Do you have a “service brand“? Have you taken the time to clearly define what your service experience is like for all your customers? If so, good for you, you’ve created your very own brand of service! But, you’re only a quarter of the way there.
The second key point of service branding is to communicate it to all your employees. Not just handing out a sheet of paper with a few “pie in the sky” catch phrases on it. The real test is to ask your employees what it means to them. Make each person in your organization articulate how they will deliver this promise. If you’ve gotten this far, you’re ahead of your competition, as only a select few get this far. You’re half-way there, keep reading!
Next, you need to measure how effectively this promise is being delivered to every customer. I do mean every customer. Most businesses who take the time to get this far find that their total brand promise is only being delivered about 15%-20% of the time. Sound shocking, it is. However, we are dealing with human beings, not machines. Stuff gets in the way of plans. If you can get the implementation of your brand promise up to 75%-85% you will see incredible leaps in sales and profitability. Keep reading, you’re only 75% done.
The final step is to check with your customers to see if the brand experience is being delivered. You’ll note the key difference between measuring the “mechanics” of your brand promise, versus the perception of the customer, which is really your reality. Only by having the 360 degree approach to branding your service can you be successful.
Too many organizations drop a few marketing phrases in their ads that sabotage their brand. Nobody ever discussed these “promises in a tag line” with anyone other than the marketing director and the copy writer. I fly a lot. I mean 1,000,000 miles a year. That’s a lot. I’ve heard every promise from the “friendly skies” to we paint a smile on our planes… Most of it’s bull. I’ve heard a flight attendant yell at a passenger because they didn’t speak English — on a flight from Latin America! I’ve personally been graced with a liberal covering of juice, when a flight attendant wasn’t looking where they were going, pushing their cart at 60 miles an hour down the isle.
I single out airlines, because they really have it easy. Most people who travel are excited, one way or the other, about getting to their destination. Just a smile or friendly gesture, of the smallest kind, can make a huge difference. But most, put on airs about bringing a fantastic experience, fall flatly on their face. (More about this in an upcoming article)
Southwest Airlines knocks the socks off their competition. I’ll fly Southwest even if it was more time or cost more money. Why? They have a lot of fun getting you there. I don’t know if it’s all an act, if it is they should win an award. Besides, Disneyland is probably one of the biggest “acts” and nobody I know complains. Southwest says they will get me where I want to go, on time for the most part, and treat me with respect. Then, they add a little fun too. They get it!
What are you doing to knock the socks of your customers? Are you under-promising and over-delivering? Or, are you letting some fancy marketing get in the way of building your customer’s loyalty?
