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We are in the experience economy.

This Harvard Business Review article is written by B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore and published in 1998.

As goods and services become commoditized, the customer experiences that companies create will matter most.

There is a book written by the same authors.

“The Experience Economy: Work Is Theater & Every Business a Stage”

A few weeks ago, I bumped into a blog, where I learned the simple mantra of experience economy.

I’m not an order taker. I’m an experience maker!

This mantra reminds me that, all we are designing/creating experiences for our clients/customers.

It’s the picture that I took with iPhone in a restaurant in Seoul, Korea. The poster was on the front wall of the kitchen where waiting staffs get dishes from the kitchen. It says, “From the moment you step outside here, you should be an actor/actress.”

Korean companies are also investing on user/customer experience as a way of innovation. For example, SK Telecom has HCI (Human-Centered Innovation) group and KTF has CEM (Customer Experience Management) team.

We, D’strict helps companies create their original and unique customer experience, especially in digital display market. I will write more about this later on.

Update: I decided to change the category “User Experience” to “Customer Experience” since the latter is broader and more appropriate.

Note: This was originally written using iPhone but I had to make addendum on my Macbook. Awkward input method makes me nervous when I’m writing with iPhone.

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This is my 2nd iPhone journal. The first one was gone during my unsuccessful attempt to activate iPhone with hack program. Yet I didn’t spend an hour with iPhone’s soft keyboard but I feel significant improvement in my typing.

I think it is the best gadget I’ve ever had. (I can’t call it a phone since I can’t use a phone part of iPhone in Korea. )

It slides into my trouser pocket and I don’t feel any difference with my Razr squared even though iPhone is bigger.

But I see some of short comings: lack of copy-paste function, no to-do lists, no voice recorder, etc.

//// Sent from my iPhone

Some of the missing features can be complemented by unauthorized native applications developed by hackers and I like those applications very much. I really feel that it’s the world of Pro-Ams.

Merits: beautiful form factor, a very large and bright screen, more than amazing software keyboard, very intuitive user interface, the best iPod ever, etc.

Lots of people complained about why Apple used the slightly deep earphone jack compartment so that most earphones don’t fit in iPhone. But as soon as I plug the bundled earphone to iPhone, I felt comfort because my precious iPhone will not fall by accident at least when I’m wearing the earbuds, which fit into iPhone firmly and almost holds iPhone. This is a good design.

But I gotta confess that it is painful to write a blog with iPhone. iPhone is ok for quick emails but can’t replace a computer with keyboard. Even though I was one of the first users of Newton PDA by Apple and loved the concept and benefits of PDA, but still input methods of modern PDAs including iPhone are far from satisfactory. But it’s too early to be disappointed.

As SMS service and phone keypad changed our writing style tremendously, will iPhone’s beneficiary applications and soft keyboard will change my writing style? Is there a powerful application like SMS among what iPhone can offer in the future? What would be a killer application for iPhone which will change my habits? I’m not sure yet but I’m considering of writing mobile blogs. Maybe mobile photo log.

I will keep you posted on my trial.

Update: Futiro promptly replaced the defective unit at their cost and I am quite satisfied with their response to the issue.

I tested out Skype with Macbook’s built-in mic and speaker but it didn’t deliver quite satisfactory result to me. So I purchased Futiro Solo, a Skype-compatiable USB phone from Futiro.com’s online store a week ago and I received it today. I chose Futiro Solo because of its ergonomic and futuristic design, small size, and cable-containing mechanism on its own body, even though the price, US$75 was very high compared to others.

< stylish design with cable management system >

A driver for Mac was not included on the CD and I had to download a driver file from Futiro’s web site but it was very straight forward. They provide 2 custom launchers each for Skype and iChat. They work flawlessly. While I was winding the USB cable, I have found a defect on one side and another on the other side. You can’t miss this white long defects because other body parts are all black!!!

Can you possibly not see this one when you tie up the cable?

< The other defect >

I expected a high quality USB phone with great design when I paid US$75. But what Futiro delivered to me was an unpolished product manufactured without care. I don’t really think that they manufacture thousands of Futiro Solo per month. It won’t be too much to ask them to inspect all of the units with simple QA policy. It’s just a matter of whether you really care about your customers. I sent an email to Futiro requesting the replacement of the product and I am expecting their answer. I don’t know how they’ll respond to my request. We will see if Futiro really cares about their customers or not. They can run away or correct their mistake. Now the question should go to me: Do I really care about my customers?

Update: Bob McDonald, a sales manager at Futiro promptly responded to my request and promised to ship the replacement with DHL couriers ASAP. He apologized and claimed that they never had this kind of issue with Futiro Solo. He also promised to inform their QC people of this issue. I am very satisfied with his prompt response and his professional way of handling the issue. I will update the post when I get the replacement.