I recently experienced something rare. My iMac wouldn’t work. It’s not that I haven’t seen my fair share of computer problems over the years but I’d never had an experience quite like this. I did a little research on the problem and it seemed as though I was going to need some help. I visited Apple’s support page and found that I could make a reservation for the Genius Bar. I made an appointment for the following morning at a local Apple store.
If you’ve never been inside an Apple store, you really should check one out sometime. It’s quite an experience. As I sat at the Genius Bar while a Genius looked at my machine I noticed that there was no checkout area. The store seemed to be separated into two sections. The first section was all products, the second section was empty tables and the Genius Bar. Sitting at the tables were Apple employees and customers. The tables were not covered in products due to being reserved for one-on-one lessons. It seemed like one-on-one lessons were a big hit because while I was there they were always occupied. Apple had clearly identified themselves as a business centered on products as well as services. Each of the Apple employees roaming the store had a handheld computer sticking out of their back pocket. It turned out that these small devices were used to sell people whatever they were buying. They were able to swipe a credit card and e-mail a receipt from anywhere in the store, thus, no need for a checkout area.
After an hour or so my computer was fixed. I bought the new operating system, which had recently been released for $29, and installed it right at the Genius Bar. The Genius who helped me made sure everything was working properly before I left the store. When I met my wife outside of the store she asked, “How much did all that just cost?” I replied, “I bought the new operating system for $29.” She was surprised that all of the help I had received hadn’t cost a thing. What was Apple thinking? How were they going to make any money if they weren’t going to charge me for the great help I had received? How could they afford to have empty tables taking up half of their retail space? I think they may be on to something. What made this experience rare was that I had started off worried about my broken iMac and moved to feeling as though I was in debt to Apple for the excellent experience they had given me. I liked being in their store. I didn’t mind waiting while my computer was inspected or while the new operating system was installed. I sat patiently, in awe of what a great experience they were providing. The lack of a checkout area made it seem as though there was no rush to make a purchase. People were lingering around the store playing with all the gadgets and observing the services being provided. Apple was creating customers just by providing an excellent experience. When a company goes the extra mile to create excellent products, which they provide excellent service for, all within an excellent experience I have to step back and let my jaw drop. For any company to create a great product is a challenge in this day and age. Keeping the customer happy about that product is growing more and more important. Customers can share their opinions about a product easily with millions of others using social media. The same goes for services.
The value of a product can easily be determined based on supply and demand, production costs and the perceived value given by the consumer. Identifying the value of the experience that surrounds a product is not as easy. Can you identify the difference between a great experience with a brand and an average experience with a brand? Identifying bad experiences is easy, and great experiences seem few and far between. The average experience is what many people get but I’m sure no brand strives for. Where are the lines that separate the bad from the average and the average from the great? I know that there is a lot of value in the experience I had with Apple. Experiencing their store, the quality of service they provide and their products has brought me to a level that I think all businesses want to bring their customers to. I’m grateful. I have moved beyond being simply a customer. I’m a fan. The experience that Apple provides me has caused me to cross the threshold of gratitude. I now feel that I owe Apple for these great experiences they’ve given me. I want to give them my business because they’ve proven that they deserve it.
In creating experiences, I strive to push the experience to the level where the people who take part in an experience cross that threshold. I strive to bring brands to the customer through great experiences. I act as an advocate for the people who take part in the experiences that our clients provide. I have seen business goals that are not aligned with customer goals cause experiences to never even get off the ground. I’ve seen simple experiences that did little to fulfill business goals, provide great value for the customer. I believe that great experiences are the fastest method to drive customers across the threshold of gratitude. While products and services may be a staple of society, experiences are becoming more and more important. I love working with companies that can accept that the experience of shopping for a product can be just as important as how well the product works. Businesses that provide great experiences will gain long-term customers. Apple and I are the proof.
