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When we think of branding genius, it's Corporate America that comes to mind....
All those award-winning TV spots and ads over the years have helped create some incredibly strong brands. Yet no matter how much is invested in those brands, it isn't always enough. Unless companies "live" their brands at all touch points, what is their true worth?
I've had so many poor customer service experiences in the past 18 months - I could write a book but I'd be afraid of being sued. It constantly amazes me that huge corporations provide such awful back-end customer service. It begins with waiting incessantly on a toll-free telephone line, playing hopscotch with the variety of recorded messages, only to have some inexperienced low-level individual take down our entire complaint. But, in the end, it's usually the same response. "We're sorry."
Supervisors are non-existent in some companies, or the reps offer to have someone call you back and never do. In my most recent experience at a big box electronics store, I purchased a laptop AND a sevice plan two years ago, and now that it requires service, it turns out there are exceptions to the service plan that aren't included in the tri-fold contract. Oh, but there's a 20-page service contract document that's too large to fit into a tri-fold, but alas, no reference to a PDF document you can download on the company's Web site either.
So, it's buyer beware. There's always the small print.
Was it a frustrating experience? You bet. Will I purchase another product from that store? Probably not. Will I tell a few people about my experience? You bet. Where does that leave the company with word-of-mouth marketing?
Maybe the customer attrition rate just can't keep up with the acquisition rate of new customers. But in an economic downturn, and there have been some in the past 25 years, these companies have the most to lose. How much brand loyalty can they expect to build when they hide their policies, they don't practice being forthright and honest with their customers, and they apologize and try to throw a $25 gift card your way to make up for their ineptitude and dishonest methods. I just don't understand it.
A brand has value. So much so, that it can often be given a dollar value when companies are bought and sold. So, how come it's some of the largest corporations that are missing the boat on the fundamental marketing principle of living the brand in every area, every department, and every touch point?
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Comments
We do care about our brand everywhere. I'm sure you must have caught the article published in The Wall Street Journal earlier this week:
Teaching Americans How To Behave
http://www.postgazette.com/pg/06102/681242-37.stm
And in February, I wrote a global business column for Entrepreneur magazine on a similar subject and headlined:
American Outcast:
http://www.entrepreneur.com/Magazines/Copy_of_MA_SegArticle/0,4453,326026,00.html
Once we learn how to behave and be good world citizens, we learn how to market a brand across borders.
Best,
Laurel
Posted by: Laurel Delaney | 04.13.06
Thanks for your comments, Laurel. I agree with the views of the article in the Biz Journal. I have a unique perspective, too, being a Canadian and living in the U.S. as a new resident. However, I do believe that American corporations have to be paragons of this "better behavior" by providing quality customer experiences in our own backyard, in addition to individual citizens modeling good behavior in other countries. These types of articles, bringing the issues to light, is a good start.
Posted by: Elaine Fogel | 04.14.06
I think you have to take into consideration, how the employees are valued by said corporations. I've worked for a lot of them. I am a skilled and educated woman. I very much want to find a place that I would be proud to stay a part of. Hope springs eternal, right?
Sadly though, in my experience, the career starts with a lot of charisma, a lot of talk of how the 'brand' is 'lived'. Then goals are set for the employee in such a way that very few workers could ever meet the gambit of them, and those that do are thwarted by the fact that the 'store' or the 'region' didn't meet their overall goal, and so, sorry! I have yet to find a place that does not split my days off, and require me to also split up shifts, or make 'mandatory' meetings that are not convenient to my shift. So while employees, team members, associates, whatever you want to call us, are expected to value the company and it's goals, the company puts no value on our time, families, or obligations outside of the workplace.
We are not valued. We are warm bodies who are initially excited and emotionally sated with the illusion of that 'great place to be a part of'. And when one round of workers sees the reality of their employer, the customer service slips. The 'branding' is not 'lived'.
You will find few people with the integrity to deliver great customer service when they themselves feel undervalued by their company. And though that may be wrong, they are right in the fact that they should be truly valued by their employers. Why is it impossible to have a set shift, or a 4 day 10 hour work week that would allow the family to be the the part of our lives that it should be.
I feel undervalued. I feel punished for having chosen to have a family. I feel lied to and cheated, and sick of it all. Yet I am still the team member who will do my job to the best of my ability until my last day, because that reflects on ME not the company. But it's always on to the next thing isn't it?
I do great work!
I know I don't want 'too much'!
Why is wanting your family to have precedence, and time to ENJOY LIFE considered TOO MUCH?
Posted by: Jeannie Holcomb | 05.15.08