FIRST WORD: Apple's Impact On NAFA

The First Word
By Phil Russo, CAE
NAFA Executive Director

Apple's Impact on NAFA

Have you been in an Apple store lately? The place is a techno-gadget fantasy heaven. On a recent visit, I could hardly get in the door. I was actually annoyed at the crowd, which forced me to wind and bump my way to the Genius Bar in the back of the store. It was like being at a rock concert or NFL game; it felt like there were that many people in this little space. At the Bar, I looked back and marveled at the scene. I thought, "This is an amazing case study on how to run a business."

Imagine, here we are in what some are still calling a recession, and others are saying is just the start of coming out of that recession, and apparently Apple is immune to it.

I did a quick scan of the crowd and was even more astonished. I could not pin down a definitive market. There were an equal number of male and female customers (debunking the myth that only men like techno gadgets!). Without knowing their actual ages, I guessed there were equal numbers of customers in the 40-60 age range as there were in the 12-20 range, as well as everything in between. There were professionals in suits and ties, and others in pajamas (but that's another issue). I heard at least three different languages being spoken.

What is it, I wondered, that Apple does that makes them so appealing to everyone? I asked this question to my two daughters, ages 18 and 16, with me in the store, as well as to some of the other customers (much to my daughters' embarrassment). I also asked my colleagues here in the office later that week, and some friends in casual conversations. Finally, I did some research online to get others' perspectives. All of their replies can be summed up very simply: Apple makes cool stuff and they make people want to buy it.

Apple enjoys customer loyalty that few companies can match. And in today's world, with so many options for everything, brand loyalty is practically unheard of. Think about it, you must know someone, maybe it's you, who is almost militant in their love for Apple products, be it the iPod, Mac, iPad, or iPhone. These people have adopted an Apple lifestyle that shapes how and what they do each day, even going so far as using Apple lingo (see above, where I spoke of Apple's "Genius Bar" – which others might simply refer to as a "Help Desk.")

So what does this have to do with NAFA? Well, it made me question what we do that's "cool" and how we can create that same kind of brand loyalty and fever pitch. It made me wonder how we can create a buzz, time after time, in the fleet industry with unique, valuable, desirable products. It made me look at how innovative we are – and how much better we can be at it.

Most importantly, perhaps, my experience at the Apple store raised the bar for me, the entire staff, and the volunteer leaders in NAFA. Our mission is to deliver such desirable products, services, and experiences that you will be as loyal and passionate about NAFA as you are about your iPhone.

Regardless of whether you're a Mac or a PC, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Phil

P.S. I love my iPhone, and for that I thank NAFA Member Jason Hicks, who turned me on to it in 2009. My life has never been the same since!

NAFA Fleet Management Association
125 Village Blvd., Suite 200
Princeton, NJ 08540

Telephone: 609.720.0882 Fax: 609.452.8004