Great post, Lewis. I take this same position in my seminars. Happy camper employees are THE pivotal point to the brand, yet there are still so many disgruntled and miserable workers out there. It's quite sad - not just for the brand - but also because life shouldn't have to be that way just to make a living.

"why don't all employers treat their employees as stakeholders?"

Action betrays belief regardless of what is written and hung on a wall as company values.

In many cases most companies just don't have a belief system that allows them to act on the obvious truth you observe.

Your call to "look in the mirror" is for me a challenge to examine the beliefs that inform behavior.

All this reminds me of a Dilbert cartoon. It had something to do with Dilbert being told a new company wide study had discovered that the firm's most valuable asset wasn't people after all. It turned out the most valuable asset was paper clips.

I might have got the punch line wrong, but you get the point.

Good "head whacking" in this post Lewis - thanks, I needed that!

How many times will you be returning to those negatively-charged companies you mentioned, Lewis? Likely not so many. My point is that they, too, are part of the Law of Brand Attraction. Stick with Starbucks.

We used to know how to be the front person.

When no one told us that there were brands, or what brands were, we used to naturally understand that if we're selling something, we're the contact person for whoever is buying.

We used to know how to be decent and respectful in all interactions -- well mannered, it was called.

I call that the normal behavior of humans whose needs are met.

There is a whole different place we go to when the world bounces off us, when we're under stress. Many of us don't even recognize who we become.

Some environments are staged to provide a better experience for employees and customers. A space where their needs -- if only of having such a space -- are met.

Others are constructed to squeeze every last ounce of profit out of everything -- for many different reasons, I'm not trying to oversimplify here. That's when things tend to go terribly wrong.

People want to be understood and cared for. They want to count, not be counted. They care. Who can they trust?

Valeria and Elaine,
Well said. We should just treat each other right, and maybe once upon a time we did. Before the world became so small, scary and complex.

Carolyn,
You're correct. Most of us don't return and refuse to beat our heads against a brick wall. But often it's sad for everyone because, I think, every business possesses potential to make a positive difference. What a waste and a shame when some don't.

Michael,
That's it! Creating values doesn't mean a thing if we don't live them.

Great piece Lewis and a good week to take stock. It's true that the brand is human...and why, on a tangential note, I think that Apple's "PC and Mac" ads have done so well. By making the 2 computers actual people they've humanized titanium. We're human and connect with one another, not glitzy steel (tho' it does look cool).

Your point is very good as it's the front-line gatekeepers of service, sales and support that deserves the most attention yet usually gets the least. It's the great model of Jet Blue, always a friendly face and delightful flight experience (even with turbulence).

Also loved the title and graphic of this piece. Happy New Year and many thanks for your myriad contributions in '06.

Nice post, Lewis, and great quote, Valeria: "We used to know how to be the front person."

Good "Apple and PC" tangent, CK. I just saw the holiday version of the ads -- where they call a truce. Funny. And you are right -- very human.

Great post Lewis. And all true. Great comments that followed as well.

I am in the middle of an unfavorable experience with Saturn at the moment. I love my car and it is having expensive and scary problems right now. The service folks have been great though. I am mad as hell about the situation, but the service folks have been so good that I am not angry with them- just angry with the entity that is Saturn. Will that save the relationship? The jury is out still, but they have a better chance thanks to the folks I've been dealing with.

When I was that "front line guy", it was a source of pride to turn angry consumers into happy advocates. When I was the guy in charge of hiring and training people for that position, that was critical in my process- finding people who would follow that lead. Why did I do this? Because the company placed a very high value on service and we had a phenomenal reputation for it. I was proud of the work we did and proud of the people who worked with me. The company made us feel good about it and empowered us to do what we believed was right for the customers we had. We had very little in the way of rules we had to follow, other than making sure people were happy. Those were good rules.

Tim,
I am so sorry about your Saturn. I can't think of anything more frustrating. It appears your dealer gets it; GM is still trying to figure it out.

CK and Ann:
I love the PC/Mac ads, as well. Thank you for your insights.

I think it's a vote for active parenting. We're expecting a whole generation of latch key kids to give good customer service and care. No one cared about them, why should they care about you?

I know this is simplistic but how someone grew up is how that person is going to relate to the world.

That is why companies have to get into the education game, otherwise they're not going to find very many polite well behaved responsible human beings.

It's so sad that we procreate and leave the upbringing to a sick system that sets kids up to fail.

Look in the mirror and thank your mom and dad! Or whoever took the time to raise you properly.

Lewis,

I don't think its as simple as "managers say their people are an asset but don't believe it."

Call me naive, but I think most business people truly do believe that their employees are one of the most valuable keys to their success. They say it. They mean it.

But they have no idea how to actually make it come true. They think hanging a jargon filled mission statement in the breakroom is enough. Or talking about the company values once a year at the annual meeting is enough.

I don't think it is indifference that allows that to be the extent of their efforts. I think its ignorance.

We're marketers so it is common sense to us. But just like we tell our clients -- just because we think that way doesn't mean the rest of the world does.

Part of a marketing agency/consultant's job, in my opinion, is to teach them why and how.

Just my long winded two cents!

Best,

Drew

Tammy,
Wow! You may be onto something. Hadn't really thought of it that way.

Drew,
Good insights. Thanks!

You have a very good point Lewis. Its the rooot level employees that make or break the image of a company. Yet so many millions are poured into ad campaigns and not much spent on the training and satisfaction of the people.