Success is dangerous if a business assumes a sense of superiority

I’ve been a PC user since they came out, and I could never have imagined myself buying an Apple product. Years ago, one of my nephews showed me his iPod and let me play with it. I bought one the next day. Then came several iPhones and an iPad.

As you probably know, these devices have great features: instant-on, back to where you were with no boot cycle, slim, easy to carry, etc. They’re great for consuming information but not for creating it.

Well, the iPad was getting old, and I decided to get a new one when everything, including the Apple store in the mall, shut down because of Covid. Now, I knew I could order one online, but I wanted an Apple tech to set it up for me and transfer the data and apps.

The store finally reopened, and I had to make an appointment to buy one. I bought it, and they refused to set it up because of Covid. When I pointed out that their website still promised the service, and they had promised as well, it made no difference.

So I did it myself, but there were problems. Although I bought the device in Salem, I had to go to the store in Manchester to get it fixed. The tech fixed a hardware problem and a few software things, but there were flaws he couldn’t fix and claimed they were satisfactory.

For instance, the unread email counter didn’t work. It gave you the starting total but didn’t adjust with each email read. If you’re wading through 150 or more, it’s kind of nice to know how you’re doing. The tech said it’s how it’s supposed to be. When I pointed out that was a step backward, that the counter worked on all my other Apple devices, it didn’t matter.

The new iPad had lost a number of capabilities the old one and all the other devices had. This would have made Steve Jobs furious the minute he found out about it. The tech just couldn’t see this as a problem. Apple finally fixed this particular problem a few updates later, but there are still others that need fixing.

It seems they are no longer the great company that Jobs created. If you’ve read Walter Isaacson’s biography of Jobs, you know of his fanatical efforts to provide flawless and pleasing customer experiences. The atmosphere within the stores seems to have changed. It’s like they no longer feel any need to compete — they’re the best, and we’re lucky if they deal with us.

This is not just from my experience with one tech. You can’t do anything in an Apple store without speaking to multiple people. We’re talking about multiple people in both stores and their online support. Now, it feels like you’re dealing with the tax collector or the Division of Motor Vehicles.

There have been a number of companies that have been on top of the world and have all but disappeared. Success is dangerous. It makes us think we’ve got it all together, and we don’t have to worry anymore. Arrogance is an exceptionally deadly disease. We just don’t like dealing with arrogant people. The next time I need a new device, I’ll look at their competitors. The people trying to catch them are probably trying harder.

Unfortunately, arrogance seems to be a pandemic in big tech.

Things happen quickly in tech, and someone other than Apple may be inspired to develop an even better alternative. We couldn’t even imagine the iPhone before it was invented; we probably can’t imagine the next one either.

Ronald J. Bourque, a consultant and speaker from Salem, has had engagements throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. He can be reached at 603-898-1871 or RonBourque3@gmail.com.

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