Photo courtesy of Getty Images
In an earlier post, I pointed to SAS airline's take on customer touch-points. They had 10 million customers last year that came into contact with at least 5 SAS employees for an average of 15 seconds. The CEO called them "50 million moments of truth".
Here's another company that understands your brand = your employees.
Zappos, a leading online shoe retailer with sales of $370 million, has been sending it's 300+ employees to what is essentially a customer service boot camp. According to Internet Retailer magazine,
Rather than commit large amounts of time and money to interactive marketing, Zappos likes to invest in better customer service programs, Hsieh says. “We started the program in June as a way to train employees about our culture and how we handle customer loyalty,” says Hsieh. “Now we are to the point where all our employees are taking the course.”
Is it any wonder, then, that Zappos generates more than 60% of their revenue from repeat customers? Or that Zappos is growing at an annual rate of 100%?
Every touch a customer has with your employees, no matter how small, is...the...brand.
Zappos gets it.
Very cool post. Another example of "think big, act small."
Posted by: olivier blanchard | January 13, 2006 at 03:10 PM
While I agree in part I disagree with that employees = the brand. There is certainly more to it than this. I believe what they do and how they do it effects the brand perception. Such a statement is a good example of not understanding what branding is. It is typical of today's market hype of branding companies who force their influence into areas of customer contact and influence that they in essence no little about. Rather than change their perceptions they rather keep doing the wrong things and steal what they can't do.
As a leading consultant I see the irreversible damage of old school branding still pushing customer last philosophies that leave the customer out of the equation of what branding should be.
Branding isn't everything to everyone, nor does it drive loyalty or customer retention, nor is it the cure all of all that ails business; and it isn't customer experience management or the heavenly sent answer to customer service solutions. What it is, is a tool to create product or name recognition and identity value enhancing the sales proposition. It is no more and no less.
Keep it simple keep it powerful.
Posted by: tim | January 31, 2006 at 08:03 PM
Tim,
I couldn't disagree with you more regarding your position on what brand is. With over 22 years of brand strategy experience, I can tell you unequivocably that BRANDS ARE RELATIONSHIPS. Brands represent the strength of the relationship between a company and its customers. The strength of every brand is based upon the activities and values behind the name or logo.
It's not what you do that matters, it's how you do it that differentiates you from your competitors. And, since brands are relationships it's all about people. Period.
Posted by: jeanne | July 20, 2006 at 03:40 PM
That is right! I happen to work for zappos and they are very good in dealing thier employee and its customer. they are protecting their name and its products. I just love thier shoes too. Check it out here http://www.thehotshoestore.com
Posted by: Shannon | July 11, 2007 at 01:49 AM