Branding Across the Finish Line - Tips From a Holiday Retailer

Millions of dollars gone up in smoke on December 23rd. Years of hard work, careful study, diligent analysis by the best minds, and it was all for not. Undone in the last 48 hours and the last mile. It happened this holiday to one retailer, but how often do we do it to ourselves? Ruining our own “brand image,” that is, just as we’re about to cross the finish line.

What happened? Branding strategies so well crafted by online and catalogue retailers enticed me to do what I’d never done before…shop online. I did it early, though. I completed several online shopping sprees by mid-November. I figured that that gave me sufficient time to dash into real brick and mortar stores should things go terribly wrong at the last minute.

Unlike many working moms, I hadn’t shopped online much before, but I was hard-pressed for time this year and had a lot of gifts that I needed to ship, so it seemed like the perfect way to dispense with two tasks while sitting at my desk with a glass of wine late at night.

Based on reputation, some past experience, and in a couple of cases, shopping in retail stores; I carefully selected four stores from which to place my online orders. I had an image of each retailer in mind as I ordered. Each had created a strong brand.

My online shopping experience was consistent my expectation based on the store’s print ads, web site, and in-store atmosphere. No surprises there. Online shopping was wholly in-line with brand image expectations.

Where it all fell apart, and where the branding and image budgets were blown, was not when my packages failed to arrive on time – hey, I understand about storms, bad weather, shipping delays. It was when I called the toll-free customer service numbers, or went to online help chats.

I was immediately reminded of one of the biggest ironies of customer service – that the customer facing people who make or break a store’s reputation in the customers’ eyes are paid the least and are treated poorly by the very store that employs them to be good will ambassadors for the store.

The big box toy retailer that has a somewhat frenzied store stuffed and jammed with toys for all ages and runs chaotic ads and has a busy web site provided semi-accurate shipping information and, expect for saying that three of my packages had been delivered in June, was helpful. Customer service was friendly and my expectations were met. The brand image of the store was upheld.

The high-end retailer, and oldest catalogue store in America, had a lovely gentleman who answered the phone, gave me his cell number, followed up directly with the shipper, called me on my mobile phone, provided updates to me as my package made its way to me, and called again on Christmas Eve just to check in and make certain the package arrived and was fine. I was stunned by the quality of customer service. My expectations were exceeded and I will definitely shop there again.

So far, so good.

Then, came stunning disappointment. The online retailer that had spent so much for catalogues, web sites, email blasts and other forms of advertising, including banners and pop-ups, dropped the ball. The 800 number for customer service was over-whelmed with calls and had shut itself off. I tried online chat, from which I was cut-off several times before I reached what I presumed to be a live person. “Angela” provided unhelpful canned responses and kept me waiting for over an hour. I typed in increasingly less friendly, and then progressively more agitated comments and questions. When Angela finally came 'round to my issue, her responses were not on subject. I grew hostile.

Finally, I was assured that my order: 1) had been cancelled; 2) had been shipped; 3) would arrive before Christmas; 4) would be shipped that day at no additional cost to me; 5) would be shipped that day, but at higher postage rates; and 6) had been received by me. I was also told that the item was out of stock, despite having just received an email blast saying that there were “thousands in stock, so order an extra as a stocking stuffer now for on-time Christmas delivery.”

I pointed out to the customer service person that her responses were frustrating me. She was surly and told me, “if I wanted the package on time order it during the summer.”

While rude and unhelpful, what upset me most was that this behavior was in sharp contrast to everything I had come to expect from this retailer based on the ads, press, email blasts, catalogues. In short – money, time and effort put into building a strong brand image with quality, customer service, and graciousness as a focus – were out the window in one lousy 75-minute online customer service session.

The package arrived on December 29th; the shipping date was December 28th. I called for a return label. None has been received. I continue to receive email blasts, however, but I don’t open them anymore.

After my wasted 75 minute online chat session with the obstructive Angela, I was prepared to rant to everyone I could reach by mobile phone as I drove to the airport to pick up my mom. Whatever that company spent on advertising, I was determined to un-do between my house and the airport.

Then, I stopped to think. What would I do to my “personal brand”? I’d read Peter Montoya’s book, The Personal Branding Phenomenon. I couldn’t do to myself what that company had done to itself. It made me thing – what do I do in the last 48 hours, the last mile to undermine myself?

As I start the new year, I will keep in mind the example of how a lot of time, effort, expense and goodwill can be destroyed in the final few hours and the last mile and I will strive to guard against that with my personal brand.