What drove me nuts about TiVo for years is that they never really rewarded their earliest, and most ardent, fans. I got a TiVo back in 2001 (one of these) and would literally talk to anyone who would listen about how great the device was.
I liked it so much, and was so confident he technology wasn’t going anywhere, that I signed up for a lifetime subscription early on. Unfortunately (for customers) that subscription (and commitment) was tied to the device and not to me so when I found myself wanting to get the latest and greatest TiVo hardware, I was treated like a first time customer – no upgrade offers, etc.
Today, Amazon announced the release of the kindle 2 (hands-on impressions here). The device will clearly be in high demand and even people ordering today will most likely have to wait weeks until they get theirs. Amazon, though, has opted to give their earliest customers a subtle tip of the cap: they can jump to the front of the line if they order today.
I’m not saying I expect a red carpet for buying a product early but I think what we’re seeing from Amazon is a reflection of a company that truly understands the value of word of mouth marketing and a pleasurable customer experience (I was on the fence about whether or not I wanted to upgrade mine and this little act is pushing me towards a yes). This way, they acknowledge their most loyal (and vocal) fans, encourage hardware upgrades and indirectly increase awareness because those original kindle owners will no doubt pass theirs on, creating a new kindle fan. All this good will without even having to offer a discount.
I think the way these two companies have handled their earliest adopters is an excellent microcosm of how company to consumer relations have evolved over the past 8 years and I’m really happy to see us moving in this direction.