Sonos’ May app relaunch is destined to become a case study in business schools for all the wrong reasons. The home audio company focused on attracting new customers with the introduction of its Ace headphones, neglecting its loyal fan base. This misstep resulted in a release plagued by bugs, revenue losses, and the layoff of over 100 employees. Adding to their woes, subsequent product launches have been postponed.
As October begins, the fallout is still reverberating. However, on Tuesday, Sonos outlined a plan to change its course and mend relationships with customers. The company announced seven commitments ranging from broad promises like “unwavering focus on the customer experience” and “demonstrate humility when introducing changes” to more tangible actions such as extending warranties and appointing a “quality ombudsperson.”
The response from Sonos has been a mixed bag. Some promises, like “relentlessly improving the app experience with regular software upgrades,” are difficult to measure. But if you look closer, you’ll find more specific metrics, such as the pledge to release updated mobile software versions every 2-4 weeks to optimize and enhance the user experience.
Three key initiatives stand out. First, the appointment of a “quality ombudsperson,” who will act as a bridge between employees and management. This individual will present employee concerns to executives, report to the board of directors, and produce a semi-annual transparency report.
To regain customer trust, Sonos is working to establish a “Customer Advisory Board.” This board will enable users to provide feedback, helping to shape and improve products before they hit the market. Additionally, as a gesture of goodwill, the company is extending the manufacturer warranty on home theater products and speakers currently under warranty by an extra year.
Sonos claims that many of these initiatives are already underway and others will be rolled out through the rest of the year. To show their commitment, Sonos has also cut executive bonus payouts between October 2024 and September 2025, unless the company can significantly improve the app experience and rebuild customer trust. Remarkably, over 80% of the features removed from the app have been restored, with nearly 100% expected to return soon.
“Our priority since its release has been — and continues to be — fixing the app,” CEO Patrick Spence stated. “There were missteps, and we first went deep to understand how we got here, and then moved to convert those learnings into action. We are committed to making changes to get us back to being the brand people love by offering the best audio system for the home and beyond.”
