My Customer Thinks What?

A few months ago, it was revealed that a majority of consumers view Hyundai automobiles as unreliable. When it came to long-term dependability, they decided, Hyundai is nowhere near the top of the list. In reality, Hyundai scored quite well in the 2010 J.D. Power and Associates
Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS).

So how did Hyundai earn the mistrust of its customers?

Anyone who pays even remote attention to Hyundai’s marketing and advertising efforts knows heavy emphasis has always been placed on the automaker’s budget-friendly car prices. The challenge for Hyundai and so many misperceived brands before it is clear: How do you integrate proven facts and encouraging statistics into a brand, after years of drawing attention to one particular aspect of a brand?

To determine why customers might find a brand one-dimensional, examine the focus of marketing and outreach efforts. What have been the primary messages, calls to action and highlighted benefits of the product? In an economic crisis, emphasis on budget-friendly features creates a sense of appeal, unless that has been the primary point of motivation all along—and until every competitor begins to stress cost as well. The typical consumer may interpret “inexpensive†as “poor quality.†Avoid focusing the conversation on price and instead communicate the brand’s history, quality, dependability and return on investment. Once these conversa­tions capture the consumer’s attention, it is more likely that they will seek further information on the brand and the product, including cost.

The same goes for the situation in reverse: When a brand has long been known for its quality but also its high price, it can suffer, regardless of the economic climate. In the best and worst of times, stale or repetitive messaging leads to a one-track-minded customer.

Social media can serve as a strong foundation for the early stages of a re-brand with the introduction of a new brand, campaign or image to a younger generation of consumers. In the ultimate era of real-time, this audience is constantly and eagerly waiting for a fresh perspec­tive on everything, providing an opportunity for struggling brands to portray themselves as “the next best thing.†Without the luxury of the household-name status of many competing brands, companies with the challenge of dispersing an integration of new and old information can leverage such tools as Facebook and Twitter to reach audiences that are not only cost-conscious, but also privy to more information than ever before. Messaging and promotional tactics can be tested through these venues.

Additionally, with the ever-increasing use of these social media outlets among baby boomers, older professionals and retirees, these tools stimulate conversation within and among various generations.

In the midst of all these efforts, however, it can become easy to abandon what originally drew a cus­tomer base from the beginning. In fact, the re-branding efforts may contain information that existed all along, but were never brought to the customer’s attention. While new tactics can always be explored, maintain a sense of authenticity: “We’re the same folks that won your heart years ago, only better.â€

In the case of the insurance market, unfortunately, you’re often facing a brand perception simply by industry association alone. Although it’s often the carriers that customers are thinking of when they associate bad experiences, the industry brand reflects on agents as well. Your agency has to consider this brand perception—and position against it appropriately—in everything that you do. I

Andrea Naddaff (www.corey.com) is a partner and vice president, new business development, at Corey McPherson Nash, a national branding and design firm that helps organizations connect with their audiences through brand, print, interactive and social media communications.

Focus on Brand Feedback
It is easy to know what your customer thinks about your brand if you take the time to pay attention. And it is just as easy to persuade or dissuade a perception. All of today’s do-it-­yourself technologies have exploded and customers have found their voice beyond the closed walls of the company. The customer has spoken and resumed his position on the throne. Yelp, Foursqaure, Angie’s List, Groupon, Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, You Tube, and others all have put the thinking man’s brand experiences in the hands of the people. So good, bad or indifferent, you will know what your customer thinks. It is like marriage—for better or worse.

Turn a deaf ear to your customer, and you will pay the price for a disenchanted and disengaged audience. Pay attention to the customer, and you will reap the rewards. During the days of the old guard, if your customer had a bad experience, you could control the reach of the complaint and snatch back the power from him. Now, fast-forward to a digitally-connected world, and the customer does not even have to gripe to you. He can give you a poor rating on Yellowpages.com, Tweet about his disastrous experience and publicize to the world your shortcomings and overpromises.

A.N.