Recovering Z Flip optimist, emotionally committed to iPhone
By Fiona van Iersel
Minerva Empowerment
Marketing Strategy and Planning
29 March 2025

My younger brother says Samsung makes brilliant technology. His photos look great, and the designs caught my attention. I wanted to be loyal. I tried. But an early failure of my Galaxy Z Flip and a disastrous customer-service experience sent me crawling back to Apple like an ex I could not quit.

That is my experience, not a verdict on every device or support encounter. It did make one thing clear to me: technical attraction and emotional commitment are different. Here are five loyalty ideas I would put on the table.

First, make the first encounter count. When I opened my Z Flip, 2003-me screamed. When it failed and I could not get the help I wanted, the excitement evaporated. I would propose a “First 48” experience: interactive setup, accessible help and a clear route to resolve an early problem. A warm welcome only builds commitment when the support behind it works (Oliver, 1999).

Second, explore a meaningful entertainment partnership. My husband has been prepared to buy a whole console for one exclusive game, despite already owning others. Absurd—and strategically interesting. A mobile-game partnership could offer something worth exploring, though it would need a much stronger case than exclusivity alone. Engagement matters; so do the cost of the partnership and the benefit people actually receive (Zichermann & Linder, 2013).

Third, make membership feel like a community. I would want Samsung Members to offer more than a forum and a collection of badges: conversations with designers, useful events and occasional surprises could give people reasons to participate. Brand-community research helps explain the appeal of belonging (Muniz & O’Guinn, 2001). The activity should matter to members, not just generate another notification.

Fourth, reduce the effort of getting started or switching. Learning a new phone while managing everything else in life can feel like one task too many. Clear tutorials, practical migration help and milestones that show progress could make change less exhausting. Switching costs include time and learning as well as money (Burnham et al., 2003). The opportunity is not limited to one age group.

Fifth, invite customers into development. I would have happily helped test the Flip screen. A Galaxy Co-Creation Lab could let people discuss features, try materials and offer feedback before release. Prahalad and Ramaswamy (2004) provide a useful lens for that participation. It should improve the product and make contributors feel heard; it is not a substitute for professional testing or a guarantee of free publicity.

Eye-catching design gets attention. Reliable products and supportive encounters give the relationship a chance to deepen. I wanted to be loyal. Give people reasons to feel confident, involved and well looked after, and perhaps they will not flip back as quickly as I did.

References

Burnham, T.A., Frels, J.K. and Mahajan, V. (2003). ‘Consumer Switching Costs: A Typology, Antecedents, and Consequences’, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 31(2), pp.109–126.

Muniz, A.M. and O’Guinn, T.C. (2001). ‘Brand Community’, Journal of Consumer Research, 27(4), pp.412–432.

Oliver, R.L. (1999). ‘Whence Consumer Loyalty?’, Journal of Marketing, 63(Special Issue), pp.33–44.

Prahalad, C.K. and Ramaswamy, V. (2004). ‘Co-creating Unique Value with Customers’, Strategy & Leadership, 32(3), pp.4–9.

Zichermann, G. and Linder, J. (2013). The Gamification Revolution: How Leaders Leverage Game Mechanics to Crush the Competition. McGraw-Hill Education.