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| Author | Letters to Apple (Read 38536 times) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Minimalist
128 MB  Posts: 186 
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on: March 12, 2008, 22:31
A thought just occurred to me. I had been an Apple "fanboy" for about a decade, losing interest in Apple sometime around 2002. It occurred to me however, that I had never sent a letter, email, or fax to Apple. I recall reading a little snippet in an old copy of Mac Addict magazine where they suggested sending a letter or email to Apple as something to do. I never ever did though. I was always happy with what Apple was doing and took the position that the best way to show your appreciation is to say nothing. So that's what I did -- I said nothing. There was another company however, that I was not at all happy with. I took the position that if a company sucks that bad, they really need to know. So I sent that company a boatload of faxes. lol! I was just thinking about that. I don't know why, but it just popped into my head. I always viewed Aple as being the cat's meow and I saw no reason to interrupt that beautiful music. This other company I viewed as the cat's turd, and I saw no reason not to tell them that they were stinking up the joint. 
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Lichen Software
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128 MB Posts: 252 
Reply #1 on: March 13, 2008, 02:35
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I don't think you are that out of the ordinary. I develop software, usually one ups for companies and organizations. If something is wrong, I hear about it immediately. Otherwise, I just do not hear anything. If you want to do something different, tell them when they do something right. It builds them up. If it is company that has done something really stellar, write them a testimonial. You do not know how it helps the good guys when someone is willing totell people right up front that they are the good guys. Dave
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Minimalist
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128 MB Posts: 186
Reply #2 on: March 13, 2008, 04:18
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Quote from: "Lichen Software" I don't think you are that out of the ordinary. I develop software, usually one ups for companies and organizations. If something is wrong, I hear about it immediately. Otherwise, I just do not hear anything. How do you respond to what you hear from your customers? Do you respond? Do you suck in the praise and dismiss the complaints as rubbish? Do you feed your customers a load of bullcrap? Quote
That takes too much time and effort. I don't feel that a company should be rewarded for simply doing what is expected of them. I think a company has to go beyond what is expected of them in order to be worthy of praise. In my view, if a company only aspires to the lowest common denominator, then they are only offering what is expected or marginally better or worse than what is expected of them. And in those circumstances, the very fact that you're even willing to do business with them is praise enough. I'm not saying that companies should be required to go the extra mile, but it's a bit ridiculous to expect praise for having done little or nothing.
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Minimalist
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128 MB Posts: 186
Reply #3 on: March 13, 2008, 04:23
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On a similar note, it can appear patronizing and insulting to receive praise for having done little or nothing. At least that's how I feel when I'm praised for having done little or nothing. I was once praised for making toast, believe it or not. I was greatly insulted by it. 
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Yeti
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16 MB Posts: 20
Reply #4 on: March 13, 2008, 06:57
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I agree that if a developer is playing it safe and only doing what is expected, they deserve no praise. If they are under performing they sould know that we have taken notice. In numbers, it might scare them to rise at least back to thier normal level of performance. If a company is willing to take risks, to innovate, and perform above the publics high expectation... there's no shame in showing your appreciation. Isn't that why we're all Apple fans?
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Minimalist
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128 MB Posts: 186
Reply #5 on: March 13, 2008, 08:09
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I agree with everything you have said except the part about the public having high expectations. I went to a franchise retailer and bought some stationery and the dimwitted broad at the checkout wasn't even going to put my purchase in a bag. I don't think it's too much to expect the cashier to place your purchase in a bag for you so that it's easier to carry. I normally say thank you when I purchase something... but I didn't on this occasion. I don't find that the public generally has high expectations of any business. I think the public does expect to get what they pay for though. I think the public also expects a business to do as they say they will.
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Lichen Software
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128 MB Posts: 252
Reply #6 on: March 13, 2008, 11:31
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Actually, in one up software, the customers have "low expectations". You would be amazed at how many clients I have dealt with that have had a "software Development Failure" that has cost them big bucks and really raised their paranoya. As for how I deal with customers: 1. Don't even start if you do not know what you are doing. You are beter to turn down work than to mess up work. 2. If you are not sure, go the prototype root. Know you are both speaking the same language before you start. It takes some time, but a little time now is much better than a lot of time later. 3. Report, Report, Report. Generally I bill twice a month and report at least that often. At key points in development, I may be on the phone with the client hourly shuffling files back and forth. 4. Respond to complaints as quickly as you can and with great courtesy. There is a great fear factor on the part of the customer on the possiblity of being abandoned. I do not let it happen. 5. Personal here - I do not carry a cell phone. If I am in meeting with clients or on site either adding features or doing remedial work, they have my full attention. Everyone else can hurry up and wait. It may seem harsh, but then the client knows that it is just them at this moment. When they get your answering machine at another time, they know you will get to them and it will be just them again. 6. Try to build it within the skill set of the client for deployment and maintenance. There are probably others. There is an old saying ... The difference between and emergency and an annoyance is about 20 minutes.
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Minimalist
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128 MB Posts: 186
Reply #7 on: March 13, 2008, 22:16
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Quote from: "Lichen Software" Actually, in one up software, the customers have "low expectations". I have always found that if you can somehow lower people's expectations to a level that they wouldn't otherwise be, you can receive great praise for doing even a half-assed job. Quote
I agree. Particularly on the "courtesy" part. Reality doesn't always allow for a prompt response, but there's no excuse for a rude or insulting response. Quote
There's a drawback to doing that as well: The client doesn't know that you're doing it. There's the risk that your client gets the impression that you have no other clients. A couple of things can happen in that situation. 1) The client could find hiself questioning why you don't appear to have any other work and reconsider whether he should be doing business with you. 2) The client, thinking you have no other work and really need his business, will exploit the situation in order to get as much as possible for as little as possible.
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Lichen Software
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128 MB Posts: 252
Reply #8 on: March 14, 2008, 03:16
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My clients know that I don't use a cell phone. I do use email extensively. That drives some nuts. They need instant gratification that comes from me wearing a leash. I told them I would carry a cell phone or even a beeper if they wanted ... on one condition ... they pay me for every hour it is on. When you are in a meeting a cell phone is just impolite. It is like call waiting ... Last one in is first one served. If you are on site where they have just managed to totally crash a system, you don't want to divert your concentration for one second. The first order of business is to find out exactly what they did. The second order of business is to fix it and have them back in business. The third order of business is then to see who has been trying to get a hold of you. And as you are headed back to the office anyway, it can wait until you get there. It does not happen often. Usually when there have been power failures at places that are not running uninteruptible power supplies.
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Minimalist
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128 MB Posts: 186
Reply #9 on: March 14, 2008, 08:08
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Quote from: "Lichen Software"
Yeah, I know a local business that is about to experience a power failure. They think they're almighty and powerful... They're about to get reminded that they're NOTHING!
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Lichen Software
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128 MB Posts: 252
Reply #10 on: March 14, 2008, 20:26
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Oh, even if they are slow learners, they do learn. I had a client go thorugh this. They had been cavalier about both backup and power supply protection. I had to recover their files as best as could be done. Rebuild the balance of the data. Then do mass imports and replaces in a new file set from a saved golden master. I billed the work. Now there is an uninterruptible power supply and backups are done regularly. This is a problem more with smaller clients than larger ones. Larger ones have either an IT staff in place or contracted IT support. They don't let these things happen as a general rule. Don't get me wrong. I really like my clients. Someone once told me never to work for anyone that you would not enjoy having dinner with. It is a good rule and I try to follow it. But, I make it clear that I am not their IT department and sometimes they don't want to listen.
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Lichen Software
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128 MB Posts: 252
Reply #11 on: March 14, 2008, 20:38
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Back on Topic Concerning telling people they are doing something right: People do not always know where they are going in business. Telling them they are wrong is directionless. It basically says "Don't Go There". Telling them, when they are right helps them steer in the right direction. Concerning Testimonials and Referrals: Testimonials are not to make them feel good. Testimonials are to give them an edge. When you are out hunting for a poduct or a service, especially one you have not purchased before, you do not know who the good guys and the bad guys are. Sometimes people are really really good at hiding just how nasty they really are. Referrals from known sources and written testimonials on letterhead that can be backtracked cut through that crap. As a buyer, either in the business to business market or in the consumer market, I have a vested interest in seeing the good guys stick around and prosper and the bad guys fall by the wayside. That will just make my life that much easier and happier. I don't say prosper lightly. If whatever they do does not pay, they will quit doing it and I won't be able to buy it when I need it, whether it be a good or a service. So I lose too in the end.
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Minimalist
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128 MB Posts: 186
Reply #12 on: March 14, 2008, 21:57
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I hate being fed a bullcrap rationalization. If they say they're going to do something, I expect them to do what they said they were going to do. I don't want to hear that their employees misunderstood the direction they were given from management. I can't accept that such a "misunderstanding" somehow managed to slip through the cracks and manifest itself in all of their marketing materials without notice. I can't accept that no one noticed the "misunderstanding" or attempted to correct the "misunderstanding" until it was pointed out by a member of the public that the company was lying through its teeth. That kind of logic just doesn't fly with me.
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Minimalist
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128 MB Posts: 186
Reply #13 on: March 14, 2008, 22:55
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Quote from: "Lichen Software"
It's not my job to direct people in the conduct of their business. If they don't know what they're doing, they shouldn't be in business. It's that simple. Quote
It's not directionless. It's a clear indication that they're going in the wrong direction. It's not the job of the public to tell a business which direction to go in. They have "educated" (but typically stupid) people in management positions that are paid to figure that out. Management is supposed to pick up on the clues that the public doesn't want what they're offering and try something different. The only responsibility of the public is to know what they like and don't like, buy what they want and reject what they don't want, and just be the "unwashed" masses that the corporate juggernaut expects them to be. I take great exception to being told that I must like something however. If I don't like something, I'm going to bloody well say so. Quote
That's not my job! They're supposed to be able to figure that out on their own. If management can't figure it out, well, off with their heads. lol! Quote
I can appreciate that. Although there are instances where it's not possible for the bad guys to falter. Sometimes people are forced to accept the bad guys or simply go without. This is usually due to vile things like "protectionism" or anti-competitive practices that severely limit the choices of consumers. And I take the position that when you can't go elsewhere, your only choice is your voice. That is, you have to exercise your constitutionally guaranteed right to free speech and speak out against what you believe is wrong.
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Yeti
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16 MB Posts: 20
Reply #14 on: March 15, 2008, 20:35
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Just goes to show that being a good business person is alot like being a good friend, or lover. With obvious exceptions. The keys are honesty, good listening skills, and even better communication skills.
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