughout the day, including a lunchtime conversation between Kara Swisher and Scott Monty, who heads up social media for Ford Motor Co.
It seems that all the major brands are getting into the listening and engagement business with one big exception: Apple. For all the excitement about how social media can have a huge impact on communications, marketing, sales and customer service, Apple continues to happily sit on the sidelines.
The question is: why? For a company seemingly in tune with what its customers want and need, Apple doesn’t seem to be listening or engaging with its customers. Maybe, it doesn’t need to do it because sales are so strong. Perhaps Apple is relying on its customers to engage on its behalf on social media.
Regardless of the reason, it is frustrating that Apple isn’t involved with social media like many other companies. Since buying a new MacBook about a month ago, I’ve used Twitter to kvetch about some problems (the inability to insert a CD, a battery that cacks out after a couple of hours).
Many other companies would have been activity monitoring mentions of their brands on Twitter, and then reached out to deal with the problem – not Apple, which clearly marches to the beat of its own drum.
What do you think? Is Apple taking the wrong approach?
Below is the Twitter account for twitter.com/apple. It looks like Apple doesn’t even own it, let alone use it.
Most companies listen to what their customers want and then sell it to them, but Apple has always believed they know better than the customers do and sell them things they never knew they wanted. This produces a combination of innovation and hubris.
"It took us three years to build the NeXT computer. If we'd given customers what they said they wanted, we'd have built a computer they'd have been happy with a year after we spoke to them – not something they'd want now." —Steve Jobs
Apple also produced the iPod when people were using Discmans and Walkmans, and produced the iPhone when everyone thought a smartphone had to have a keyboard and a crappy web browser.
Good question! Perhaps understanding is the key more than listening? I would vote for this proposal: "Perhaps Apple is relying on its customers to engage on its behalf on social media" because it is probably the most efficient way.
Another one from Steve Jobs: "You can't just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they'll want something new."
Hi Mark,
While I disagree with your strategy to bait Apple on Twitter, you raise a compelling point about the company's absence in social media. I'm inclined to feel that it is their sales numbers and general positive hype that have deemed social media a non-essential part of their communication agenda.
From a brand identity standpoint, Apple has always been shrouded in secrecy. Think of Steve Jobs at the AGMs revealing new mind-blowing products to a cult-like following. Employees are notoriously quiet about the brand and any leaking of information about new products.
Apple is praised for making products that are intuitive and providing customer care that is consistent. Maybe they just haven't needed social media so far?
That doesn't mean they won't soon enough. I'm curious to see if the company's lack of online presence will later come back and bite them.
Thanks for the comments. I think it might be interested to learn about how Apple does listen to consumers – what they want and what they need.
I'm with fake steve on this one.
http://www.fakesteve.net/2009/10/news-flash-we-do…
Apparently we don't try hard enough to make people like us on Facebook and MySpace and Twitter. So says someone at the Industry Standard. You know what? Guilty as charged. I want nothing to do with social media. I wish they had something called anti-social media. Now that I would join.
Apple's success is very much about controlling every aspect of the customer experience. They won't start using Social Media until they can do so with the same aplomb as all their other touchpoints. (Do I get extra points for getting some french in there?)
Apple produces products that people cannot articulate they need but really appreciate. This is called innovation….also known in marketing circles as addressing latent needs…things people want (or want to buy once they know about them) but cannot outline them in a focus group. Imagine people saying I want a VCR before it was offered to the market? Not a chance. Same for iTunes, iPhone etc.
Talking to customers is very useful for customer satisfaction or feedback on something that exists. It is virtually useless in seeking specific information for new products.
Do not think Apple is not listening…my guess they are listening and listening everywhere including social media. They may be responding to specific issues or customer complaints. That is for a customer service function not product innovation.