eBusiness Weekly
Clemence Mutembo
Building a brand is the process of creating and nurturing the image of a company or product in the minds of consumers.
It involves developing a unique identity for the brand, communicating that identity through marketing and communications and ensuring that the brand’s actions and offerings are consistent with its identity.
When done well, building a brand can lead to increased brand awareness, customer loyalty and ultimately sales plus profits.
It is an ongoing process that requires constant attention and adaptation to changing consumer preferences and market conditions.
There are several reasons why small businesses may not prioritise building a brand.
One common reason is that they may not have the resources or expertise to do so. Small businesses often have limited budgets and they may not be able to afford the money required to develop a strong brand identity.
They may also lack the knowledge or experience necessary to create and communicate a consistent and compelling brand message.
Another reason may be that small businesses focus primarily on day-to-day operations and do not think a brand is an important thing to build. If you understand the words, you will understand the subject.
In marketing, there are very important words to understand. These words are: Customer value, Customer journey and Customer satisfaction. These are all related concepts, but there are some key differences. Here’s a quick summary:
1. Customer value
This refers to the perceived benefits that customers get from doing business with a company.
2. Customer journey
This refers to the complete sequence of steps that a customer takes when interacting with a company.
3. Customer satisfaction
This refers to how satisfied or happy customers are with their overall experience with a company. So, customer value is about what customers get out of the relationship, the customer journey is about how they get it and customer satisfaction is about how they feel about the entire experience.
While customer value is about the benefits that customers get from doing business with a company, the customer journey is about the process that customers go through to get those benefits.
It is the complete sequence of steps that a customer takes from becoming aware of a product or service to making a purchase and using it.
The customer journey includes both positive and negative experiences and the goal is to make the journey as smooth and enjoyable as possible.
So, customer value is about the end result, while the customer journey is about the process that leads to that result.
The value chain and supply chain management are closely connected to customer satisfaction because they affect the quality and availability of the products or services that customers receive.
The value chain is the set of activities that a company undertakes to create and deliver value to customers.
This includes everything from product design and development to marketing and sales. Supply chain management is the management of the flow of goods and services from suppliers to customers.
When the value chain and supply chain are managed well, it can lead to higher quality products and services, better customer service and faster delivery times all of which contribute to customer satisfaction.
Supply chain drivers are the factors that influence the supply chain and they can have a significant impact on customer satisfaction.
Some of the most important supply chain drivers are:
1. Inventory management:
How well a company manages its inventory levels and how quickly it can replenish stock when needed.
2. Supplier management:
The quality and reliability of suppliers and how well they are managed.
3. Transportation:
The speed and efficiency of the transportation network and how well it is managed.
There are a few key advantages to being approachable in customer service:
1. It builds trust.
When customers feel like they can approach you with their questions or concerns, they’re more likely to trust you and your company.
2. It encourages communication.
When customers feel comfortable approaching you, they are more likely to communicate their needs and preferences and this can help you provide better service.
3. It creates a positive experience.
Ultimately, approachability leads to a more positive experience for both the customer and the customer service representative.
This can lead to repeat business and increased customer loyalty.
A company that’s not approachable can face several disadvantages:
1. It can lead to customer dissatisfaction.
If customers feel like they can’t approach the company with their questions or concerns, they’re more likely to become dissatisfied and look elsewhere for products or services.
2. It can damage the company’s reputation.
A company that’s not approachable can quickly develop a reputation for being difficult to deal with which can turn off potential customers.
3. It can cost the company money.
If customers are unhappy with the company’s customer service, they’re more likely to take their business elsewhere which means lost revenue.
A customer service code of conduct is an important tool for setting clear expectations and guidelines for staff members who interact with customers.
Having a signed code of conduct helps to ensure that all staff members are on the same page when it comes to how they should interact with customers.
It can also help to protect the company from liability in the event of a customer complaint or legal issue.
In short, having a signed code of conduct helps to create a consistent and professional customer service experience.
Not having a customer service code of conduct can lead to a number of negative consequences for a company:
1. It can lead to inconsistent customer service.
Inconsistent service can damage the company’s reputation.
2. It can create confusion among staff members leading to poor customer service.
3. It can open the company up to liability.
This can happen if a staff member acts inappropriately or in a way that goes against company values.
4. It can create a lack of accountability.
Lack of accountability among staff members can lead to poor performance and a lack of engagement.
Overall, not having a customer service code of conduct can create a number of problems for a company.
Refunding the customer can happen due to a number of reasons and it can be a sign of good customer service.
Offering refunds to customers is an important part of good customer service for a few key reasons:
1. It shows that the company is willing to take responsibility for mistakes and to make things right.
2. It helps to build customer trust and loyalty.
3. It can prevent negative word-of-mouth which can damage the company’s reputation.
4. It can help to protect the company from potential legal action.
In short, offering refunds can help to create a positive customer experience and to protect the company from negative consequences.
If a company doesn’t offer refunds when appropriate, it can have a number of negative consequences.
These can include:
1. Customers may feel cheated and may complain to others about their experience with the company.
2. Customers may stop doing business with the company and go to a competitor instead.
3. The company may get bad publicity and lose potential customers.
4. Customers may take legal action against the company.
All of these outcomes can have a negative impact on the company’s bottom line.
So it’s important to have a fair and transparent refund policy.
I have dropped certain customers in the past! You also need to learn to drop certain customers.
In some cases, it may be beneficial for a business to drop certain customers. This can be for a variety of reasons including:
1. A customer is costing the company more money than they’re worth.
This could be due to high service costs or frequent unjustified complaints.
2. A customer is causing damage to the company’s reputation or brand.
A customer is engaged in unethical or illegal activities which could hurt the company’s image or lead to legal problems.
3. A customer is no longer profitable.
This could be due to changes in the market or the customer’s needs which you can’t meet.
Dropping certain customers is a difficult and sensitive process. So, it’s important to handle it with care.
Here are a few steps you can take to minimise the negative impact:
1. Review your customer base and identify any customers who are no longer a good fit for your business.
2. Communicate with the customer directly and explain why you are ending the relationship.
3. Offer to help the customer find a new service provider.
4. Thank the customer for their past business and wish them well in the future.
There are a number of factors that can lead to customer dissatisfaction.
1. Poor customer service:
This can include long waiting times, unhelpful staff and rude or unprofessional interactions.
2. Product or service quality issues:
If products or services don’t meet customer expectations, customers may be dissatisfied.
3. Price issues:
If customers feel that they’re paying too much for what they’re getting, they may be dissatisfied.
4. Unclear or misleading marketing:
If customers feel like they’ve been misled about a product or service, they may be dissatisfied.
Addressing customer dissatisfaction is crucial to maintaining customer loyalty and satisfaction.
There are a few ways to do this:
1. Listen to customer feedback:
This can help identify areas where customers are dissatisfied and provide insight into how to improve the customer experience.
2. Address the root cause of the problem:
Rather than just offering a quick fix, it’s important to address the underlying issues that are causing the dissatisfaction.
3. Be transparent and communicative:
Customers appreciate transparency and communication when it comes to solving their problems.
Clemence Mutembo is a high-impact and topflight Customer Experience and Sales Trainer who has made over 400 presentations to small, medium and large organisations: You may reach him on: 0778 994 994
