Delivering the 2010 promise

According to Hamman, to ensure effective customer service and delivery of brand promises, staff must understand the purpose of such campaigns. A lot has been said about companies and their plans for 2010, but without solid internal communication, the service element will be unable to match consumers' expectations.

“A brand promise, what is being promised to the public and how your staff is delivering that, must be explained frequently to ensure they are able to deliver to those terms. If you promise to do something simpler and better, staff must understand what those words means in the business context and receive the right training to deliver on it. Processes will likely also have to change to deliver that promise”, Hamman says.

King Report III - ‘a milestone'

This is where the crucial role of internal communication comes in - to help people deliver that brand promise and incrementally increase the brand's value.

One of the most significant changes that have taken place recently has been the release of King Report III, with specific reference to section eight, which deals with stakeholder engagement. “King Report III is a milestone in business communication. Communication practitioners now have a report that they can take to the board and back their case for the use of communication at a strategic level. This is something that is long overdue”, Hamman adds.

The thrust for 2010 therefore, is to ensure that brands are in a position to deliver their 2010 promises and that attention is given to service delivery and quality communication, not only to infrastructural readiness.

Get ready now, audit

Hamman suggests companies use this downtime of the year to take stock of their internal communication by way of auditing where they are now and where they would like to position themselves. She says, “If you are going to prepare a communication platform for 2010 - and leave a good impression on the global audience - you'd better get cracking! After all, renting a car is not just about getting into the car, it's about the frontline people whom you see long before you get the keys to the vehicle. Customer service is the key to holding their attention and retention”.

Communication changes people's attitudes and behaviours, this is something that is done through a systematic approach to an organisation's symbolism (your brand and how it is perceived by consumers), state of mind (the organisational culture), and stewardship (the leaders who set the tone).

To make this happen, companies need to take a five-step approach: conduct a communication audit to ensure all aspects are optimised; set objectives and goals for the communication activity - i.e. what are we trying to achieve; determine and how and implement the plans; provide a framework for activities; and finally measure and review the action plan.

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