{"id":70,"date":"2017-11-28T05:54:06","date_gmt":"2017-11-28T13:54:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hengreamaze.wordpress.com\/2017\/11\/28\/why-apple-is-best-when-it-comes-to-understanding-customers\/"},"modified":"2023-09-01T00:02:36","modified_gmt":"2023-09-01T07:02:36","slug":"why-apple-is-best-when-it-comes-to-understanding-customers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reamaze.com\/blog\/why-apple-is-best-when-it-comes-to-understanding-customers\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Apple is Best When it Comes to Understanding Customers"},"content":{"rendered":"

A look at why Apple\u2019s iPhone X will continue to excel amidst a smartphone revolution.<\/p>\n

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Image Source: DigitalTrends.com<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1. Empathy\u200a\u2014\u200aWe will truly understand their [customer] needs better than any other company.<\/em><\/p>\n

2. Focus\u200a\u2014\u200aIn order to do a good job of the things we decide to do, we must eliminate all of the unimportant opportunities.<\/em><\/p>\n

3. Impute\u200a\u2014\u200aPeople DO judge a book by its cover. We may have the best product, the highest quality, the most useful software, etc.; if we present them in a slipshod manner, they will be perceived as slipshod; if we present them in a creative, professional manner, we will impute the desired qualities.<\/em><\/p>\n

These are the 3 pillars of Apple\u2019s business, product, and marketing philosophy.<\/p>\n

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By now we\u2019ve probably all held and have watched reviews of Cupertino\u2019s latest and greatest. The 10th generation (or 11th or 12th depending on how you count) iPhone X. But let\u2019s get one thing out of the way first: the iPhone X is not a flagship phone of all phones; it\u2019s Apple\u2019s flagship phone. And that\u2019s where Apple really wins. The iPhone X isn\u2019t a phone for everyone because there are truly greater phones out there like the OnePlus 5T, the Google Pixel 2 XL, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, and the list goes on. It doesn\u2019t even nearly compare in terms of features or technology. And while the iPhone X isn\u2019t a \u201cgreat\u201d phone in terms of specs (or is it<\/a>), much can be said about it being a \u201cbetter\u201d experiential phone than any of the competitors.<\/p>\n

There are now over an estimated 85.8 million iPhone owners<\/a> aged 13 and older in the United States, based on a three-month average ending December 2016.\u200a\u2014\u200acomScore MobiLens\u00a0Plus.<\/em><\/p>\n

Apple\u2019s understanding of its core customer base is lightyears ahead of its competitors like Samsung, Huawei, or even Google. Actually<\/em>, \u201cunderstanding\u201d is a underestimation of the right word. A lot of companies understand what it takes to achieve the same thing, but they haven\u2019t put in the long term investments necessary to execute. For example, building teams, factories, pipelines, to produce the perfect product. They\u2019ve invested a lot of upfront effort to get to where they are and it\u2019s a real moat that is hard to bridge.<\/p>\n

We all know that while others compete with (and make fun of) Apple on technology like processor speed, memory capacity, screen resolution, and battery, Apple brushes those aside and continues on an upgrade path unique to itself and its customers. To understand Apple and its philosophy, one doesn\u2019t need to venture much farther than its retail stores. From the immaculate layout of store designs to its layout of product lineups and from its uniform dress code to exemplary customer service, one can really see and feel how much of a people-company Apple really is. The same can\u2019t be said about Samsung, Huawei, or Google.<\/p>\n

\"\"It\u2019s important to note that iOS market share is represented by one device family, the iPhone while Android market share is represented by more than 20 device families from dozens of manufacturers.<\/span><\/figure>\n

There are now more than 700 million iPhones currently in use worldwide.\u200a\u2014\u200aBMO Capital\u00a0Markets<\/em><\/p>\n

Being a people-company isn\u2019t easy (which is also an underestimation). It takes decades of long term analysis, planning, and execution with pinpoint accuracy. You see, unlike Samsung or Huawei, Apple does not see its devices as devices but rather individual pieces in a much larger pattern of your life\u2019s work and your family\u2019s life work. Its devices don\u2019t just encapsulate a fragment of what you do from day to day but is designed to be a continuum. And when you buy an Apple product, it\u2019s Apple\u2019s responsibility to make sure your loved ones including your spouse, children, parents, and grandparents share an equal responsibility in carrying on that continuum. These are insanely lofty goals for any company and Apple is the only company that I know of that can do it so well at so much scale.<\/p>\n

iPhone is the most popular smartphone in both the United States<\/a> and the world<\/a>.\u200a\u2014\u200aKantar Worldpanel and IHS\u00a0Markit<\/em><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take another look at Samsung. It\u2019s a powerhouse of a company. But even as Apple\u2019s largest competitor, it doesn\u2019t nearly have enough of a story. Who is Samsung? To many Apple evangelists, that was Steve Jobs and now, Tim Cook. What other products does Samsung produce? Outside of refrigerators and maybe the Samsung Gear smartwatch, you\u2019d be hard-pressed to easily identify another Samsung product. Where do you go for Samsung support? Another mind-bender. The list goes on. It\u2019s much easier to say that Samsung\u2019s Galaxy Note 8 is a greater phone because of the specifications than it is to say the Samsung family of products offers a better experience than Apple\u2019s.<\/p>\n


\nExperiences (of all types) matter<\/strong><\/h2>\n

They do. And Apple understands this better than anyone. While Android operating systems vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and from year to year, Apple\u2019s iOS is unremarkably similar with every generation and in every device. That same experience carries through its entire product lineup from iPads to Macbooks and from Apple TVs to Apple Watches. But interface-interaction and physical-interaction experiences are just the beginning. The purchasing, shipping, customer support, developer support, returns, and retail store experiences are consistent as well, never deviating from a path often traveled on. This is, in no small part, a result of Apple\u2019s understanding of its customer base. With over 700 million iPhones in use today, the iOS experience becomes sacred. Because, you know, your grandparents\u2019 experiences matter too.<\/p>\n

Takeaway: Don\u2019t just focus on the core experience your product offers. Think about your customers\u2019 entire experience from marketing to post sales support.<\/p>\n


\nEcosystems matter<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Apple\u2019s ecosystem is most often referred to as the iTunes Apps Store. It\u2019s ecosystem of cross device and cross platform apps with family sharing is also just tip of the iceberg. Once you take into account of Apple\u2019s iMessage, FaceTime, iCloud (with photo and document sharing), Music, Movies, and even Airdrop, this ecosystem extends far beyond just apps. It\u2019s an ecosystem for your friends and family. It\u2019s rare to see a company this devoted to making sure you and your family stay together. And while Apple isn\u2019t perfect, it\u2019s far more perfect than Samsung or Huawei.<\/p>\n

The only other contender in this respect is Google with its full suite of Google apps. However, Google\u2019s ecosystem, while plentiful, are not as refined as Apple\u2019s. Moving from device to device is not fluid. The robustness of Apple\u2019s ecosystem is controlled tightly by Apple because<\/em><\/strong> it has far-reaching understanding of its user base\u200a\u2014\u200athat Apple devotees want to be limited in what they can do because it\u2019s simpler, safer, more reliable, and guaranteed to work. It\u2019s always easier to be able to do more (more tech, more features, more apps, more of everything) than it is to do more with less.<\/p>\n

Takeaway: Your customers don\u2019t always want more features. They want refinement, consolidation, consistency, and being able to more with less. Building your product (whether digital or physical) depends on your ability to decipher what\u2019s core and what\u2019s fluff.<\/p>\n


\nNone are too far removed from the previous generation<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Apple exhibits a level of control, self-regulation, and simplicity that is difficult to grasp and understand. We already know that Apple excels because it controls its software and hardware but Apple\u2019s success must be measured by looking beyond code, algorithms, and design. Many claim that hardcore Apple fans merely overlook Apple\u2019s shortcomings because they\u2019re fans. What many don\u2019t seem to understand is why Apple fans are fans in the first place. Apple\u2019s marketing is one of tradition, lifestyle, and a dedication to one company\u2019s (and many one person\u2019s) philosophy. And no matter how people try to paint Apple as a \u201creligion<\/a>\u201d, it simply isn\u2019t. It\u2019s a world class company that understands its user base, markets to them effectively, and creates consistent products that align to each and every one of their needs.<\/p>\n

Apple represents a stark contrast to other tech companies like Google or Samsung. Apple is a company with an identity and personality. These traits might not be loved by all but certainly loved and revered by many. If you ask individuals who love their phones like iJustine, I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll get more than what you asked for.<\/p>\n

Takeaway: Find a philosophy, stick to it with all you go, and attract a loyal fanbase who agrees with that philosophy. You\u2019re not trying to sell your product to the whole world but maybe, just maybe, the whole world will somehow agree with you in the end.<\/p>\n