Apple’s Not Perfect?
Steve Jobs brought himself to the microphone for the press conference this morning. It was not something he was looking forward to.
The CEO of Apple has been on a roll lately. The iPad has sold exceedingly well, the iPod and iPhone have become synonymous with cool, users rave about their products, and nothing seemed wrong with the world.
But a little antenna problem in the new version of the iPhone forced Apple to have to ‘fess up to some bad news.
It appeared that a design flaw has created a problem with the signal strength of the new hand-held cell phone. If a user puts their hand on the upper left-hand corner of the iPhone device, the hand position blocks the cell signal considerably, or may fade out altogether.
Jobs began his conference with these words: “Ladies and gentlemen… we’re not perfect.”
One of the signs of true 800-Pound Gorillas – the dominant players in any market who have a large share of the business – is the fact that of you’re good and well-liked, lots of people will try to knock you off your perch at the top. 800-Pound Gorillas also have an uncanny ability to be secretive when they have to be, and transparent when they need to be.
To admit your mistakes is never easy, but for those who succeed and thrive in business today, being honest and admitting when you’re wrong is considered a very strong positive attribute. Consider the “reputation” of BP, and whether or not they’ll continue to be as dominant a company after all that’s been said about the Gulf oil spill.
The announcement by Apple was made today that those who own an iPhone 4 will receive a protective case that will solve the antenna-roaming problem at no charge. Previous buyers and those who buy a new phone thru Sept. 30th will receive the case for free.
When you’re wrong, admit it. Then go make it right. While the move may cost you in the short run, people will respect you for it, and reward you with positive word-of-mouth about how you handled the issue.
Bill,
This is an excellent post and a heck of a lesson for all business owners. Ironically admitting a mistake and apologizing quickly actually builds trust with customers. As you say – people respect you for it. Without trust it is impossible to do business long-term.
What is important to understand is People Buy You. When you make a mistake they are watching closely to see what you do about it. Your actions and behaviors have a direct impact on their perceptions of you and their willingness to buy from you in the future. Never forget that in today’s 24/7 world your reputation is always at stake (Check out Peg Jackson’s new book” Reputational Risk Management).
Jeb Blount, author of People Buy You: The Real Secret to What Matters Most in Business (http://www.PeopleBuyYou.com)