Chapter 3: Road Map to Branded Customer Service

1 A lack of understanding by managers about their own brands arises, in part, because of the confusion about the differences between branding and marketing. Marketing is part of an externally focused exercise where consumer preferences are analyzed and needs are assessed. Marketing also involves decisions about the best way to package products and services. Finally, marketing is the process of communicating products and services to the marketplace.

2 Prophet's 2002 Best Practices Study, http://www.prophet.com.

3 Prophet's 2002 Best Practices Study, http://www.prophet.com.

4 Valerie Folkes, professor at the Marshall School of Business, argues that because customers have "learned to treat information about each service provider as limited to that unique transaction," service firms will find "creating brand images challenging." Folkes and Patrick, "The Positivity Effect in Perceptions of Services."

5 The model of Wolff Olins, a UK branding company, suggests that brands manifest their central ideas through one of four means: product (e.g., automobiles); environment (e.g., luxury hotels or luxury shopping establishments); communication or competency (e.g., service organizations); or staff behavior (e.g., food services, public services). As cited in Leslie de Chernatony, Susan Segal-Horn, and S. Khan, "Characteristics of Successful Services Brands" (paper, Market Research Society Annual Conference, Brighton, UK, March 15–17, 2000).

6 The most recent statistics show Southwest carrying 9.8 percent of U.S. domestic traffic as of June 30, 2003. This is double its share from ten years ago. Southwest is now facing the challenge of competition from other low-cost carriers that are edging into its territory. Southwest is making changes that it describes as "tinkering with its model." Melanie Trottman, "Snack Attack: Slew of Competitors May Force Southwest to Shift Tactics," Las Vegas Review-journal, December 26, 2003.

7 As quoted in Andy Milligan and Shaun Smith, eds., Uncommon Practice (London: FT Prentice Hall, 2002), 54.

8 Gwen Davis, "Chefs with Attitude," Wall Street Journal Europe, October 25–27, 2002, weekend edition.

9 Florence Fabricant, "New York Diners Toast a Modest Find," International Herald Tribune, October 22, 2003.

10 Bob Niedt, "Bear Facts," Retail Notebook, Syracuse Post Standard, October 4, 2002.

11 Statistics from Elizabeth Goodgold, "Talking Shop," Entrepreneur (September 2003).