In Uni we have learned that if you cut out the middle man in your supply chain you are making more profit if you are the product manufacture / supplier and you can provide the product cheaper than your retailers (if you want to). Apple just does it, the price thing,  the other way around.

Today I was after an iPod classic with 120GB (actually just a little over 111GB net) to support my whole library as it has outgrown the older classic with 60GB. I was checking the Apple Online Store and found it there for AUD $ 339. As Apple is pretty strict with their price dictation to resellers I thought I would be able to buy it at officeworks or Harvey Norman for the same price or a little more expensive.

After arriving at Officeworks today I was wondering that the device was actually 11 Dollars cheaper than buying it at the Apple Online Store.

Bottom Line: You get a device cheaper at the retailer that has to buy it from Apple first off, that has to get his margin out of it and has to pay for staff and store retail space and so on. So imagine what apple is making out of it without having these kind of costs. Well done. The Online Store experience for some might be worth the additional buck, not for me.

Anybody watched the keynote from Mr. Steve ‘I am the best presenter in the world’ Jobs last night, announced  as a special event with the them “let’s rock”? As we know Apple already from the last couple of years after the iPod success, September is the time to present a new line up for the iPod family that is currently based around 4 types of iPods and their variations plus the iTunes Application. So what have we heard from Steve’s in his presentation (that i will have another “Learn from others” post about shortly):

• New iPod Nano with “real” shuffle capabilities where you need to shake the iPod to get a new order in 9 colour themes and more an upright look with positioning sensor (like iPod Touch and iPhone)
• Updated iTunes with a little lipstik and a Genius functionality (creates Playlists based on your Library and listening habits)
• Big iPod Classic 160GB is completly going away where i beted on an even bigger version, but there is now only one iPod Classic with 120 GB (the flat version)
• iPod Touch got a slimmer appearanc, a microphone and a loudspeaker to get something in front of your peers in the  subway or bus
• Software update 2.1 has been announced without greater detail (longer battery life and more stability) which is available for iPhone and iPod touch ($9.95 for non 2.0 upgrader) on Friday this week.
• Prices have been reduced a little and by far not as much to compensate the “cheaper” iPhone

That was it. Probably again a very interesting presentation from the “How to do a great presentation” but not from its content. The Rumours have expected far more out there and usually Apple is always good for a surprise, but this time no sensation and nothing ecouraging to spend more money on gadgets than already.

What Do you think, whats coming up next and how do you perceive the new Nano?

and again, what to learn from Apple.

After another great keynote from Apple’s CEO yesterday in the US, where he presented the new iPod Nano and some other refreshed stuff, which didnt kick me off the chair (German saying), i just had a customer experience with them.
I got an iTunes GiftCard from a mate of mine, and by juddering the seal the numbers and characters that you need to type into iTunes to redeem the Dollars got totally unreadable or least scratched in away that ‘8′ could be perceived as ‘B’ and ‘Z’ as a ‘7′ and so on. So by typing the wrong number three times by trying different combinations i got a message telling me that Customer Support will contact me.
Amy* (*name changed by Author) got in touch with me and we had a short personal (at least perceived like this) email conversation to resolve the problem.
The outstanding, never like this so far experienced, characteristics have been the following

• personal name as sender
• personal mails by replying to my arguments and wishes
• must have been a part time employee as she managed her office times to be considered when expecting a reply
• the issue was solved and information given was very clear

the above mentioned items are for me perceived as how the apple brand has and is been perceived in the market, attention to detail and absolutely customer centric and oriented.
Whether actually three support staff have been involved or one Amy*, which technically wouldnt have been a problem, doesnt interest me, as the perception is what counts.
Thank you Apple.

Two days later a customer survey with the following 6 simple questions (took me 2 minutes, as multiple choice).

• Overall, how satisfied were you with your recent support experience?
• Was your issue resolved by AppleCare Email support?
• Agree or disagree: Apple’s response(s) to my emails were timely.
• Apple’s email responses were relevant to my question?
  I feel like Apple’s support team understood my problem?
  The email(s) I received from Apple were clear and easy to read?
  The instructions I received from Apple were simple to follow?
• We read all customer comments. If you have any compliments, suggestions, or
  complaints to share , we invite you to use the box below:
• How likely are you to recommend Apple email support to friends or colleagues who
  might have questions?

Bottom line, i agreed with everything beside the response times of mails due to the perceived parttime role fact. What about other customer satisfaction experiences out there? Something similar recognized or even better?