Every couple of years planned obsolescence catches up with me. No matter how good that laptop or cell phone or even car was when you bought it eventually you have to replace it.
In some cases it really seems to be planned. My smartphone contract is 2 years long and in about 2 years my smartphone pretty much becomes obsolete so time to get a new one.
Then of course comes the competing advertising and opinions and advice from partisans from all sides advocating their own point of view. I wrote something about this partisanship a couple of years ago. Some people will swear by their technology choices and will not yield an inch on anything.
Even though I try to keep clear of biases I suppose I do have some of my own.
My mobile provider for example. Widely regarded as one of the worst providers for a long time it had the one benefit that my contract had an unlimited data package. It in fact was the only unlimited data package for a long time before competitors began offering that as well. In the meantime my providers signal strength and coverage has grown substantially so I could have hopped from provider to provider looking for the best deal but in the end sitting still and letting things develop proved to be the best strategy. Sometimes doing nothing at all is the best strategy. Shrug.
But other times, no matter how much you hate to do it, you have to admit that you have to change.
In a related vein I have looked at the specs of the updated version of my smartphone and have determined that it’s not going to meet my needs so off I go looking at other brands. I have about 6 months to decide but already I’m looking over different models and brands for any marked advantage.
In this case my brand loyalty is absolutely nil. The maker simply dropped the ball on the new design and I have to look for something that will meet my needs. I did the same with my last car. I used to drive an SUV and the maker stopped producing it so I changed not just brands but car types and got a sedan instead. When it comes to practical items that I use every day I find that I am that way. If something doesn’t meet my needs then I will stop using it. When it comes to something less tangible like say fashion choices I may have more brand loyalty.
I think that’s something for makers of practical goods to consider more than say how stylish their product looks or what celebrity endorsements they can get.
If you meet your customers needs, and satiate their desires for a good quality product then the market will come to you. You will not have to go to them by altering your product and possibly making it worse. Remember where the core of your clientele is and go out and meet them.
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