Why Can’t Companies Just Give Customers What They Want- Youtube/Verizon, Amazon Unboxed, and Zune. (Yes, this is a rant where I rip them apart)

It’s always boggled my mind, literally perplexed me, why companies don’t give the customers what they want. It’s almost like they go out of the way to make a product as bad as possible. These are companies worth billions of dollars with tons of resources. Is it stubborn executives who think “they get it”? Is it just the desire to be mediocre? There are three recent examples that come to mind in regards to this topic.

YouTube/ Verizon

So this deal was announced today and is what prompted me to write this article. You’re telling me, I’d have to pay 15 dollars more on top of my data plan to get this. If I was that out of my mind, drunk, or brainwashed, I’d then only be able to watch a select few videos. This is ten steps backward. User Generated Content, or as the cool kids like to call it (UGC), is all about choice, freedom, and the luxury of consuming what you want. I hate to sound like a broken record, but walled gardens don’t work. Did youtube or verizon talk with anyone about this? bottom line: No one wants this. You messed up a big hit.  Don’t limit me, and make it cheaper/ included with my data plan. Maybe the other carriers will do this.
Amazon Unboxed

I love Amazon. I think they’re an amazing service and company. The Amazon Unboxed service is just a failure. Why didn’t they just use common knowledge, or at least look at what people dislike? No one wants layers of DRM, and tons of new software to install. Windows only, blah. Worst of all, it has some privacy issues to the software. Do they remember that whole RootKit thing, or? They COULD redeem themselves with the Tivo partnership. I would get a Tivo just for that. Know what that would require….? giving the customer what they want.

Zune, um yeah. WTF

Where do I begin? MSFT created some decent buzz. They had people listening. Do you know how many other people would kill for that attention? SanDisk or Creative would love for that hype- they come out with a million players a year, that are actually pretty damn cool. So Zune releases and what happens

• Doesn’t work with your new multibillion dollar operatinf system that is dropping in a month or so
• Install crashes and takes forever
• The sharing music capability is cool, except for that whole thing for usability called critical mass.
• Requiring everyone who used your play4sure format and spent lots of money on the media to purchase everything all over. You know what I do at that point? Fire up LimeWire Hardcore.
• No podcasting. Not a major problem, but just a little tweak that is needed to play in the space.

Maybe I’m over-reacting? Maybe I’m just too optimistic? Or maybe I’m just an entrepreneur and potential customer that doesn’t get it? Companies like Apple innovate and give the user what they want. I’m not playing fanboy here. It’s just true and the first thought that comes to mind. Please let me know your thoughts and comment who gives customers what they want and who doesnt give customers what they want.

[tags] zune, microsoft, amazon, unboxed, youtube, verizon, verizon youtube, web 2.0, publictivity, customer experience [/tags]