One of Nokia's bloggers took a cheeky pot shot at Apple this week, taking advantage of a rare chink in that oh-so-shiny armour. The blogger in question, JBC, proved to be a quick draw and a deadeye shot – so it's a shame the attempt went off half-cocked.
It all started when Apple shot itself in the foot over the launch of the iPhone 4. Apparently the phone loses reception if you hold a certain part of the casing with your bare skin. In a series of brusque emails, the company's CEO, Steve Jobs, first told customers it was their fault for holding the thing wrong, then contradicted himself by claiming that the problem didn't exist.
Spying the glossy Apple behemoth's rare moment of weakness, JBC penned and published How do you hold your Nokia? The post lists the many ways customers can choose to hold Nokia phones without losing reception, playfully mocking Apple without resorting to taunts or mudslinging. Highlighting the competition's flaws while retaining the moral high ground? What's the catch?
The catch is that some Nokia phones suffer from the exact same issue – as several readers were quick to point out, commenting with photo and video evidence.
So yes, it's essential to be quick on the draw when responding to current or time-sensitive events, and yes, online communication channels are your best bet for a quick turnaround. But if your response is to attack – even from the safety of the moral high ground – you first need to armour yourself against misfires, ricochets and retaliation.
The strongest armour in this situation is foreknowledge. Know your business, know your products and services, know your competition and know your industry. Make time to regularly refresh your knowledge. That way, you can strike with confidence and precision even when time's not on your side.
29 June 2010
Quick draws, pot shots and misfires
One of Nokia's bloggers took a cheeky pot shot at Apple this week, taking advantage of a rare chink in that oh-so-shiny armour. The blogger in question, JBC, proved to be a quick draw and a deadeye shot – so it's a shame the attempt went off half-cocked.
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