We all know that Apple has seen a great deal of success in the past five years or so.  The company has created a very loyal following, of which many of them have become absolute fanatics.  It's no surprise that out of all the tech companies, Apple fans are the most loyal.

So, what has made this brand so successful?

From Alyson Shontell of Business Insider, we get four customer service lessons from Steve Jobs' outbox.  Another article worth reading from BI is 8 Management Lessons I Learned Working at Apple.

Personally, I still have yet to be converted to the Apple family, although a good friend of mine is always telling me how much better Mac computers are.  If Apple ever decides to partner with T-Mobile, I will definitely consider trading in my Blackberry for the iPhone...

As a lover of all things creative, stylish, and fashionable, I like to keep up with fashion designers and the fashion industry.  In particular, I have an interest in the business side of fashion, especially how traditional fashion houses are keeping up with their consumers and using modern technology to connect with them.

So, today I was reading Women's Wear Daily (WWD), and came across an interview with John Galliano, designer for Christian Dior.  When asked what kind of retail service he responds to, he says:

The retail service that I respond to personally is the after-care, the fact that there’s somebody who’s written a note and gotten flowers and said, “Thank you for passing by.” I mean that’s just like, “Wow I’m going to go there again!” And that they have time for you when you’re in there. That they’re honest. I think it’s important to be honest. I think that’s how one ends up with faithful, loyal customers. Feeling great is part of looking great.

Isn't it funny how sending a thank you card or simply paying attention to your customer can create loyalty? While most companies are into social media and using technology clamoring for customers, you could be the one who just offers good ole-fashioned service.

That's not to say that social media doesn't have its role - after all, I'm huge proponent of companies using social media. I'm just saying that sticking to the basics is a better long-term strategy.