My frustration with Microsoft’s Vista

(and I don’t even have it!)

BY TERRY L. BROCK

Technology/marketing specialist

Relationship marketing is about working with customers, clients, buyers (however we refer to that wonderful group of people that pay our bills) and meeting their needs. This means being considerate, listening, etc. All of those good sales skills are vitally important.

It is also important to produce, as much as possible, a hassle-free, warm and inviting experience. How could we define that? Well, think of people who use a particular product and say they “love” it. I’d have to say that about my iPod, which I’ve had for a year now. I use it every day whether I’m on airplanes, walking around my neighborhood, cleaning my condo or wherever I am. I love it!

Think of the many people who talk about a car they “love.” Money becomes a secondary factor. You don’t hear people talk about something they love just because it is cheap. The product has to meet basic emotional needs.

That leads me to the frustration I’ve been going through lately with Vista, the new Windows operating system. I don’t even have it! I’m using Windows XP on my Dell computer, which I love. It has been a great computer for two years, and I have no complaints. One of the best features is the support I’ve received personally from Dell. Yes, I paid for the Gold Plan, which puts me into a special track when I call, but I understand how the world works. When you pay more, you deserve better service.

Right now I need a new computer. I need a lighter-weight computer with more power for the video I produce. I’m lusting over the Dell M1330. However, when I spoke with the people at Dell they told me it is only available with the Vista os. I’ve heard horror stories about how Vista causes problems, the drivers aren’t there, etc.

Hold your nasty e-mail messages for a moment. You might have had good experience, but, in general, the industry has had major problems with Vista. New drivers have to be loaded, new updates have to be installed, etc. etc. Maybe you’re like me, and you just want to get a computer that works -- and you don’t have 1,000 years to spend figuring it out.

I’ve even been tempted to look at the Mac world. I know, I know. All the Mac users will tell me how easy it is. Hey, Chinese is easy if you’re born in and grow up in Shanghai. My experience with Mac has not been all that good. Years ago, I spent more than $8,000 on a new Mac, only to be frustrated with the lack of support from Apple and the difficult (for this Windows user) system. However, if I have to learn a new OS, I’m open to a Macbook Pro, particularly for my video and audio production.

So, why did Microsoft have to release a version that is so radically different that it causes huge problems? I remember one highly tech-savvy person telling me that he had to “upgrade” from Vista to xp after trying over and over to get Vista to work. This is a guy who knows software intimately and is in the upper one percentile of technical knowledge. People working with him in a high tech company had the same hassles with Vista. If they can’t figure it, how can mere mortals like you and me do that?

Relationship marketing is about the details and about helping customers to have a good experience. They should fall in love with your product. Yes, I know that many who use the Mac use the word “love” a lot -- and it gets my attention. With the 1-2 punch of Macs doing better than ever in the marketplace and Vista being such a pain, this diehard Dell customer is seriously considering jumping over to “the dark side of the Force.”

What can this lesson teach you and me in our business as we engage in relationship marketing? We need to not just smile, be nice, listen, care, etc., for customers. These are the very important “soft skills.” They are vital. I’m not putting them down. However, there is also a “hard skills” side of the equation in relationship marketing. That means you have to produce products that people fall in love with and tell their friends how much they love those products.

I could be wrong, but I don’t hear a lot of people saying how much they “love” Vista. I have heard that a lot about Macs. And yes, if I do go with Vista and that Dell M1330 that I’m lusting for, I might grow to like it. If I can reach “like” that will be positive. We’ll have to wait on the “love” part.

Look at your product line. How many of your products generate “love” in the hearts of those wonderful buyers who pay your bills? How many “love” the service that you give? How many are raving fans about what you do and will pay extra just to have you and your products? What can you do to add the “love” to your products and services? These questions involve both sales and engineering considerations and are good material for your next company meeting.

Wish me well. As of this writing, I don’t know how it will turn out. I could go with the Dell and tolerate the pain of moving to Vista; I could move to the Mac and pay the price of new software.  (Yes, even with Windows-emulating programs, it will take a while to fully digest the new way of doing things.) Or I could go with another computer.

Think about your products and work towards “love” as a goal. Besides, I somehow think that relationships should involve love!

Terry Brock is an international marketing coach and columnist who helps businesses leverage technology to market more effectively. He shows busy professionals how to squeeze more out of their days, using time-honored rules and practical technology tools. Brock can be reached at 407/363-0505, by e-mail at terry@terrybrock.com or through his website at www.terrybrock.com.