Power Tool 2: Reinforcement


Power Tool 2: Reinforcement

The second brand power tool, reinforcement, is a process of strengthening consumer perceptions. Without reinforcement, a brand image is easily diluted and is also jarring to the customer.

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off-brand

Blockbuster Video's mission is "To help people transform ordinary nights into Blockbuster nights by being their complete source for movies and games."

With a mission statement like this, empowerment plays a big part in accomplishing it. At many Blockbuster checkout counters you will even see a card informing customers that every Blockbuster employee is empowered to do what is necessary to ensure your happiness. It's a selling point, part of Blockbuster's value proposition.

Author Shel Horowitz was so excited about Blockbuster's position on empowerment that he wanted to include it as a positive example in his new book, Principled Profit. However, when—in order to save herself eight extra miles of driving—Shel's wife called their local Blockbuster store and asked if she could return a video two hours late at no extra charge, the person in charge told her he had no authority to do that.

Most of us would derisively say, "It figures. They say one thing and do another. Their signs are just so many words." In this case, reinforcement of the brand was dashed to the extent that Shel's entire perception of Blockbuster has changed.

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Having a practice that does not allow every employee to make an exception to policies could be a good, reasonable service policy. But if being able to make immediate decisions is part of "transform(ing) ordinary nights into Blockbuster nights," then empowerment is essential. In this case, telling the customer no would be better than saying "I have no authority to do that." No may not be the answer the customer wants, but at least it doesn't fly in the face of the brand promise. Any question regarding tonight's video entertainment has to be settled immediately to reinforce the brand promise of Blockbuster happiness. In this case, if a form has to be filled out or a higher-level manager contacted to make an exception to policy, off-brand service has been delivered and the brand is compromised.




Branded Customer Service(c) The New Competitive Edge
Branded Customer Service: The New Competitive Edge
ISBN: 1576752984
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2006
Pages: 134

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