YOU ASKED FOR IT

“If you think nobody cares,try missing a couple of payments.”

—Unkown

April 10, 2012GRIFFIN’S GIFT...GOOGLE GOGGLES

BRAND OBSERVATIONS OF THE DAYFrom my random collection of info sources, here are some highlights related to the brands of our times...• One of my son and my favorite pastimes (other than

our quests for trout) is watching Blake Griffin’s latest dunks on YouTube. But a close second is watching his Kia commercials...pretty funny!

• Have you seen the new Google glasses? They’ve been described as a smart phone right before your eyes, displaying text messages and even maps on a pair of Star Trek-type glasses...which may be where the problem lies. Why not build the technology into regular eyewear? A guy like me could look pretty smart spewing little known Cliff Clavin-type factoids, with no one even knowing my glasses were “special”.

• TD Ameritrade’s new mobile feature called “SnapStock” is pretty cool. With your smart phone, you snap a picture of ANY bar code, it tells you if there’s a publicly traded company associated with it, and you can add the stock to your “watch” list.

WHAT IT’S REALLY ALL ABOUTI’m all about brand differentiation. But we all know that making a difference in the lives of people is what it’s REALLY all about...so listen to this: Food For The Poor has a program for families that will build a new house, provide rice and beans for a year, school supplies for the kids, and a small business project as an income source...all for a gift of just $3,713. Now THAT’S difference-making at it’s best!

From my “IGNORANCE IS BLISS” file

JIM HUEBNER

j i m h @ h u e b n e r p e t e r s e n . c o mC E L L U L A RT E L E P H O N E970-420-3382

Hmmm.

Brought to you by popular demand of a client, my mom, and some folks I met at a church potluck

From the remaining gray matter of Jim Huebner

Information that will make you smile, groan or think...

Brought to you by popular demand of a client, my mom, and some folks I met at a church potluck

I am a fairly loyal Best Buy® customer. How do I measure that? Well, I was recently inducted as a Premier Silver Member (not based on my gray hair, but based on my volume of purchases). And when I need a computer, printer, TV, phone accessories, cameras, etc., Best Buy is the first place I typically think to go.

However, there's a reason I call myself a "fairly" loyal customer. It's because—like many brands—their policies and procedures need some work. Let me explain...

Several weeks ago, I went to purchase a laptop computer for my wife, and it took two hours between the time I entered the building and the time I left. I came in knowing exactly which laptop we wanted, but between...

- finding someone to help- the clerk checking to see if more were in stock;- checking with her manager to see if the sale price was still good;- waiting until a check out terminal was available;- running the code into "the system", and the code showing a different price;- waiting for a manager to verify the price;- waiting for another manager because the first one wasn’t authorized to verify the price;- checking to see if there was a rebate;- asking if we wanted extended warranty;- trying to then talk us into the extended warranty when we said "no" the first time;- the system freezing when she ran my card;- my card being charged twice and having to credit back one of the charges;- taking the newly purchased computer over to the Geek Squad desk and then waiting in line to have them install software;- being told we would need to come back and pick up the computer in a few days...

I wondered how many loyal customers like me are only "fairly loyal" because of painful purchasing experiences like this? And then I wondered how many other companies have policies or procedures that actually hurt loyalty to their brand? Unfortunately, there are many. The good news is, with a little

policy-tweaking, these same companies can make the buying process more pleasurable and actually enhance loyalty to their brand.

In his book "How To Become a Marketing Superstar", Jeffrey Fox talks about the importance of banishing any barriers your customers have to making a purchase. He gives an example of a dry cleaner in New Hampshire that has posted the following signs: "We are not responsible for zippers, cuffs, buttons, elastic, shoulder pads, beads."—"We don't take credit cards."—"We don't take personal checks."  When he observed a customer coming back in with cash after seeing the signs, the clerk asked if she had anything smaller than $100 bills. The customer replied, "You don't take credit cards. You don't take checks. And now you don't take cash! How can I do business with you?!" 

The point is, policies are usually made with good intentions. But every company—including manufacturers and their dealer policies, or retailers and their customer policies—needs to ask themselves this question: “Is there anything we do that creates barriers to potential customers making purchases?” Once you’ve identified them, removing these barriers could be your next big step to maximizing both sales AND brand loyalty. 

Jim Huebner is President of HuebnerPetersen Marketing Communications.The firm was established in 1989 and specializes in helping make manufacturers heroes to their dealer and distribution networks through strategic brand positioning, integrated marketing, and front lines marketing services. You can reach Jim at jimh@HuebnerPetersen.com or on LinkedIn.

WORDS TOLIVE BY

He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely,

but he who sleeps in harvest is a son

who acts shamefully.

–Proverbs 10:12

Are company policies hurting your brand?

...and straight from the HuebnerPetersen blog...! PAGE2