The latest wave of disappointment in Apple’s iPhone 3G saga came with the launch of MobileMe a few weeks back. As users reported server outages and lost e-mails, Apple remained quiet – issuing a terse, one-sentence statement online and eventually sending an apology e-mail to subscribers a few days later.

To date, the company still has not answered the increasingly angry demands for information from its loyal customers and has stiff-armed inquiring news media. As a result, the mainstream media is telling Apple’s story on its own and hordes of bloggers are posting customer war stories about battling MobileMe support.

Apple’s initial reaction highlights a hole in its otherwise seamless marketing. Great firms like Apple can market when products work without a hitch. But when problems arise, the best companies know how to respond in ways that not only satisfy customers, but actually help the brand grow as a result of crisis.

It’s time for Apple to tune into the discourse. Keeping a pulse on public opinion enables a company to take necessary steps in real time and provides an opportunity to shape, if not change, the conversation. Being proactive and transparent earns points with customers and demonstrates concern.

The MobileMe Blog that Apple has finally established is a great start – especially considering the tech savvy that Apple customers are famous for. Recent data from EMM Group showing that 13% of dissatisfied customers tell at least 20 other people about the problems they experience makes online social network interaction – where most of these conversations take place in the Information Age – a must for such a company.

There’s no doubt that the iPhone 3G will survive this current crisis and most likely thrive in the months to come. But the issue is larger than just one product. Apple has the chance to transform a product crisis into an opportunity to further brand itself as responsive to customers’ needs. It’s a chance the company shouldn’t let slip by.