Customer Relations Management Technologies Customer

Customer Relations Management Technologies Customer Relations Management Technologies -- the Case of Apple Inc.

In March 2011, Jay Yarrow at Business Insider featured a story of a man who purchased an iPod from an Apple store and then returned it. The Apple employees customary ask the clients why they return the products and then write the answers on a post it, stuck on the respective item. The post it stuck on the iPod returned by the man in the story read "Wife said no." The Apple employees were generally amused with the post it and when two VPs of the company hear about it, they sent the man a free iPod, with a post it stuck on it. The post it read "Apple said yes."

Joke aside, Apple Inc. is one of the leading companies of the Information Technology industry and it has managed to attain and consolidate this position as a result of its involvement in customer satisfaction. Apple Inc. was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. After creative differences, Wozniak left the company, leaving Jobs in charge. The actual role of Jobs is now unknown as the co-founder battles severe health problems and has taken a leave of absence from the company.

Apple activates in the IT industry, with specific presence in the sector of consumer products, but also software applications. It was mostly famous for its computers and laptops in the Mac series, but more recently it has become worldwide popular for its innovative creations of the iPhone, the iPod or the recent iPad. Apple sells to people of all ages, cultures and occupations. The Apple products are easy to use, they are trendy and fashionable and they provide a high entertaining value to the users. Also, while there are numerous similar products being sold in the market, the Apple products make statements, and this -- combined with the multitude of features and the high quality -- stimulates clients to pay the larger price for the Apple products.

Apple's interest in the consumers and what they have to say is immense and it can be observed in all instances, from the manufacturing of the products to integrate customer opinions, to the interaction with the customers before, during and after the purchase, even to the design of the Apple stores. Unlike any other technology creator and retailer, Apple has opened fashionable and appealing stores, in which customers from all over the world can first hand test the Apple products. The employees in the stores encourage visitors to test the products, introduce them to the features and they encourage the visitors to give their feedback.

At a more specific level, Apple implements the following steps in the creation of successful customer relations: