Can a company be too big? I ask this question, because as a Marketing Student about to graduate, I have been taught many things directed at managing, growing and running a business: Strategic Management, SWOT analysis, Marketing strategies, Accounting practices, consumer behavior, value-added activities, CRM and more. All these activities are directed for growth, profitability and to return value to the company’s stakeholders.
But can a company be too big? I ask this question, because last week I had an issue, an Apple issue. Yes I have an I-Phone, one of several Apple products my families owns: I-Pod, I-Phone 3, I-Phone 4S and Mac Book. And on Thursday, my 10-month I-Phone starting not holding its charge, it just started dying and I mean dead-dead, wouldn’t turn on. So like anything else I charged it. It took almost 2 hours to fully and was dead-dead within an hour. Something was wrong, so checked the website, did the backing-up, checking to see if apps were open, and more. Nothing resolved the issues.
So like anything I have a problem with, I take it back to where I purchased it. So early Friday morning I took it back to AT &T. But they couldn’t help me and told me to go to the nearest Apple Store which happened to be about 15 minutes away. Not bad, I had been there before to purchase my daughter’s MacBook. And it was only 9:50, still early in the morning so Michael at AT&T said to go now they were just about to open and shouldn’t be too busy yet. So I did. I got there 15 minutes later to find the store completely full. Lots of people shopping and I guess lots waiting for service.
After checking with an employee, I was told, they didn’t have any appointments until Tuesday, yes 4 days later. I could get an earlier appointment at the Lincoln Road Store on Miami Beach (about 1 hour away) on Sunday. Fine, except I had to work all weekend and didn’t really want to go an entire weekend without communication, especially since have 2 daughters away at school. So not fine. Of course if I wanted to purchase the new I-Phone 5 or any other Apple product, I probably would have been waited on very quickly.
I couldn’t understand this, I mean Apple is big, but so are other companies. Like Lexus. I am on my second Lexus in 15 years. And whenever I need service, I never have a problem. Sometimes if I know in advance and need to have service I make an appointment. But other times, my service is unplanned, you know like my phone. You’re driving and all of a sudden a strange sound comes from the engine (I hate strange sounds coming from the engine) or a light pops on the dash alerting you to a problem. So off to my Lexus dealership I go. After speaking with an advisor (sometimes after waiting a few minutes, after all I didn’t plan to be there), they will have the car checked out. Wow, no waiting 4 days to get an appointment. And guess what, they give me a loaner vehicle to use, so I am not stranded, not inconvenienced without a car. Hey, Transportation is important, but so is communication. Lexus knows that and has procedures and business processes that are customer-centric, focused around the customer, putting the customer experience first.
I have learned about customer-centric in my CRM class. Incidentally, I had worked on a group project analyzing and coming up with CRM Strategies for City Furniture. What our group found out was that City Furniture puts the customer and the customer experience FIRST. Why? Because City Furniture knows that if the customer experience is exceptional, they will become more loyalty, have “Top of Mind” to City Furniture when it comes to repeat purchases and will be a fan and tell others. After all, most repeat customers don’t always come back because of the product. We have learned that Brand loyalty is very multidimensional with psychological processes such as customer perceived value, brand trust, and customer satisfaction and repeat purchase behavior and commitment are key factors.
I am sure Apple knows this concept, after all, Apple has tremendous Brand Loyalty, and just as myself have many customers that own several Apple products or are even Apple diehards. However, when I purchase any of these products, I didn’t have to come back 4 days later and even wait too long to have someone assist us with the sale. So is Apple too big? Is Apple large enough to sell its products but too large to service them? I mean, Apple knows they have battery issues and have been having them for years as well as other issues with their devices. So why doesn’t Apple allocate more resources or develop processes to better serve its customers? Is it that Apple only cares about new customers, not the existing customers? Maybe their customer churn rate is low after all, customers salivating for the next new I-thing to come out. But I would think, after a time, people will get tired of the issues and purchasing expensive products that I-fail and don’t work as they should and seek alternatives. No company is invincible and without customers, it is hard to stay on top.
So is Apple too big? I don’t know. But it’s Monday and instead of studying for a final tonight. I was able to get a “reservation” aka appointment at the Apple store in Aventura (yes, driving all over Miami, at least my Lexus works) to get my phone looked at. Maybe my phone will be charged enough to make the trip 45 minute or more trip from Cutler Ridge to Aventure Mall. My fingers are crossed and maybe by the time I’m dressed and ready to leave my phone will be fully charged. After all my phone has been charging since 7:18 and it’s almost 9:00 am and the phone is only at 72% charged.
Hoping my apple doesn’t turn sour.
Eva Prada
eveofmarketing 