Google's Nexus One phone had a thundering debut in early January, but the buzz subsided as soon as the customer relations problems began. This week, however, Google has made two key moves to try and reverse that trend: It has significantly lowered the early termination fee (ETF) for Nexus One customers and added a phone support hot line where customers can speak to an actual human.
Credit Google this: It seems to have realized that it needs to get its Nexus One house in order or risk further decline in what already are slow sales projections for its flagship Android phone. Here are three ways Google could -- and should -- continue to do so:
1. Install A Technical Support Line
Sure, Google debuted a phone support line where users can call and ask Nexus One representatives about shipping and ordering issues. But in doing so, Google's still not addressing the need for technical support; customers who have technical questions about their Nexus One are referred to HTC, the phone's manufacturer. If Google is so interested in revolutionizing technology segments, wouldn't it behoove the company to do so with customer service support for phones, too? Maybe that's what Google's much-buzzed-about ad for a "Phone Support Program Manager for Android" is intended for.
2. Open Up Distribution
Google responded to a ChannelWeb query on potential future distribution by saying it had no reseller plans to share at that time. That statement didn't exactly close the door on distribution, and neither did a comment from Google's Andy Rubin that future versions of Nexus One could be intended for enterprise business use.
Nexus One also did appear as "coming soon," at least for a short time, on Walmart's Web site before Google said it wouldn't be selling the Nexus One through Walmart and the listing was taken down. Maybe Google is planning a full-fledged third-party distribution strategy for Nexus One already, but with all the buzz around getting it into the hands of retailers, resellers and other channels, why wait? The gray market apparently isn't.
3. Market The Heck Out Of It
Google was in the news this week for its first-ever Super Bowl ad -- a rare TV appearance that served to market ... its search engine. Despite the commercial's popularity and interest, the move still left many observers scratching their heads as to why Google would devote such a valuable advertising spot to the one thing everyone knows and loves it for already.
Hey, Google: If you're going to market your products using the boob tube, why not grab a prime time spot and tell us why Nexus One is the game-changing super phone you said it is during the unveiling? It seemed to work for Motorola's Droid, and it definitely worked for Apple's iPhone.
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