TeachUcomp, Inc.

 MY CART
  • VIDEO COURSES
    • All-Access Subscriptions
    • Business Licensing
    • Course List
      • Accounting
      • Adobe
        • Acrobat
        • Lightroom Classic
        • Photoshop
        • Photoshop Elements
      • Crystal Reports
      • Employment Skills
        • Interview Skills
        • Resume Skills
      • For Lawyers
        • Excel for Lawyers
        • Outlook for Lawyers
        • QuickBooks for Lawyers
        • Word for Lawyers
      • HTML
      • JavaScript
      • Microsoft Office
        • Access
        • Excel
        • Microsoft Office Suite
        • OneNote
        • Outlook
        • Outlook on the Web
        • PowerPoint
        • Publisher
        • Word
      • Microsoft Project
      • Microsoft Teams
      • QuickBooks Online
      • QuickBooks Pro
      • Sage
        • Peachtree
        • Sage 50
      • SQL
      • Windows
    • Video Course Options
  • SUBSCRIPTIONS
  • MANUALS
    • Adobe
      • Acrobat
      • Lightroom Classic
      • Photoshop
      • Photoshop Elements
    • Crystal Reports
    • For Lawyers
      • Excel for Lawyers
      • Outlook for Lawyers
      • QuickBooks for Lawyers
      • Word for Lawyers
    • HTML
    • JavaScript
    • Microsoft Office
      • Access
      • Excel
      • OneNote
      • Outlook
      • Outlook on the Web
      • PowerPoint
      • Publisher
      • Word
    • Microsoft Project
    • Microsoft Teams
    • QuickBooks Online
    • QuickBooks Pro
    • Sage
      • Peachtree
      • Sage 50
    • SQL
    • Windows
  • REFERENCE CARDS
    • Adobe
      • Acrobat DC
      • Lightroom Classic CC 2018
      • Photoshop 2021
      • Photoshop 2020
      • Photoshop CC 2018
      • Photoshop Elements 2023
      • Photoshop Elements 2022
      • Photoshop Elements 2021
      • Photoshop Elements 2020
      • Photoshop Elements 2019
      • Photoshop Elements 2018
      • Photoshop Elements 15
    • Google
      • Google Classroom for Teachers
      • Google Docs
      • Google Drive
      • Google Forms
      • Google Sheets
      • Google Slides
    • Mac OS
      • Mac OS Ventura-Mojave Keyboard Shortcuts
    • Microsoft Office
      • Microsoft Office 365
        • Access for Office 365
        • Excel for Office 365
        • Microsoft Office 365
        • Outlook for Office 365
        • PowerPoint for Office 365
        • Publisher for Office 365
        • Word for Office 365
      • Microsoft Office 2021
        • Access 2021
        • Excel 2021
        • Microsoft Office 2021
        • Outlook 2021
        • PowerPoint 2021
        • Publisher 2021
        • Word 2021
      • Microsoft Office 2019
        • Access 2019
        • Excel 2019
        • Microsoft Office 2019
        • Outlook 2019
        • PowerPoint 2019
        • Publisher 2019
        • Word 2019
      • Microsoft Office 2016
        • Access 2016
        • Excel 2016
        • Microsoft Office 2016
        • OneNote 2016
        • Outlook 2016
        • PowerPoint 2016
        • Publisher 2016
        • Word 2016
      • Microsoft Office 2013
        • Excel 2013
        • Microsoft Office 2013
        • OneNote 2013
        • Outlook 2013
        • PowerPoint 2013
        • Word 2013
      • Microsoft Office for iPad
        • Microsoft Office for iPad
    • Microsoft Teams
      • Microsoft Teams
    • QuickBooks Online
      • QuickBooks Online
    • QuickBooks Pro
      • QuickBooks Pro 2023
      • QuickBooks Pro 2022
      • QuickBooks Pro 2021
      • QuickBooks Pro 2020
      • QuickBooks Pro 2019
      • QuickBooks Pro 2018
      • QuickBooks Pro 2017
      • QuickBooks Pro 2016
      • QuickBooks Pro 2015
      • QuickBooks Pro 2014
    • Sage
      • Sage 50 2019
      • Sage 50 2018
    • SQL
      • SQL
    • Windows
      • Windows 11
      • Windows 11 and 10 Keyboard Shortcuts
      • Windows 10
  • STICKERS
    • Chrome OS
      • Chrome OS for Chromebooks
    • Mac OS
      • Mac OS Ventura
      • Mac OS Monterey-Mojave
    • Microsoft Office
      • Word and Excel (Mac) 2022
      • Word and Excel (PC/Windows) 2021-2016 and 365
    • QuickBooks Desktop
      • QuickBooks Desktop (PC/Windows) 2023
      • QuickBooks Desktop (PC/Windows) 2022-2015
    • Windows
      • Windows 11 and 10
  • SUPPORT
    • Company
      • About Us
      • Blog
      • Contact Us
      • Our History
      • Our Philosophy
        • Customer Service
        • Mission
      • Policies
      • Testimonials
    • Contact Us
    • FAQ
    • Help
    • Lost Password
    • Register a Product
  • LOGIN
    • Manage My Account
    • Member Login
    • My Courses
Shop Now

4 Lessons from Windows 8.1

by Keeley Byrnes / Monday, June 10 2013 / Published in Latest, News

How listening to customer feedback can help your business

Last week, Windows 8.1 updates were revealed to the public. While some are excited for the changes, some critics see this new release as “admitting the failure of Windows 8.” Microsoft continues to defend the changes to Windows 8, stating that they are making improvements in order to better serve customers.

In the past two weeks, articles in media and comments on blog posts suggest that Microsoft is giving in to the pressure to reinstate features from Windows 7. Some have even suggested that this new release would be “one of the most prominent admissions of failure for a new mass-market consumer product since Coca-Cola’s New Coke fiasco nearly 30 years ago.”

However, Microsoft defends its position on its blog and in press releases. Antoine Leblond, Microsoft’s corporate VP for Windows Program Management stated,

“We’re only a bit more than seven months into [a] new, bold approach to computing. The response to Windows 8 has been substantial – from new devices to strong app growth to key enhancements to the OS and apps. We’ve learned from customers in how they are using the product and have received a lot of feedback. We’ve delivered hundreds of updates to the product and to apps. We’re just getting started, and the potential ahead is tremendous. We’ve been watching, we’ve been listening”

Microsoft maintains its position that while new changes are being made to Windows, the company is working on making the customer happy- not admitting failure.

What can we learn from Windows 8.1?

Lessons from Microsoft:

1. Listen to Customer Feedback

Ultimately, customers have the biggest vote when it comes to product features. If the customer is not happy- they will not buy. While some critics see Windows 8.1 as admitting failure, Microsoft is doing the right thing by listening to customer needs and wants. It is important that every company has a way to listen to customer feedback-blogs and surveys being the most prominent method. While it’s not always easy for a company to give in to customer desires, doing so will encourage customer loyalty and ultimately more sales.

2. Engage Users in the Process

Throughout this process, Microsoft has done an excellent job of communicating with customers and showing off new features. Whether its through the blog, press releases, or communicating at Computex 2013, customers have been made aware of new changes, promotions, and features before the actual release. This type of communication makes customers feel important and listened to- something vital to creating life-long customers.

3. Stay Innovative and Fresh

Instead of releasing a newer version of Windows that simply fixes old problems, Windows 8.1 has many improved features that are innovative and exciting for users. The security features of Windows 8.1 include fingerprint sensors, while other features include improved multitasking abilities. These new features make users happy and make the product itself more valuable.

4. Don’t Make Changes Too Quickly

While changes are occurring at Microsoft, the company is moving slowly enough to let users adjust to the changes and embrace them. As an example of a company making changes too quickly, we can recall the recent changes at Adobe. The company has recently switched over to subscription only software- angering a huge part of their customer base. While Microsoft also offers subscription based software, they offer physical copies of the software as well. They plan to for at least another decade. While both companies are trying to be innovative, Microsoft has taken a softer sell approach to the changes in their company. This makes customers feel more comfortable about the changes and allows them time to make adjustments.

 

While some may see Windows 8.1 as a company admitting failure, it can be a great example of how a company adjusts in order to better serve customers. In the end, listening to customer feedback may be the best advice a company gets for improving sales.

Tagged under: customer service, failure, improvements, learned, lessons, microsoft, Microsoft backlash, updates, Windows, Windows 8.1

About Keeley Byrnes

Keeley is our Director of Marketing and has been with TeachUcomp since 2010. Keeley manages all aspects of our Marketing Department, acts as liaison for our reseller and affiliate partners and also authors courses in software and taxation.

What you can read next

A picture that shows how to add music to PowerPoint presentations in PowerPoint 2013.
Add Music to PowerPoint Presentations in PowerPoint 2013
File Explorer in Windows 8.1- Tutorial and Instructions: A picture of the File Explorer in Windows 8.1.
File Explorer in Windows 8.1- Tutorial and Instructions
Conditional Formatting in Excel - Instructions: A picture of a user selecting a custom conditional formatting choice from the “Conditional Formatting” button’s drop-down menu.
Conditional Formatting in Excel – Instructions

 

Recent Posts

  • A picture that shows how to create moving elements in Photoshop Elements.

    Moving Elements in Photoshop Elements – Instructions

    Overview of How to Create Moving Elements in Ph...
  • Layer Types in Photoshop Elements: A picture of a user simplifying a Smart Object layer in Photoshop elements.

    Layer Types in Photoshop Elements- Instructions

    Overview of the Layer Types in Photoshop Elemen...
  • A picture of the training interface for the digital download or DVD versions of our Photoshop Elements training, titled “Mastering Photoshop Elements Made Easy™ v.2023.”

    Photoshop Elements Training

    Photoshop Elements Training for Photoshop Eleme...

Categories

Archives

  • GET SOCIAL

© 2001-2023 Copyright TeachUcomp, Inc. All rights reserved.

TOP
Sale! $49 All-Access 3 Days 18 Hours 51 Minutes 11 Seconds      $199 $49 Entire Library!
See Deal