My Recent Personal Experiences of Two Brands
Recently, I've encountered difficulties with two establishments regarding a few transactions. One is a bank where I've been a customer for the past twenty years, and the other is a bookstore chain in Hyderabad. Both are highly regarded in their fields and locations. Yet, they have both failed to fulfil their commitments to complete certain tasks within the agreed timeframes. Given the size of these organizations, my ability to influence them is limited. The most I can do is verbally express my intention to switch to another bank or promote my book through a different bookstore chain.
Beyond the cost and effort required for an individual to challenge a large company, what's unfolding is a loss of respect and eventually, trust in these brands for future transactions. I will be cautious about engaging with these institutions in the future because they have failed to fulfil their promises, which were made without any pressure from me. Reflecting on our behaviour with family, friends, stakeholders, and colleagues, we see that these transactions occur regularly. We make promises and sometimes we fulfill them, and other times we don't, due to reasons within or beyond our control. The recipient of the promised goods or services is constantly evaluating us based on our ability to keep or break those promises.
The value of a brand, whether personal or organizational, hinges on the consistency with which it upholds its promises.
Uber Story
To understand this let's use a modern metaphor of an organization called Uber.
Uber was founded in 2009 by Garrett Camp and Travis Kalanick. The idea for Uber originated when Camp struggled to find a taxi on a snowy night in Paris. This frustration led him to envision a service where people could easily request a ride through a smartphone app.
The biggest brand-enhancing idea of Uber rides or similar services like Ola and others worldwide is the predictability of the service and the transparency of its delivery. They are able to achieve that by providing the live map location of their cars/vehicles while the customer is waiting for the ride or during the ride.
Today, Uber operates in over 70 countries and 10,500 cities worldwide. It has diversified its services to include food delivery (Uber Eats), freight transportation (Uber Freight), and more. Under the leadership of CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber continues to evolve and adapt to the changing landscape of transportation and technology. Uber’s story is a testament to the power of innovation and the impact of technology on our daily lives. It’s a journey filled with highs and lows, but one that has undeniably transformed the way we think about transportation.
If you're still reading this article, here are some tips that might help you enhance your ability to fulfil promises and improve your brand image:
Avoid making promises when under pressure.
Always take a moment to think before committing.
Have the courage to say "NO" if you know the request cannot be met, even if it may lead to immediate criticism from the person expecting the promise.
If possible, aim to deliver more than what you've promised.
Once the transaction is complete, there's no need to boast about your delivery. The other person is already aware of your contribution, which is noted in their mental ledger of your brand.
Continuously invest time and effort to enhance your knowledge and skills within your field of expertise, particularly in a professional context, to stay ahead of the curve for future deliveries.
Life is unpredictable, so maintain open communication if you're unable to keep a promise. Transparency about potential shortcomings can ultimately bolster your brand value due to the predictability of outcomes and transparent behaviour.
Last Words
A brand is a Promise kept or broken. Personal relationships and business outcomes hinge on the promises made and the transparency with which they are delivered, aiming for a predictable result. This result may not always be the best but should be the most suitable under the circumstances. Consequently, brand values are in a state of constant evolution, either increasing or decreasing.
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