Brand Ambassadors:

Who is keeping your brand promise?

CE Club
September 2012
People we enjoy being around

1. Friends
2. Relatives
3. Significant other
----------------------------------
3rd from last: Customers
2nd from last: Co-workers
Dead last: Boss

Source: Kahneman, D., et al. (2004). A Survey

for Characterizing Daily Life Experience: The Housecleaning
Day Reconstruction Method. Science. 306.
1776-1780.

Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved.

 As a brand, where do you have the greatest
variance in execution?

How does this impact the experience customers

have of your brand?

How much will range in performance

cost your business this year?

3
Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 3
`Quick brand ambassador test

On a five point scale, where 5 is ‘strongly agree’ and 1

is ‘strongly disagree’, please complete the following:

I know what my company stands for, what

makes our brand different 5

I am extremely proud of the quality of my

company’s products and services 5

I encourage friends to purchase/use our

products and services 5
4
Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 4
Your employees are the key to managing your brand
promise
Know your brand promise
Can you describe your 40% of employees
and consistently
organisation’s brand definitely can
communicate it to your
promise? 60% of executives
employees every day.

How is your 19% of consumers feel

organisation’s brand one brand is best Know what separates you
promise different from all 58% say they are the from your competitors.
others? same

How do your people Develop accountability

78% of customer-facing
deliver your brand and recognition delivering
employees can’t do it!
promise every day? on brand promise.

Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 5

Range of customer experience

100 1st
88 QTL
77 2nd
71 QTL 3rd
The Worst
61
QTL
40 Bottom
4th
27 10% 5% 1% 3
QTL

-2 -14
Top 7 1% 5% 10% -31

The Best -63

-100
5,000 CSRs

Copyright
Copyright©©2012
2011Gallup,
Gallup,Inc.
Inc.All
Allrights
rightsreserved.
reserved. 6
 If your (paid) staff aren’t
ambassadors for your brand,
would you expect your
customers to play this role
for free?

Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 7

The importance of emotional connections:
Three kinds of customer advocacy

“1-4” “5” “5”

Rational Emotional
Non-Advocate
Advocate Advocate

Not at all Extremely

likely likely

1 2 3 4 5

Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 8

Rational advocacy is not enough

Emotional advocates are more valuable than rational ones.

Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 9

Defining Customer Engagement
Long-Term

Offline Online

Customer Engagement is a survey-based

measurement of the level of rational and
emotional connection consumers have to their
brands.

It can be tracked over time across channels

and through analysis it can be improved.

Short-Term

10
Customer engagement:
The structure of an enduring customer bond
Can’t imagine a world without
The perfect, irreplaceable “fit”
Perfect for people like me
Passion

Proud to be a customer; a Always treats me with respect

feeling of mutual respect Pride Feel proud to be a customer

Fairness in treatment, Fair resolution of any problems

especially if any problems
Integrity
Always treats me fairly

Trust that the company

Always delivers on promise
will always deliver on Confidence Name I can always trust
its promises

The basics where Overall satisfaction

most companies Rational Foundation Likelihood to continue
begin (and end) Likelihood to recommend

Copyright © 1994-2000 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 11

Customer engagement levels

Fully Engaged
Strongly attached and loyal; your
most valuable customers

Engaged
Emotionally attached, but not as
strongly

Not Engaged
Emotionally and attitudinally
neutral; no positive
association

Actively Disengaged
Active emotional detachment
and even antagonism

Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 12

Fully engaged customers over time are your most
valuable customers

+49% +33%

FE retail banking customers have 49% higher deposit balances than AD FE customers spent 33% more at the grocery store than AD customers.
customers.

+64%
+117%

FE customers spent 117% more on hotel rooms annually than AD FE customers who contacted their credit card call center spent 64% more
customers. than AD customers.

Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 13

Promises made must be promises kept

Promises are kept by:

• Product
• Place

• Promotion

• Price

• Process

In many cases, at least 2-3 times

• People the power of the other factors!!

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Brand ambassador – what does it take?

Motivation and commitment – employee engagement

Information – about the promise and how it translates

Pride – in the company and what it delivers

“People want to be part of something they’re really proud of,

that they’ll fight for, sacrifice for, trust.” - Howard Schultz

Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 15

The DNA of world brand ambassadors…

Influence
Work
Style

Thought
Process
Motivation

Relationships

Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 16

The DNA of world class brand ambassadors…

Influence
Work • Shows initiative
Style • Performs better under pressure

• Multi-tasks, is adaptable

• Talks fast

• Can be independent Thought

• Works around problems

• Does more than expected

Process
Motivation • Owns the problem, is dependable

Relationships

Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 17

The DNA of world class brand ambassadors

Influence
Work
Style • Takes control, can say no
• An excellent communicator

• Confident interacting at all levels

• Calm, not easily intimidated Thought

• Can sell, makes decisions

• Is charming and persuasive

Process
Motivation

Relationships

Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 18

The DNA of world class brand ambassadors…

Influence
Work • Aware of what’s going on
Style • Asks questions, learns quickly

• Has a ‘can-do’ attitude

• Is realistic

• A problem solver Thought

• Likes a challenge
Process
• Able to think laterally

Motivation • Gets the big picture but can break

it down

Relationships

Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 19

The DNA of world class brand ambassadors…

Influence
Work
Style • Friendly and outgoing
• Is understanding

• A good listener

• Honest Thought
• Makes others successful

• Is empathetic
Process
• Is ready for each call
Motivation

Relationships

Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 20

The DNA of world class brand ambassadors …

Influence
Work • Self-starter
Style • Driven to be knowledgeable

• Stays well informed

• Likes recognition

• Is committed Thought
• Is there for the customer
Process
• Takes pride in work

Motivation • Has a need to deliver

• Is company representative

Relationships

Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 21

The DNA of world class brand ambassadors

Influence
Work
Style

Thought
Process
Motivation

Relationships

Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 22

Talent imperative: How to keep your best agents

 Make sure agents have a great manager.

– How many of your supervisors and team leaders are excellent people
managers?
– What do your best managers do differently?
 Set clear and realistic expectations for the role.
 Recognise and reward outstanding performance.
 Identify and remove barriers to agent and customer –
engagement.
 Hire people with the right talent and fit to your brand.
If you think you can train someone to be an authentic brand
ambassador, you need to think again

Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 23

Barriers to engagement

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Barriers and enablers to proactive customer service

You probably want your customers to rate their experience 5/5 on

their perception of these outcomes…

 Service provider anticipates my needs.

 Service provider takes ownership for any issues or problems.

Service provider sees issues or problems through to a satisfactory

resolution.

So how can we remove barriers to help Brand

Ambassadors deliver proactive customer service?

Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 25

How many of your Brand Ambassadors can strongly agree
to the following…

…aspects of Empowerment
I have the freedom I need to make necessary decisions.
I have time to complete all of my assigned tasks with a high level of quality.
I have the training and development I need to do my work right.
My manager or supervisor always supports and encourages my success.
At work, my opinions seem to count.

…aspects of Accountability
My success is judged based on clear, objective metrics that I can impact directly.
In the past six months, I have been given feedback on my performance.
There are clear and objective rewards for meeting or exceeding my goals.
There are clear and objective penalties for not meeting my goals.
My manager holds me highly accountable for achieving results.

Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 26

Empowerment and Accountability need to go hand in
hand
Implications in an
Loose Cannon Top Performer
increasingly complex world

High Understand me and my

Empowerment

situation
Make it personal, make it

Prisoner Broken Spirit meaningful

Reward for the outcomes
Low
based on what’s important
for your client, not simply
High
Low
what’s easy to measure
Accountability

Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 27

Barriers/Enablers to “provider anticipates needs”
Enablers of engagement
- Agent has the flexibility to
hear and respond to each
situation in a meaningful
manner for the individual.
- Agent is encouraged to
pursue avenues of potential
interest and opportunity.
Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved.
Barriers to engagement
- Agent must follow set steps.
- Conversation is mechanical,
scripted, to respond to the
needs expressed in
reactive, standard manner.
- You are what you measure
… the behaviours you see
are most likely those you
reward.
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Barriers/Enablers to “provider takes ownership”

Enablers of engagement Barriers to engagement

- Case based response - Compartmentalisation …

team. First contact takes …this isn’t in my area, let me
ownership and acts as transfer you.
primary contact with … we’re a different part of the
customer. organisation, we can’t authorise it.
- Company understands the … can you call another department
directly on this number…
costs of disengagement
and has full service - Agent says s/he would love
recovery as part of the to help, but company policy
DNA. doesn’t allow the ideal
resolution.

Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 29

 Find our best managers

Understand how they

engage their teams and
deliver outstanding results

Identify and remove

systemic barriers

30
Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 30
3 ways to build stronger brand ambassadors
Issue Potential Cause Recommended Interventions
Many new people joining the company Develop a communication plan to
introduce and regularly reinforce the
Low awareness of brand Local units disconnected from HQ brand promise to the organisation
promise
No clear articulation of promise Integrate brand promise into onboarding
and training programmes at all levels

A new promise has been introduced Conduct a communications audit of

information targeted at front line
Mergers and acquisitions associates

Low understanding of what the Workgroup-level employee

brand promise implies conversations regarding the brand
Unspecified or unclear action implications promise and what it means

Policies, procedures and rules inhibit the Conduct a barrier analysis to identify
delivery of the brand promise key issues limiting empowerment

Low empowerment to fulfill the Lack of management support

brand promise
No recognition or incentive for best practices Institute programmes to
encourage/reward best practices

Copyright © 2012 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 31

Concluding thoughts…

 It is much easier to make a big brand promise than it is to keep it

 Communicating the promise is not just a job for advertising

 Keeping the promise involved much more that just the product

 The goal for any company is a customer relationship, not just a

transaction

 Customer relationships are always emotional, never just rational

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