Book Review - Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

Book Review
Steve Jobs - by Walter Isaacson
HIGHLY Recommended

I use the book in my Creativity and Innovation class at San Francisco State University. It has many good aspects for teaching this course, as well as Entrepreneurship in general.

- Good overall history of the computer, desktop publishing and computer entertainment industries
- Relatively "unbiased" view of Steve Jobs (there's lots of negative things about him, his personality, etc.)
- Good discussion of innovation of new products (particularly technology)
- Traces the ups and downs of Apple Computer, Steve Jobs and many other "characters" in the respective industries such as Bill Gates, John Sculley, etc.
- Shows what it takes to succeed in startups, large companies, and entreprenurial ventures in general

My students read the book, and write a guided book report, and we discuss the book for a full class, as well as refer to it throughout the semester.

Whatever you have to say about Steve Jobs -- he is without a doubt, the greatest entrepreneur of out time. Go ahead and disagree, but Apple has become the single largest computer, and technology "gadget" company in the world. Its products are outstanding, and Apple/Steve focus on how to sell technology without being Geeky -- unlike Microsoft, IBM, HP, Sony, etc.

The Apple stores were also a stroke of genius. These stores are the Highest Grossing stores in the world per square foot. It's "a happening". If you've never been to one (cause your a PC bigot) GO NOW. Everything about the store is about customer service, and helping users (classes, Genius bar with expert advice and technical support, and so on)

My favorite question to ask my students is -- Would you like to work for Steve Jobs?
- I usually get a resounding - "no, he's an &%^$ !!!"
Sorry, but that's the wrong answer. Sure, Steve was difficult to work with, but the knowledge gained from this individual, as well as learning how to work with a guy-like-Steve (typical of many Silicon Valley types).

I would undoubtedly have loved to work with and for Steve. I only had the pleasure of meeting him once, as well as seeing him around Palo Alto a few times. Many of my friends either worked for Steve at Apple, NeXT or Pixar, and knew him well.

Come on, the guy's a marketing and technology genius!!!

I highly recommend you get a copy of this book (new about $18 and less used) and truly understand what Steve was all about, and what made Apple on the the greatest companies of our time, and I suspect far into the future.

Great Customer Service Equal Success

Customer service has become basically a series of "not-very-educated" humans in foreign countries who say "I'm sorry" a lot -- because it's written on the Computer Script in front of them.And these people try to HELP us American's. Hmmm -- I wonder if customer support for Indian people forwards to America ?? Now that would be funny.

Seriously -- if I can recommend ONE thing for entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies alike, it would be -- Customer Service is the key to success. Sure, you can sell lots of stuff, but if you don't provide high quality customer service, you're dead over time.

Frankly, customer service is pretty simple. It means SERVICE the CUSTOMERS, and Not doing what's best for your own business. If you do what's best for the customers, trust me, your business will succeed and best of all get a great reputation among your customers.

Good Example -- APPLE -- great products -- great stores with Geniuses! -- great customer service.

Good Example -- Amazon -- many years ago, they sent me a 5 CD set of Beethoven Symphonies. One was missing. I called customer service. They sent me out a brand new box FedEx the next day -- they didn't even require me to sent back the old box of CD's -- yes, I've been telling this story for years.

Good Example -- Any restaurant you've been to who will server you even after the "kitchen is closed". I mean, you know, the kitchen must have some food. One local place made me a sandwich at 11:15 pm because I was starving. That's their business -- food service.

Bad Example -- ALL the Cable Service providers put together. It just took me 5 days and 10 phone calls to Time Warner Cable for THEM to realize they didn't provide cable service to my new house. REALLY !!!  They actually said they could provide service for $11,400 -- for real. ELEVEN THOUSAND dollars

... So, I called Dish Networks ... and I'll say bad things about Time Warner pretty much forever and tell this story. That's called "reverse word of mouth" :)) I mean come on...