Steve Jobs died last week. How not to talk about the Genious CEO of one of the most successful brand ever, marketingly speaking?

After consulting and reading some of my classmate’s blogs,I decided to share my opinion relating to Kevin Chuahiock’s blogpost “Complete Image Change” (https://blogs.ubc.ca/chuahiock/2011/09/19/complete-image-change/).

He greatly analyzed the shift in Apple’s marketing, from a “Mac versus PC” technology-based stats advertising strategy to a more self-centered “Mac is the new hip thing and if you don’t have it you’re old fashioned” one. But I think we can go further: Apple not only changed its brand image or its way of advertising. It changed its whole marketing strategy. More than any other brand/company, Apple placed his customer service at the heart of its strategy. Before the purchase. During the purchase. After the purchase. That’s why I think that one of the biggest revolutions Steve Job and his co-workers ever made is the Apple Store. They perfectly understood that the environment in which customer  purchase and is being offered service is almost as important as the purchased item itself.

Here’s a video of Steve Jobs introducing the concept of the Apple store (2001) :

3 key points on this video that partly explain Apple’s sucess:

1) Apple allows people to TRY its products. We’ve seen in class that “Trial” is a crucial step in the buyer decision process for new product. In Apples stores there are a lot of self-service products that you can try without any limitation, with wireless internet access (in 2001!).

2) Apple EDUCATES its customers in how to use the product (Genius Bar concept). This is, in my view, what explains why Apple users are so satisfied. In all Apple Stores, you have high-skilled and well-trained salespersons who help you to master the products and softwares you’ve bought or are going to buy, in order to increase the potential use of the machine.

3) Apple PROVIDES a friendly environment. Beautiful and modern fourniture, relaxing atmosphère, music… You feel at home when you’re in an Apple store. You can touch everything, ask anything. Salespersons are very friendly to you and help you as soon as you call them.

Steve Jobs is gone, but Apple Stores still will reflect his brilliant vision for a long time…