Get your customers closer than ever. Long before they realize, you're close enough to tell them what they need.

This is an ambitious goal, but it's a goal Apple is pursuing. Apple's consistently high net promoter score (NPS) shows that Apple is very good at retaining customers. According to a survey, the loyalty rate of Apple's iOS operating system was about 89%. 

 Another reason for Apple's excellent customer retention score is excellent technical support. Whenever you buy an Apple product, you have the opportunity to schedule a customized one-on-one session with a specialist to explore the best features of your new device and fine-tune it to your liking. 

 Apple's commitment to understanding individuals is no coincidence. This is a carefully crafted CRM strategy that has been surprisingly successful.

Rather, Apple's intimacy with its customers traditionally stems from the company's empathy for their problems and needs.  This means expanding and evolving your product to meet the needs of your current customers as well as your future customers.  As Apple TV creates original content and Apple Pay redefines how to shop, Apple's innovation is a testament to the desire to grow to meet the needs of its users. 

“How does somebody know what they want if they haven’t seen it?”

It’s a good question and one that continues to define how Apple operates its physical shops.

Avoiding traditional sales tactics, Apple's use of CRM in its business is a testament to Apple's long-term spirit. Immediate sales are good, but lasting relationships with customers are more beneficial. The Apple Store adds value by circumventing traditional sales strategies and encouraging browsers to love and appreciate the benefits of the iPhone,  iPad, or the latest Apple Watch. And Apple cultivates a more enthusiastic and loyal customer base that prioritizes people over products by training employees to understand who has set foot in the store (rather than just selling). 

Design isn't just about how it looks and feels. Design is how it works. It's not a product.

Whether you choose the product or not, Apple`s appeal is undeniable.  However, the Apple brand is more than just a by-product of creating products that look, feel, and feature.  Its product ecosystem, each of which works seamlessly with other products, rewards customers for choosing Apple and at the same time stimulates loyalty to the brand.  Better yet, Apple's branding succeeded where many other big companies failed — by appealing to millennials.