Review Management - Apple getting it wrong

For a company that makes great products, Apple sometimes also makes a great job of alienating some of its customer base.

Here's Apple's iPhone 4 Bumper:

And here's what owners are saying about it:

Bear in mind that all these people own an iPhone; and that Apple currently find themselves lagging some of their competitors in the smartphone market. Also bear in mind that owners of this phone will be prime targets for Apple's marketing when they launch the iPhone 6 later this year.

You would think they might choose a review mechanism that would enable them to maximise customer loyalty, rather than this one-way vehicle. 

What should Apple be doing? 

In a word: responding. Saying sorry. Explaining the next product upgrade. Correcting misapprehensions.

Bear in mind that Apple employ over 80,000 people worldwide, what impact would an extra 100 to engage with their customers have on their $170 billion revenues?

The lessons:

1. Don't just copy the 'big boys' when you are deciding on your company's review management strategy - they don't always get it right
2. Don't pay lip-service - maybe in 2004 having a 'rant-board' for you customers was cutting edge. things have moved on in the last 10 years
3. Your customers know that - and they expect better