My morning started out like any other morning. Woke up at 5:55 to my iPhone alarm. Sat in bed about four minutes thinking about how my Monday would go. Went back for the iPhone to see the first few emails and noticed an email from Reed Hasting, CEO of Netflix. It started simply, “I messed up. I owe everyone an explanation.” Looks like someone else has a case of the Mondays!
As I road in the car to work, I read this letter over and over again. What I read was a humble attempt to explain a company’s decision and ultimate vision. Having read through numerous blog comments, you’d a thunk he kicked a dog! I don’t know Mr. Hastings at all and I’m not about to insult him as a fellow human being as some took the opportunity to, but you have to admire Mr. Hastings for posting such an explanation and letting it all hang out there in the “Interwebs!” Unfortunately, his attempt to explain had no real chance of coming off good in the fearless world of social media.
Before you judge me, you must know that I’ve been a Netflix customer from the beginning…since 1999 to be exact! I loved the idea from the beginning and it just kept getting better. However, I slowly transitioned to a life of streaming versus queuing up a Blu Ray. In fact, on average, I was requesting a Blu Ray about once every two months. I did like the idea of having “hard media” delivered to me, but it became more of a hassle, despite them paying for shipping to and fro. So when they elected to change their service fees, I wasn’t too tore up about it, but I understand why so many others were. It’s all a matter of perspective and what was working for you at the best price.
Perhaps this letter was a chance for Mr. Hastings to right a few wrongs and I have to take that at face value. I truly believe he put his heart into this letter and still feels bad for adjusting the plans without tending to the needs of the customer. For that, I forgive you! But that’s not enough for some people and that’s where I think many of us are wrong. It’ll take weeks before people understand the moves that were made and the stock price begins to rebound, but I challenge you to read the letter again with less malice in your heart.
So what’s going on? I’ll tell you what’s going on….they are trying to be the best damn streaming service on the planet and I’m looking forward to how they do this! He clearly states, “We feel we need to focus on rapid improvement as streaming technology and the market evolve, without having to maintain compatibility with our DVD by mail service.”
The time is now to make your choice…are you a streaming or a mailer? Only they know the true demographics of these two types of people, but I’m convinced they are trying to be the best a both. So why fault them for that? Sure there will be growing pains and they’ll have no choice but to appease the movie Gods and us, the customers, but it will all work out. I’m just not ready to burn the CEO at the stake as some eluded to on the Netflix Facebook page. I’m just impressed Mr. Hastings tried to answer the masses on Facebook, but again, it was a losing battle. We simply out-number you.
So, for all you cinephiles and especially the long-time Netflix customers, what say ye? Do you want them to just sit idle and let what we think is a good thing run it’s course? Or do you encourage the risk that is being taken to be the best? We’ll measure Netflix over the years to come, so I’m not worried about figuring it all out now. But, are you willing to ditch them over a letter, over a vision to be the best? Post your comments below fellow mailers and streamers! Risk-taker or Risk-averse? You decide! In the meantime, tell me what you’ve been watching on Netflix lately.
So Say We All!!!
Here’s the link to the actual letter on the Netflix Blog: http://blog.netflix.com/2011/09/explanation-and-some-reflections.html
