Inconsistency Trap

Marketeers consistently talk about consistency. That’s because it’s important. But it’s also become a cliché as it’s an overused term.

Externally it’s clearly important that brands are presented in a consistent way across their ID and how they are communicated through an often eclectic mix of channels. Brands which are most successful have followed this principle rigidly.

But it’s equally important that all employees and others who represent the brand are also consistent in the way that they treat customers. And that’s not always easily achieved.

Here’s a personal example.

Recently we moved house, so we’ve had to deal with lots of different people in quick succession. Removal companies, builders, plumbers, electricians, tilers, carpet fitters and gardeners have been just a few of them.

There were far too many of them who nodded their heads to say ‘Yes’ – when they were really thinking ‘No’. Saying they would come back to us within the next week, when they knew perfectly well that they were already stacked up on other jobs so couldn’t deliver on that promise. On a small scale, as many were sole traders, they were being detrimental to their own brands. So no Facebook or Checkatrade recommendations were then made for them.

On a bigger scale, brands need to avoid falling into the same inconsistency trap.

For service organisations in particular, because more of their employees are in direct customer-facing roles, being consistent is a constant challenge. This is because behind the scenes, things often go wrong. IT systems fail, staff are unexpectedly away ill and third parties that they rely on can let them down.

These are the bad days that need to be rehearsed for in advance. Like the proverbial swan, how can they still appear serene on the water’s surface, when beneath it they are paddling furiously to just move along?

So, what are the ways that the brand promises made to customers can still be fulfilled when things are going badly wrong behind the scenes?

Honest and regular communication is often the answer to this. When delivery of an item or a service is going to be delayed, customers are far more forgiving when they are told early on, rather than at the last minute. Airlines and rail operators continually cause customer rants when there’s a lack of communication on such delays.

On the other hand, many astute operators behind brands have made waiting part of the brand ‘aura’. Anticipation can be appealing when you’re waiting for the delivery of a luxury item specifically tailored to you or a freshly made meal prepared by a top chef.

Back to the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ scenario.

Sometimes making an upfront brand promise, which is challenging for employees to deliver, can spur those employees on.

A brilliant example of this goes back to the 1980s. This is when Unipart, through Saatchis, advertised their replacement automotive parts services using the line ‘The Answer is Yes. Now What’s the Question’.

Customers looking for new brake pads or filters for their car, didn’t want to fiddle-faddle around to find a part that was right for them. To avoid this, whatever they were looking for, Unipart would always be able to supply it.

Behind the scenes, logistically, as there was no such thing as online searches then, this must have been very difficult to fulfil as a promise. But that Unipart campaign had a hugely positive impact on the company and really shook up the industry.

Again, to use a Saatchis phrase ‘Nothing is impossible’. That’s consistently challenging when it relies on people to achieve it. But it can be done.