There is something to be said about customer service and its role in brand management. It is as much an integral part of a company’s brand as is their logo and advertising. Companies spend millions of dollars to get a nationwide brand into every home, only to fall flat in their public presence and staff.
So, when I walked into a Rogers [cell phone] store yesterday with a gal pal to hunt a new case for my iPhone 4G, what greeted us was not the purported Rogers brand that flies on their rogers.ca website. The feeling on the web is helpful, informational, innovative and "in the know."
This was not my experience in their retail store.
We approached a co-ed pair 20-something staffers, both dressed professionally and well groomed, sitting at the store counter. No smiles greeted us. No stand up and face the customer. The expression on their pair of faces was one that spoke volumes. It was as if we were interrupting their bored Sunday afternoon conversation. Strike one.
Having the tone set in our silent communication as we approached their station, we initiated the conversation with questions about their specific offering for the iPhone 4G cases. Each question was met with little reaction, and I felt that I had to "pull" the information I wanted out of the staff. They dutifully presented the products to us after some prompting, and provided little input on their specific pros and cons. Strike 2.
By the time we left the store, I felt like a piece of meat that they were going to chew on in the staff break room at lunch over a few laughs. My friend gracefully referred to the salesgirl as “that little b****” – certainly not a move forward in the intangible brand strategy for Rogers.
Needless to say, Rogers didn’t get my money. I happily spent less on the same product at Simply Computing, a store that has the BRAND CUSTOMER SERVICE IT that brand managers salivate over. More on the brands I love tomorrow!
Tonia Lenk is a brand specialist and owner of Ideas In Bloom, a brand design studio specializing in collaboration on projects with clients who are dedicated to excellence, committed to the community and sustainability in the environment. She is a proud mother of four, and writing her first novel in 2010. She recently took up flute, and shares her knowledge on print, web and brand design freely!
So, when I walked into a Rogers [cell phone] store yesterday with a gal pal to hunt a new case for my iPhone 4G, what greeted us was not the purported Rogers brand that flies on their rogers.ca website. The feeling on the web is helpful, informational, innovative and "in the know."
This was not my experience in their retail store.
We approached a co-ed pair 20-something staffers, both dressed professionally and well groomed, sitting at the store counter. No smiles greeted us. No stand up and face the customer. The expression on their pair of faces was one that spoke volumes. It was as if we were interrupting their bored Sunday afternoon conversation. Strike one.
Having the tone set in our silent communication as we approached their station, we initiated the conversation with questions about their specific offering for the iPhone 4G cases. Each question was met with little reaction, and I felt that I had to "pull" the information I wanted out of the staff. They dutifully presented the products to us after some prompting, and provided little input on their specific pros and cons. Strike 2.
Customer service and its role in brand management is as much an integral part of a company’s brand as is a logo and advertising. This important brand fact needs to be addressed when hiring staff for a national or international company. Companies must invest in educating their staff to own & respect the brand message on the front lines: at the customer level.Further, as we made our consumer attempt to make an informed buyer’s choice, our presence seemed to be an imposition to the Rogers staff, and the responses to our specific product questions were met with condescending answers. I was treated, in short, like a house bag who had little knowledge of technology, not with helpful, friendly advice from experts, as is purported by the Rogers brand. Strike 3.
By the time we left the store, I felt like a piece of meat that they were going to chew on in the staff break room at lunch over a few laughs. My friend gracefully referred to the salesgirl as “that little b****” – certainly not a move forward in the intangible brand strategy for Rogers.
Needless to say, Rogers didn’t get my money. I happily spent less on the same product at Simply Computing, a store that has the BRAND CUSTOMER SERVICE IT that brand managers salivate over. More on the brands I love tomorrow!
Tonia Lenk is a brand specialist and owner of Ideas In Bloom, a brand design studio specializing in collaboration on projects with clients who are dedicated to excellence, committed to the community and sustainability in the environment. She is a proud mother of four, and writing her first novel in 2010. She recently took up flute, and shares her knowledge on print, web and brand design freely!
