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Committing To and Succeeding With Your New Year’s Resolutions
By Carole Nicolaides, Copyright © 2003, All Rights Reserved http://www.progressiveleadership.com What is the problem with New Year’s resolutions? They are supposed to symbolize a new beginning, hope of doing things better, having more fun, and...

Corporation Buys Texas Town
"DISH, Texas, Nov 16, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- EchoStar Communications Corporation (Nasdaq: DISH), its DISH Network(TM) satellite TV service and the town of Clark, Texas, announced today that the town of Clark has accepted DISH...

Have You Forked Your Fish's Tail?
“Have You Forked Your Fish?” Written by: Dan Pendleton www.ez-money-maker.com Hello Internet Friend, It’s been a few weeks since my last article and I pray that all is well with you. You know, I didn’t how hard it would be to lose a loved one (my...

How To Brand Your Home Based Web Business
"A coke and a smile!" I would be willing to bet that just about everyone today recognizes this slogan. Branding is the process by which you associate in peoples minds a name, slogan, or logo with a product. Included in the association are all of...

Why Are Customers So Indecisive?
Do you know why your customer won’t buy? You’ve given her the best price, possibly even the best options. Yet she fidgets. Maybe, maybe not, she ponders. You stand by the wayside and sweat, praying the sale will go through. Then almost...

 
Branding Fiasco -- Better Be Who You Say You Are!

Our experience as customers offers great instruction into the concept of branding. Come with me on a recent "experience" and you'll see what I mean. Here's the situation:

I want to order an 800 number. On my AT&T bill is a customer services number. I call it. A voice mail gives four options. None of which I want. Just TRY to get a representative. I am instructed to dial another number. I am given three options. Hit 0 for operator and the disembodied voice says I have called after hours. The hours are 7am - 10-pm Monday- Fri. Eastern Standard Time.

Fine. It is now 4am Monday in California. They should be open. By 4:30am in CA I have called repeatedly and punched in all the prompts until I am ready to punch someone. I am still told by a disembodied voice that the offices are closed. I try another number. This time, I reach a computer voice.

Computer:"I'll try and help you. Tell me in your own words what you want."

Me:"Toll free service."

Computer:"I'm sorry. I did not understand. Let me tell you what services we offer..."

Me:"I want a person"

Computer:"Tell me, in your own words, what you want."

Me:"Toll free service!"

Computer:"I am sorry. I do not understand what you want."

Me:(screaming) "I want a person."

Computer:"I am sorry. I..."

SLAM!!!!

I call 00 in frustration. "Operator!!"

Operator: "How can I help?"

Me:"I have been trying without luck to get someone in customer service. I have been caught in a voice mail hell with an atavistic voice. How do I talk to a person?"

Operator:"I am sorry you are having problems. You can talk to a supervisor."

Supervisor:"Can I help you?"

Me:(heatedly) "I want to ask about a toll free number. I have dialed three numbers and cannot get in. It says the offices open at 7am and now it's almost 8am EST!"

Supervisor:"Oh, sometimes they forget to turn off that message so the phones can ring through. We have to call and tell them."

Me:(incredulously) "You mean the PHONE company has employees who do NOT know their first order of business is to turn on phones to answer customers!"

Supervisor:(calmly) "I am sorry. Let me give you a different number than the one you have been


calling. You need to call the office for AT&T 1-800 Easy Reach.

"Easy Reach?!??!?" Who are they trying to kid! I call this "Impossible to Reach".

Branding Lesson #1: Your name sets up an expectation. Live up to it or suffer.
There is a promise established in what we advertise and name things. Southwest Airlines had thought to create a baggage claim delivery time slogan. Then they realized that due to the configuration in a few of their terminals, to quote such a time was almost impossible. They dropped the campaign even though it would have been true in MOST of their sites.

Branding Lesson #2: Your business sets up an expectation. If you don't deliver for yourself - how can you deliver for the customer?
A phone company that doesn't answer the phones is a scary thought. We'd expect it of any other business, but the phone company!! If you own a paint store and your store is in sorry need of paint, what does that say? If the waiters in a restaurant cannot tell you about food on the menu because they never get to eat it, what does that say? Look at your business with critical eyes. Would you do business with you?

Branding Lesson #3: The past never counts. The present creates the brand.
It is the actual in-the-moment experience that creates a brand in a customer's eyes. Brand is a living entity that is re-earned, renewed, or revoked with every interaction. Advertising only creates awareness. I am convinced the very best, most unique, most competitive maker of a "brand" is the well-trained, empowered employee who can disregard systems and procedures in order to continue a human interaction. As more organizations substitute technology for people, the company that answers its own phone and get humans connected in short order will win the day.

(c) 2003, McDargh Communications. All rights reserved.

Reprints are appreciated and must include byline, contact information and copyright.


About the Author

Eileen McDargh is founder of McDargh Communications, a consulting and training company specializing in inner and interpersonal skill development for the purpose of improving the life of a business and the business of life. Visit Eileen at http://www.EileenMcDargh.com or www.theresilientspirit.com.

 

Brand - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The brand, and "branding" and brand equity have become increasingly important ... From the perspective of brand owners, branded products or services also ...
en.wikipedia.org
 
Branding - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Livestock branding, the marking of animals to indicate ownership; Human branding, ... Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branding" ...
en.wikipedia.org
 
AllAboutBranding.com : Home
Provides resources and opinions on branding. Includes brand development, management and communications.
www.allaboutbranding.com
 
brandchannel.com | branding resource produced by Interbrand | brands
An international online exchange and resource about brand marketing and branding.
www.brandchannel.com
 
Branding Company Corporate Branding Internet Brand Identity ...
Brand Identity Guru Inc. creates, develops and promotes powerful brands. Our clients enjoy an array of innovative, creative and powerful branding solutions ...
www.brandidentityguru.com
 
Branding Blog
Branding and positioning news and opinion.
www.brandingblog.com
 
Branding Asia
Free articles, news and columns on branding in Asia. Market research and Asian marketing.
www.brandingasia.com
 
Pages tagged with "branding" on del.icio.us
All items tagged branding ??? view popular ... industrie./design and branding consultant specialists./ · save this. by kittim to design branding graphic ...
del.icio.us
 
The Brand Called You
Big companies understand the importance of brands. Today, in the Age of the Individual, you have to be your own brand. Here's what it takes to be the CEO of ...
www.fastcompany.com
 
Branding: See what people are saying right now on Technorati
See all blog posts tagged with branding on Technorati.
www.technorati.com
 
Mozilla Branding
The purpose of this document is to describe mozilla.org's branding strategy during and after the release of what has generally been called Mozilla 1.4. ...
www.mozilla.org
 
What Brand Are You? A branding viral by The Design Conspiracy
What Brand Are You? has since been picked out as Site Of The Day by the likes of the Financial Times, Yahoo, USA Today and BBC News, and has received more ...
www.whatbrandareyou.com
 
Julie & Company: Affordable branding, web design, graphic design ...
Julie & Company creates stellar branding, integrated marketing, advertising, web design, web development, Flash, trade show booths - all at affordable ...
www.julieandcompany.com
 
Forty Media - Web Design, Web Development, Branding, Great Websites
a professional web design agency based in Phoenix, Arizona.
www.fortymedia.com
 
Branding - Yahoo! Small Business
Find information to help grow your online business with business plans, Thomas Register, news articles and more.
smallbusiness.yahoo.com
 
Lexicon
Lexicon Branding appears on KTVU News; Lexicon Branding creates Ridgeline for Honda, Viiv for Intel, and GameTap for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. ...
www.lexicon-branding.com
 
Branding and Usability
We're finding that a site's usability can dramatically affect branding. ... There are two basic techniques for branding: direct experience and indirect ...
www.uie.com
 
iMedia Connection: Research & Metrics - Branding
Majority of marketers feel branding opportunities -- online and offline -- aren't ... IAB case studies prove real-world power of online in branding mix. ...
www.imediaconnection.com
 
Small Business Marketing And Branding
Small business marketing and branding advice and how-to guides for small business owners. Learn how to start and grow your own successful business.
smallbusinessbranding.com
 
Beyond Branding
Beyond Branding, published in hardcover in 2003 and paperback in 2005, presents innovative business models for the survival of 21st century organizations.
www.beyond-branding.com
 
 

 

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