I have to get on with my family, thems the rules. That said, I’m not so sentimental that if someone doesn’t put in the effort, I have no qualms in not seeing them, ask my eldest brother, last seen seven years ago. But obligation is everywhere – especially in business.

I’m a prime example of someone who occasionally obliges, usually out of laziness. The problem is two-fold. As the obliger, I feel like I am being taken for granted; meanwhile, the company relying on my apathy or blind allegiance sometimes takes the piss, after all, I’m a loyal customer.

Apple is a great example in my life. I started using Macs back in 1989, with an SE20 full to the brim with 2Mb of ram and a 20mb hard disk. I stuck with them through thick and thin… and believe me, sometimes it got very thin.

This week I upgraded my phone to an iPhone 4. Not only is it very expensive to buy, but there is the well known signal issue and Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, (it’s amazing what reputation allows you) told users they are just holding the phone wrong.

But, I bought one anyway. The thing is, I am more and more reluctant to say how amazing Apple is these days, after four laptops that were very sub-standard in design quality, as well as an iPhone 3G that was faulty, I just don’t feel that Apple care enough about the loyal end-user.

Apple make great software. They also make hardware that looks amazing. The only problem I have is with the industrial design aspect. But still I keep buying based on the first two points. How long will I continue to oblige though?

How many suppliers do you use out of obligation? How does it make you feel when you think about the levels of service  you get?

On the other hand, how many customers do you ‘rely’ on for business? And, does it affect the way you deal with them because they are so loyal to you?

It can be a real ball-ache to swap suppliers – I’ve stuck with many far too long in the past just because of that – but, it’s now easier for me to find new suppliers than it’s ever been. It’s also easier for me to moan publicly about the bad ones.

I no longer need to be so obliging.