Apple customer service

My friend took his 24’’ iMac to the Apple store a week ago. They called, saying the problem was corrected two days later. For free. That same day he brought his shattered iPhone 4 to the store with him, mentioned it was broken, showed the Apple employee. He walked out with a brand new iPhone 4. For free. The story isn’t over.

Upon arriving home, excited about his newly fixed computer, he set up all the software, ready to start his homework. To his dismay, the error remained and the computer was not fixed at all. Frustrated, he took the 24” iMac back to the Apple store, seeking a new solution to his computer’s issue. A total of $1,700 dollars of repairs took place, completely covered by Apple. He smiled, walking to his car finally thinking his computer would work properly. He almost made it to his car when the Apple employee called, asking him to come back. Nervously, he walked back into the store, unsure of what would happen next.

Since they had sent him home with an incorrectly fixed computer and still couldn’t quite fix the problem, they decided to give him the new 27” iMac, with the titanium body. For free.

This is not the only story of Apple going above and beyond for their customers. Apple customer service is designed to make the customer feel special, like they are the only person to receive this kind of treatment. It is all part of their marketing strategy. Guess what? It is working. Their exceptional customer service sets them apart from other technology-centered companies who only want your money. Apple wants your loyalty. As far as public relations goes, Apple is doing very well. These seemingly small gestures of service are bringing customers back. They admit there is an issue in one of the generations or series of devices and they mend the problem for free. They admit it early, and whenever an unhappy customer brings an error to their attention, they keep the device, whether it is the iPhone or iMac to determine if all the iPhones created in the same week or month have the same problem. By doing so, they establish a very trustworthy relationship with their customer and when they enter a new product into the market, they don’t have to look very far for a target audience. They already have one formed, waiting for their next big thing.

It is so brilliant. All companies should learn from Apple.