Last month I told you about my horrendous experience with Alienware and my switch to Apple. The Alienware laptop literally fell apart within a year: the hard drive crashed, the display's hinges busted off, and it lasted 30 minutes on battery life. In this follow-up to my first post, I'll tell you a little more about how and why I became a "switcher."
My Alienware laptop left me bruised and battered, and when its time finally came, I was down for the count. I had homework to finish, freelance projects to close, and Internets to surf. I needed a new laptop and I took what happened with the Alienware as a learning experience.
Apple wasn't the only option I considered when I went looking for my new laptop. Anything was up for grabs at that point, save Alienware. Having endured that experience once already, I made a list of must-haves in a new laptop:
- Weigh less than 7lbs (half that of the Alienware)
- Well designed and durable to last throughout its lifetime
- An extensive warranty that would include free parts and labor
- Customer support that I can get face-to-face
- Prolific performance with long-lasting hardware and software
Each list item was something I learned from the Alienware. I needed a lighter, faster machine that would last well into the next few years with customer support I could love and trust. I needed a platform for my work that wouldn't crash every chance it got. After I wasted nearly $3,000 on the Alienware, I needed a good great buying decision.
Dell, HP, Lenovo, and others had some affordable laptops, but all of them felt awkward and poorly designed. Coming from a profession where great design, functionality, and aesthetics are very important, none of those companies' laptops could satisfy my must-have list. With Apple, however, design, function, and aesthetics were not an issue. The MacBook Pro, a sleek powerhouse of a laptop, offered all that and more. I had found the laptop that satisfied my list.
I had read all sorts of reviews, following Apple rumor sites for news on their aluminum beauties. Even with a few loose ends to tie up after their initial launch, Apple's levelheaded strategy of addressing those problems (through free repairs and replacements) left me grinning like an idiot. I found a company that heard customer perils and addressed them reasonably.
With quality assurance and a product that was just too good looking to pass up, I purchased a 15" MacBook Pro. Sure I had to give up my ritual hardware upgrades, numerous blue screens, and poor customer support, but it was a step I was ready to make.
As it turns out, that step was one of the best decisions I'd made in a long time. Apple was everything I thought it would be and more. From the fantastic customer support I've received since then to the handful of products I purchased after the MacBook Pro, I'm a happy customer.
Apple was able to effectively turn my bad experience with a competitor into a great one with them. As a result, I became a repeat customer, eventually succumbing to the Apple Kool-Aid and becoming an Apple evangelist.