Customer first

When it comes to doorbells, I sit firmly in the late adopter, possibly laggard cohort on the technology adoption curve.

That said, we’ve got a Ring doorbell, and this week, while my family is on a road trip visiting Canada and the States, I’m using it to check in with my daughter while she’s messing about on her iPhone.

I’ll buzz her as I take the dog out, chat with her before I go on my way, and buzz her again when I return. I have no idea why we started doing this, but it’s fun.

Like many households, ours is full of devices with all the usual messenger apps. So it’s interesting that we communicate internationally between the UK and North America via a doorbell.

I’m not saying that the folks at Big Doorbell have anything to worry about here—I get that this is probably an edge case.

Still, it reminds us that people will always want to find ways to use the products and services designed for them in ways that suit them—simplifying or adding value to their lives. Not complicating them.

Owners of AI-powered chatbots and automated telephone systems take note.

As the old Steve Jobs adage goes, "You've got to start with the customer experience and work back to the technology”.