I remember vividly shopping at Radio Shack with my parents in 1982 for our first computer. For Christmas that year, we got a Tandy 1000sx computer where DOS ruled the floppy disks and limited capacity was exactly that, limited. A joystick Atari 2600 was the game console of choice. And, as IBM prospered through the decade, I started high school taking typing classes and learning Turbo Pascal and C+ coding on IBM PCs. By my junior year in high school, I was introduced to the “Classic” Macintosh as I composed my high school newspaper on a 640×480 pixel sized screen.

While in college and then through my short career in government, I used IBM computers. It was in 1998, when I started my first company that I decided to go make that company an ALL Apple company. This phase lasted several years and my office was colorful with the fruit colors of iMacs. But, when I found myself back into corporate America in 2002, they were always based on a PC backbone. This is where I stayed loyal to the PC until 2011.

Even though I had an iPhone as early as 2008, my computer preference was still a PC. It wasn’t until 2011 when I made the conscious decision to go ALL the way with Apple with only one exception… I still use a PC to do my company QuickBooks because my accountant advises to do so.

I now have a 27” iMac, 2 MacBook Pros, an iPhone and Apple TV. Even though there may be a competitor out there with a more advanced technology, I am confident that I will remain a loyal Apple/Mac user for the following three reasons:

• Apple Customer Care and Customer Service – Each time I have an issue with any one of my devices, I can easily make an online appointment to get the problem fixed. In addition, if an item fails for any reason, they will immediately replace it on the spot. This has occurred on several occasions and I have been pleasantly surprised when they replace the item for free. Their One-to-One trainings has allowed me to take unlimited amounts of trainings for only $99. Because of their superior customer service, I will remain loyal.
• Innovation to Synced Devices – As my business grows, there are more reasons for me to use multiple devices: iMac for video production, MacBookPro for most all other circumstances in the office and on the road, as well as the iPhone which I use primarily for taking notes at business meetings when I don’t want to carry a laptop. Knowing that everything is synced, saved and secure, I can concentrate on not losing a beat.
• Low-Maintenance – I have never received a virus on my Apple products. I have spent thousands on my PC’s security software, which tend to never totally protect your computer.   With constant updates, better features and ease of use, it is more adaptable to allowing a creative mind stay creative and not worry about the functionality of the product.
• Quality – Style, durability, functionality and practicality are all established in the quality of each Mac product! One product seems to one-up the last product while always syncing needed information.
• Reliability – I can trust Apple! I can trust their products will work. And, if (or when) they don’t, I know I will get a replacement product and always be able to access my files. That’s all I ask for! I know we live in a world that all technology will fail at one point. I love Apple because of their commitment to back up their product, as well as backup the data on the product on another site so that you can always regain important documents.

I am undecided as to if I’ll get the iPhone 6 or the iPhone 6 Plus. I will be one of those crazy people in line on September 19^th to get one. But, as I stated above, why wouldn’t you buy an Apple product?   Customer Service, innovation, low-maintenance, quality and reliability are the reasons I am committed to Apple. Period. End of Story.

As with my past 20 year history in bouncing between the Apple and PC world, I won’t rule out another drastic change.  But, it will only be based upon business logic.  Therefore, if Apple continues to produce quality products, I will continue to remain a loyal customer of Apple.