Lots of online column inches have been devoted to the email responses of the big boys in the smartphone market recently and they make for fascinating reading.
A MacRumors reader emailed Steve Jobs directly about concerns about how long he’s had to wait for the new MacBook Pro updates and Apple’s recent focus on the iPad. He wrote “I recognise the need for secrecy etc but I am really losing heart in the lack of vision for the MBP and Mac Pros. Not expecting a response but as someone who has personally switched dozens of people onto the mac way this is a sad email for me to compose.”
Steve Jobs reportedly responded with a short reply that simply said “Not to worry.”
Am I the only one who thinks this reply is plain rude? This is a customer emailing the most senior person at a company he is obviously passionate about and to receive a reply like that is bizarre. Imagine what would happen if a customer service rep did that. Some have defended the reply as being positive and suggesting that movement is happening with the MacBook Pros, but that does not excuse the way the email was dealth with. That is presuming the email concversation was true in the first place…
Jon Rubinstein received an email advising him to look at this home made webOS advert because he felt it was better than the official ones from Palm. The response from Jon read “You should buy a Pre plus because it is the best smartphone on the market. Try it, you’ll like it!!!”
Well, thanks Jon. That really got to the heart of the matter didn’t it.
Jezper Soderlund from Slashat.se asked Steve Jobs the following- “”I’m also awaiting the release of the iPad. However, I have one question: Will the wifi-only version somehow support tethering thru my iPhone?”
The email reply was ‘No.”
That’s it. Nothing else, just one word.
Admittedly I am a bit picky when it comes to emails and try to respond to every one I receive, but just because an individual is head of a company, that should not mean they can be so dismissive of good etiquette. Indeed, it should be the opposite. For balance I did try to find some bad ones from Steve Ballmer etc., but came up short. For a nerdy report on email behaviour, check out this PDF.
Disrespectful is the word I would use.
I wonder just how many emails like that they get. Maybe at some point one is lucky to get some kind of response at all.