Seamless solutions: why becoming an Apple customer feels so easy

Apple's product's need no introduction. Since its release, the iPhone has fundamentally changed the way we communicate. There's a reason 'the cult of Mac' has developed – people love Apple's products for their ease of use, beautiful design touches and seamless connectivity. It has become a hallmark of the brand to ensure that users who are new to Apple – or just new to one of their latest products – get that same feeling from the moment they open the box or access the hardware.

Customer onboarding is rooted in good design. Apple's former Chief Design Officer Jonny Ive described his design philosophy at Apple as "Our goal is simple objects... Objects that you can't imagine any other way". It's safe to say that you can feel that when you pick up an Apple product. Every single step, from the ease of unboxing the packaging to the steps you take to power the product up and use it are intuitive and seamless, with no wasted time. Obviously Apple has an incredible design department that has spent years developing each product, but there's nothing to stop every business creating an onboarding experience that doesn't frustrate their customers, but instead leaves them feeling welcome and even delighted.

Apple's approach is to ensure that they only gather the relevant information that they need from a user to get them in and using the product. This is vital as it means that the user is not overly frustrated by how much information they have to input. Be thoughtful about what you ask for, and why. Apple's own developer documents for people creating apps on their platform are a vital read for anyone building a business as they build on the foundations of their own principles.

'Design a brief, enjoyable experience that doesn’t require people to memorize or provide a lot of information. When you orient people to the main purpose of your app in a quick and entertaining way, people are more likely to appreciate the experience and remember what they learn. If your app requires access to private data or resources before it can do anything, you might want to initiate the system-provided permission request during your onboarding flow because it gives you the opportunity show people why your app needs their information and the benefits of providing it. Be sure to defer requests for additional information until the situation requires it.'

Design a brief, enjoyable experience that doesn’t require people to memorize or provide a lot of information

Apple outlines how by showing the value a user can get from giving their details upfront, any developer can use Apple's inbuilt request to then create that value exchange. The last sentence is also so vital in how Apple considers onboarding users, don't ask for non-vital information 'until the situation requires it'. Too often businesses ask for information that is just not needed on the initial interaction. Apple's approach is to only ask for the minimum possible information to get a customer actually using their product.

Apple's strategy is especially important when they are working on frontier technology, such as the new Apple Vision Pro. Users are experiencing this technology for the first time, and as a result simple, clear onboarding instructions that get a user in quickly and seamlessly are vital. But the same is true for most first-touch experiences, we've all had the experience of starting something fresh, buying a new product or undertaking a new experience and thinking 'What am I doing? What do I do next'. Every business can learn from Apple's approach - think through each step form both your perspective and that of the user. Am I asking too much right now? Do I need that bit of user information? Might it become an obstacle to getting them on board?

THE TAKEAWAY

Remove Friction: One of the biggest barriers to onboarding a customer is friction, by creating friction in the process a user will likely drop off. It's important to consider how an aspect of an experience could be easier, simpler. What barriers are in the way that stop a user from completing an onboarding process?

Create a clear value exchange: Ensure that the information you gather up front is vital and has a value exchange for the user, non vital information can be gathered later when they are a customer.

Bring a little bit of delight: Apple's onboarding is infused with it's brand, it's sleek, minimalist but there are moments of true delight. Consider your onboarding process and where an element of your brand can shine through.

GO DEEPER

Watch Apple's guided tour of the Apple Vision Pro here.