6. Some Practical Lessons
6
Lesson 1: If you are going to get employees to provide the
absolute “best” in customer service, you must start by setting an
example
Lesson 2: You have to commit to treating your employees with at
least the same level of respect, care and concern you expect
them to demonstrate to customers (in our case “patients” and
families) in order to solicit that behavior amass
Lesson 3: Once you’ve demonstrated a willingness to “walk the
talk”, then you can rightly establish your expectations of others
and hold everyone (including yourselves) accountable…
relentlessly!
10. 7. Sell your “brand promise” internally first, and ensure commitment,
before extending it to the outside world (customers and investors)
8. Execute flawlessly and expect others to do so as well (Note: that means
“walking the talk” and leading by example)
9. Use your branding efforts as an ongoing emotional dialogue
between your organization and your customers/employees
(through conversation, surveys, focus groups)
10. Tie behaviors measured in performance evaluations , incentive
plans and other reward programs to your “brand promise”
10 Steps to Building a Great Brand
10
“Brands” are all about “emotions”…and the guttural response we have associated with the name (logo, image, jingle, etc.). While the emotions may be linked to what we see on TV or online, most of that comes from the “experience” we have with that company (or representatives of that company).Brands are generally not about “specifics”, but general experiences with a name or image. They are based upon “classical conditioning” where a name, logo, jingle or other identifier hopefully elicits the “right” response.Great brands produce positive emotions and positive images of all things associated with the brand. Bad brands (e.g., Enron or IRS) do just the opposite.
Examples: GE: We make “good things for living” Allstate Insurance: Your in “good hands” with Allstate Prudential: The “Rock” OLOLRMC: The relentless pursuit of “better” LSU: Don… Don… Don…dunt
Our Car Buying ExperiencePoor Tuttle-Click ExperienceHad done our homework on new car and trade in (Kelly Blue Book)Dealer asked for significant after-market markups above list price & wouldn’t provide alternative vehicle Dealer offered several thousand short on the trade-inWhen presented the Kelly Blue Book information, they completely discounted that info arguing their “experience” was much superior and treated us as fools for relying upon such informationOur unwillingness to “’take the deal” was responded to by questions and innuendo about our “financial condition”…aka “it’s our fault”We ultimately walked out and never called back!OC Hyundai ExperiencePrior experience with service department demonstrated strong “customer service” orientationSalesmen much more interested in understanding our needs and helping us make a good decision than “selling the car”Introduced to both the General Manager and Owner as though we were really important peopleThey actually drove 40 down the road and “bought” a car in order to make sure my wife could get the make, model and color she wanted (without our knowing that they had to “buy the car” to make it available)No argument on the blue book presentation…they worked to adjust their numbersWhen the monthly note became an obstacle, the finance guy work feverishly calling banks etc to get the most favorable interest rate so we could buy the car at the monthly payment we had budgeted (without them further discounting the price)After purchase they told us about the 3 year free service as well as unlimited free car washes (keeping car in “showroom” condition)We had a tremendous customer service and highly recommended the dealershipHigh Performance OrganizationExperienced sales staff spoke very highly of their owner, the mission and values of the dealership as well as their interest in staying with the organization long-term given their experience with other dealersA number of the sales staff worked for the first dealer and remarked that they had a history of treating their employees with the same “win-loose” approach that we had experienced as customersBefore we knew he was the dealer, we saw the owner demonstrate “servant leadership” in spades by a) running to the distant storage lot to ensure sales staff had the right inventory (in the rain), b) making sure that sales staff had umbrellas to protect themselves and customers from the rain, and c) ensured the noon BBQ was well stocked and manned. Only after watching him for some time we later found out he was the “owner”Over the months we watched them grow their business significantly through “word of month” (no TV or radio advertising) from happy, happy, happy customers (like us) all sporting the OC symbol on their always “glistening” new vehicles.
Being an “organizational behaviorist” at heart, I’ve noticed that…Organizations that maintain successful company brands also meet the requirements of “high performing organizations” much like OC HyundaiThey balance concern for customers, employees and investors and create “win/win” relationships with all threeInvestors ultimately prosper because of the organization’s success in the market placeMy BroMenn ExperienceMerger between three competing community hospitals that were highly competitive and replicated servicesMerger required infusing new mission, vision and identity within the workforce…and they were resistant!Merger made us the second largest health system in the region…we still had a bigger and formable competitorStrategy was to leverage the HPO conceptsParking was a major practical issue with new construction, and we gave preferential parking in this orderPatients, family and visitorsPhysiciansNurses, therapists, technicians and support staff,Department heads and managersAdministrative staff/senior management (we had “assigned” parking well over 3 blocks from the nearest entrance)During employee meeting, a supervisor was challenging one of the hospital administrators when Jeff Schaub (the CEO) walked in late (red-faced with fogged over glasses and covered with snow, slush and mud). The complaints died in the room right then!The key was leading by example…not expecting of others what you don’t expect from yourself…and this circumstance made a clear statement concerning “what” and “who” the priorities were…it demonstrated a willingness to “walk the talk”.
Lesson 1…if you are going to get employees to provide the absolute best in customer service, you must start by setting an example Lesson 2: You have to commit to treating your employees with at least the same level of care and concern you expect them to demonstrate to customers (in our case “patients” and families). Lesson 3: Once you’ve demonstrated a willingness to “walk the talk”, then you can establish your expectations of others and hold everyone accountable (including yourselves)…relentlessly!
OC Hyundai ExperiencePoor Tuttle-Click ExperienceHad done our homework on new car and trade in (Kelly Blue Book)Dealer asked for significant after-market markups, wouldn’t provide alternativeDealer offered several thousand short on the trade-inWhen presented the Kelly Blue Book information, they completely discounted arguing their “experience” was stronger and treated us as fools for relying upon such informationUnwillingness to “’take the deal” was responded to by questions and inuendo about our “financial condition”We ultimately walked out and never called backOC Hyundai ExperiencePrior experience was demonstrated strong “customer service” orientationSalesmen much more interested in understanding our needs and helping us make a good decision than “selling the car”Introduced to both the General Manager and Owner as though we were really important peopleActually went down the road and “bought” a car in order to make sure my wife could get the make, model and color she wanted (without our knowing that they had to “buy the car” to make it available)No argument on the blue book presentation…they worked to adjust their numbersFinancial guy work feverishly calling banks etc to get the most favorable interest rate so we could buy the car at the monthly payment we had budgetedAfter purchase we learned of the 3 year free service as well as unlimited free car washes (keeping car in “showroom” condition)We had tremendous customer service and highly recommended the dealershipHigh Performance OrganizationExperience sales staff spoke very highly of their owner, the mission and values of the dealership and their interest in staying with the organization long-term given their experience with other dealersSame sales staff all worked for the first dealer and remarked that they had a history of treating their employees with the same “win-loose” approach that we had experienced as customersBefore we knew he was the dealer, we saw the owner demonstrate “servant leadership” in spades by a) running to the distant storage lot to ensure sales staff had the right inventory (in the rain), b) making sure that sales staff had umbrellas to protect themselves and customers from the rain, and c) ensured the noon BBQ was well stocked and manned. Only after watching him for some time we later found out he was the ownerOver the months we watched them grow their business significantly through “word of month” (no TV or radio) from happy, happy, happy customers (like us) all sporting the OC symbol on their glistening new vehicles.
Mission/Vision/Values: these are the hallmarks of great leadership. They need to be spelled out on paper, completely and succinctly before you try to communicate to employees, investors and ultimately customers. Then do so liberally!Getting the buzz…From an HR perspective, this generally means taking the pulse of the workforce through conversation, employee meetings, morale surveys, focus groups, exit interviews and the like. All are good techniques for learning how you are perceived, and how well they believe you fullfill the “brand promise”.
Knowing your competition…You want to study them and what they do (well and otherwise). Talk with your trusted employees to get the scoop (they generally have friends and colleagues who are flirting with the competitionCrafting and re-crafting…I’ve learned this is not a “one time deal” but actually on ongoing process or refining and incorporating “change” as time goes along and warrants that change.
Sell internally…You never want to go out and make a promise, or create a market expectation, that your own staff doesn’t believe we deserve. If we are having “quality” of “performance” issues in their minds, those issues need to be resolved first. Only state what your employees will gladly “back up”.
