So this past Friday I decided to join in in the rush for the iPhone, admittedly I have been leading a little bit of a charge for it. So around 2:00 PM, I arrived to jump in line at the 5th Ave. store here in NYC. The line wasn’t too bad, was probably around 250 - 275 in line, no need to have arrived on Monday… Throughout the day, through a mix of standing and sitting on the pavement, many people kept coming by with lots of freebies, from lemonade by Virgin Atlantic to some delicious popcorn from a company that I can’t remember. The one overwhelming presence though was the cart pushed by Apple employees, stocked with Vitamin Water that circled the block about once an hour.

The waiting wasn’t the exciting part, it really came down to right about the time of walking into the store. As we all turned the corner onto 5th Ave, there was an energy led by the throngs of media and the Apple employees themselves. As you got closer to the store all you heard was the sound of clapping and cheering.

So the fanfare was unbelievable as you finally got to walk into the store. Employees lined the way, all standing there in their black Apple t-shirts and clapping. From the time we walked into the door, down the spiral staircase, employees cheered, clapped, high-fived all of us as we were briskly ushered into the line. You heard works of “thanks for waiting,” “you did it,” amongst other words of congrats for all of us who have waited much longer than a few hours in line that day. I could not find a single person without an ear-to-ear grin on their face as we all quickly parted with our money for what many skeptical passers by offered up, “it’s just a phone.”

So, I finally made my way to the cashier, who greeted me with unbelievable pleasantries. I asked for my two iPhones (separate bags, of course), and in no time I was holding them in my hands. After, I walked around the store as others descended the stairway, all looking like this was the best thing they have ever done, I couldn’t help think that Apple knows how to create an unbelievable experience.

We finally walked up the stairs, and as we walked out of the store we held out bags in the air for the eager press, smiled, swung our arms, kids in a candy shop. I did a quick interview with some international reporter, but all i really wanted to do was find my cab so I could get home and open my new phone.

After all is said and done, Apple orchestrated an unbelievable experience for me. From the point of arriving in line to getting my phone plugged in at home, every minute was so well planned and orchestrated. They know it truly is more than just a phone. I know and appreciate that for myself, and those like me, who raise their iPhones in the air, and even join a flickr group Photos of me with an iPhone, have a lot to learn about developing unbelievable experiences like this, and really making something great, whether it’s a phone, a website, or a conversation. Kudos Apple.

Bye bye blackberry…

This entry was posted on Sunday, July 1st, 2007 at 8:31 pm and is filed under New York, Apple, Experience.
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