The twelfth most important thing to know about building winning brands is that front line employees are key to a brand’s success.
At the Institute for International Research’s December 1999 Brand Masters Conference in Palm Beach, Florida, Sixtus Oechsle, Manager, Corporate Communications & Advertising, Shell Oil Company, indicated that in a study of sources of brand favorability, Shell Oil found that interaction with company employees had the greatest impact (much greater than brand ads or news) on brand favorability.
At which point in the customer process do you think McDonald’s “moment of truth” occurs? How much control does McDonald’s have over that point? How well trained and paid are the employees that deliver that “moment of truth”? How much turnover occurs in those ranks?
Does the person answering your 1-800 number know what the brand stands for? How about the in-store sales associate? The copywriter for your brand catalog? The person developing a brand promotion? The people who design the brand’s products?
Front line employees are critical to a brand’s success. Are your front line employees helping or hurting your brand?
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Branding Strategy Insider is a service of The Blake Project: A strategic brand consultancy specializing in Brand Research, Brand Strategy, Brand Licensing and Brand Education
