The Apple CEO may be potent and intellectual, but may not have a kind heart. You must have heard about the e-mails that were exchanged between Steve Jobs, the Apple CEO, and a young college student. This spicy story arouses from an interesting view.
Many people probably don’t even know that you could send personal e-mails to Steve Jobs. Chelsea Issacs, from Long Island University, was not one of those people. Chelsea was assigned a journalism assignment on how an implementation of iPads system in her university. She made several calls to the Apple Media Relations Department just to talk to a “real person” that she could simply interview. After a few denials, hour-long waiting periods, and a few rejected voice mails she decided to e-mail the head CEO of Apple. It read as the following:
Dear Mr. Jobs,
As a college student, I can honestly say that Apple has treated me very well; my iPod is basically the lifeline that gets me through the day, and thanks to Apple's Final Cut Pro, I aced last semester's video editing project. I was planning to buy a new Apple computer to add to my list of Apple favorites.
Because I have had such good experiences as a college student using Apple products, I was incredibly surprised to find Apple's Media Relations Department to be absolutely unresponsive to my questions, which (as I had repeatedly told them in voicemail after voicemail) are vital to my academic grade as a student journalist.
For my journalism course, I am writing an article about the implementation of an iPad program at my school, the CW Post Campus of Long Island University.
The completion of this article is crucial to my grade in the class, and it may potentially get published in our university's newspaper. I had 3 quick questions regarding iPads, and wanted to obtain answers from the most credible source: Apple's Media Relations Department.
I have called countless times throughout the week, leaving short, but detailed, messages which included my contact information and the date of my deadline. Today, I left my 6th message, which stressed the increasingly more urgent nature of the situation. It is now the end of the business day, and I have not received a call back. My deadline is tomorrow.
Mr. Jobs, I humbly ask why Apple is so wonderfully attentive to the needs of students, whether it be with the latest, greatest invention or the company's helpful customer service line, and yet, ironically, the Media Relations Department fails to answer any of my questions which are, as I have repeatedly told them, essential to my academic performance.
For colleges nationwide, Apple is at the forefront of improving the way we function in the academic environment, increasing the efficiency of conducting academic research, as well as sharing and communicating with our college communities.
With such an emphasis on advancing our education system, why, then, has Apple's Media Relations team ignored my needs as a student journalist who is just trying to get a good grade?
In addition to the hypocrisy of ignoring student needs when they represent a company that does so much for our schools, the Media Relations reps are apparently, also failing to responsibly handle the inquiries of professional journalists on deadlines. Unfortunately, for a journalist in the professional world, lacking the answers they need on deadline day won't just cost them a grade; it could cost them their job.
Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Chelsea Kate Isaacs Senior CW Post - Long Island University
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Don’t you think that is quite well written for an e-mail to Steve Jobs? Everything is grammatically correct, and it is formatted nicely. She also had a great use of words. Steve Jobs did reply to this email. It read as the following:
Our goals do not include helping you get a good grade. Sorry.
I agree that the Apple CEO does not have a lot of spare time on his hands, but only 12 words in an e-mail? That looks quite unprofessional to me. Steve Jobs also showed a bit of attitude in those couple of sentences. Chelsea replied to this controversial e-mail as the following:
Thank you for your reply. I never said that your goal should be to "help me get a good grade." Rather, I politely asked why your media relations team does not respond to emails, which consequently, decreases my chances of getting a good grade. But, forget about my individual situation; what about common courtesy, in general --- if you get a message from a client or customer, as an employee, isn't it your job to return the call? That's what I always thought. But I guess that's not one of your goals. Yes, you do have a creative approach, indeed. Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
Is it possible that the fact that she sent her e-mails on a Blackberry is why Steve Jobs is acting this way? Possibly. Chelsea is starting to show a bit attitude also. That is only from a vengeful stance though. Steve Jobs replies with the following:
Nope. We have over 300 million users and we can't respond to their requests unless they involve a problem of some kind. Sorry.
Steve Jobs starts making excuses for why he can’t reply. If he has enough time to type these e-mails, why can’t he simply answer her question? There is obviously something that is going on. If one has the time to give excuses and argue with a person, why not be polite and simply answer the question that was asked in the first place? Chelsea replied back once again:
You're absolutely right, and I do meet your criteria for being a customer who deserves a response:
1. I AM one of your 300 million users. 2. I DO have a problem; I need answers that only Apple Media Relations can answer.
Now, can they kindly respond to my request (my polite and friendly voice can be heard in the first 5 or 10 messages in their inbox). Please, I am on deadline.
I appreciate your help.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
You can tell Chelsea is not a happy fellow, but she is still asking politely for an answer. Steve Jobs replies with something much unexpected:
Please leave us alone.
He simply told her to get away. First of all, that is extremely rude. Second of all, Chelsea now knows the actual personality of the CEO of Apple, and is probably not satisfied with it. Third of all, Steve Jobs does not care what Chelsea is to get on her assignment and will not answer her question. Chelsea gave up after this e-mail, knowing that there is no hope from him.
Is an apology required? It sure seems like it. Chelsea is asked if she believes an apology is required. "I sure hope so" said Isaacs. "I mean I'm open to it, I have nothing against him, and I hope he gives me a call." No follow-up e-mail has been sent apologizing or saying “sorry” in any manner. "If they're not denying it I guess it must mean they have nothing to say about it." said Isaacs who for now is enjoying the attention, tons of supportive messages, and the lively debate in her journalism classes.
Maybe the real personality of Steve Jobs is coming out. Is he a person who cares for the happiness of the public? Or, is he a person who just wants to make as much money as possible? In this case, the second choice seems appropriate.