Convenient must know easy

For those of us iPhone users the much anticipated iTunes Wi-Fi Music store became an available download today. Like everything Apple when I went to sync my iPhone all of the necessary software automatically downloaded perfectly.

Within minutes I was on the iTunes music store sampling and yes.... buying music.

That's when it hit me. Not only was it convenient to do (I am rarely without iPhone in hand), but it was easy. The interface was intuitive to understand and unlike other cell phone companies it didn't require a manual to understand. In fact, my iPhone didn't even come with an owners manual because its so intuitive.

But we will save intuitive for another day. Today convenient and easy are intersecting.

Remember back when you were shopping with your mom at the grocery store? What was the best part (besides the cereal isle)? --Of course it was the checkout. That is when you could talk her into getting some candy. It was convenient--the candy was right there. And it was easy--simply put it on the belt with all the rest of the food.

Welcome to the essence of a quick and repeated sale.

When convenient meets easy you have a happy customer, a repeat customer, and a viral customer. If its easy to buy your product, people will happily buy and buy and buy. Then they will tell their friends to do the same.

Look at what happens when convenient doesn't know easy. Take cigarettes for example. They are convenient--right behind the cashier. But not easy--you have to show your ID. But that works perfect for that product.

And when easy exists all on its own. There is a take and bake pizza place in my city, but its on the other side of town. It's easy to order when I get there, just not convenient--so I don't get there very much.


Here is an idea for you...

Do you make it Convenient to oder or re-order your product?
-A website, an 800 number, or a fax number.

And if you do--great! But now how easy is to use those methods?
-Is the website confusing?
-The 800 number buried on the order form.
-A fax number that is always jammed.

Convenient must know easy, and easy should have convenient on speed dial. As for me--I am back on the iTunes Wi-Fi site where easy and convenient are on a honeymoon in the repeat sale islands

tags technorati : Creativity Customer Service iTunes Wi Fi Music Store iPhone Easy Convenient

Inspiration

A blog posting inspired by Jessica Hagy.

Technorati Tags: The Perfect Job creativity

rev-uh-loo-shuh-ner-ee /part deux

Can revolutionary be in the eye of the beholder?

Take the iPhone for example. It is not a revolutionary product.

Prior to the iPhone you could use a mobile phone to text, send email, hear voicemail, surf the web, and view your contacts, etc. No big deal. But if all (or almost all) of the features of the iPhone were available on other phones why were mobile companies so afraid when Apple announced it was joining the fray?

Because they have a history of taking ordinary products and making the use of the product revolutionary.

Before iPhone using all these features were difficult. I had a web-enabled phone and never used the web feature. I didn't know how, and couldn't figure out how to navigate within it.

What makes the iPhone a market changing device is Apple's approach to make the interface revolutionary.

Here's and idea for you...
If your company isn't in the habit of making revolutionary products, they can stand out by making revolutionary processes. If you sell widgets just like five or six other competitors why not make your order process the simplest?
That's revolutionary in the customers eye.

To be revolutionary you need to question the norms of your market. Then you need to make the norm the simplest, easiest, fastest.

Now watch your competitor's customers question why it should be so difficult to do business with them and not your company.

Technorati Tags: Creativity Customer Service Differentiation

Changing the rules

Remember when you were on the playground as a kid. It never seemed to fail, there was always one kid that changed the rules when they weren't winning.

You could never win. The rules kept changing.

So what happens when Apple decides that they priced the iPhone too high?

They changed the rules. They said--now its $399.

But wait. What about all of those early adopters that spent $599, not but a few months ago?

Did they just get trumped by the big machine? I think Apple was right in changing the price. $599 was high, but I don't they were right in their timing. Apple was the company that taught us $349 was the right price for music in our pocket. They were also the same company that said you should get what you pay for. So-- to have the internet, phone, ipod, YouTube, etc. in your pocket will cost you.

They just did the price decrease too soon.

Technorati Tags: Apple iPhone $399 Customer Retention Positioning

rev-uh-loo-shuh-ner-ee

adjective, noun, plural -ar·ies.
–adjective
1. of, pertaining to, characterized by, or of the nature of a revolution, or a sudden, complete, or marked change: a revolutionary junta.
2. radically new or innovative; outside or beyond established procedure, principles, etc.: a revolutionary discovery.

I heard this term used in the hallway today and it caught my attention. 

Revolutionary....

What have you done that was revolutionary lately?

What has your company done that was revolutionary?

Is revolutionary anything we strive for anymore?

Is revolutionary possible?

Who dictates something as revolutionary?

Can the market accept revolutionary products, or are we bound to mediocrity?

These are some questions floating in my head. Please post your answers in the comments area.

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