The complete consumer experience

I heard a bit of sound business advice this weekend. It was from a seminar at CalTech that emphasized creating a "complete experience" to complement a product. What that means is not just providing whatever product or service your company is known for, but all the supplements, helpful asides, and support that it entails. Many competitors can provide their product, but the complete experience is what will make one company stand out to customers.

A great example is a look at Apple. An emerging leader in technology and one that basically defines the cool gadgets these days, Apple made their explosive comeback from increasing obscurity and obsoletion with the help of one of their flagship products: the iPod. It swept the music and technology worlds by storm, with over 100 million units sold as of 2007. The cute pocket-size (and much less now) contender has also achieved the ultimate success in branding: synonymity with their product (think Kleenex, many people refer to tissues as "Kleenex's", regardless of their brand).

But many mp3 players of similar and comparable quality and style have cropped up, and the iPod itself did not immediately stand out in its early days. What really triggered the neon-green and pink explosion was the launch of iTunes. Apple took the next step in taking the complete process, from finding music to actually listening to it from your player, and making it unbeatably easy and convenient.

At Century 21 Adobe, we have always offered our outstanding services in not just the purchasing and selling of houses, but in the full scope, including help with loans, Escrow, mortgages, and all manner of miscellanea that laymen might struggle with. Our latest move is to offer the complete experience on our website, where we will now begin to update our listings map with not just our properties, but other important information crucial to selecting a home, including schools, commutes, shopping centers, and much more. At Century 21 Adobe, we are also always open to conversing with our customers so feel especially free to contact us by email for other information you would like to see on our map.