Sure, load shedding has created some operational problems for South African businesses, which have in turn caused many a customer to become frustrated. But, whether it's an important delivery that arrives late because of traffic congestion due to lights being down, not being able to get through on a switchboard or being unable to swipe a debit card in a retail store, clients are likely to be more forgiving of companies that went beyond the typical operational delivery of quality, price and service. Companies that have invested in the deeper, more emotional aspects of their brands.
When you look at how a power failure can adversely impact on a company's ability to deliver its services or products, it is clear to see that it is just not enough for companies to simply play on their performance or quality of their products. If a courier company, for instance, has built its reputation on the speed of its service alone, where does it stand when it can no longer rely on this differentiator because of traffic back-ups during power outages?
Real brand building is about developing and maintaining the emotional ties with customers so that they stick around when things aren't smooth-sailing.
Unfortunately, too many companies still underestimate the power of proper brand building. But, when it comes down to a client not being able to complete an online claim or access their banking account because the website is down for whatever reason, it's the strength of the brand and the ties the client has to that brand that will determine whether the client walks or not. Building brand equity is about raising customers' level of tolerance to forgive.
Instead of throwing their hands in the air and using load shedding as an excuse for failure to deliver, companies should use load shedding to actually leverage their brands and build relationships with their customers on a whole new level.
After all, it is during times of hardship that the strongest and longest-lasting relationships are forged.
Although I'm not advocating that companies hop onto the “load shedding bandwagon”. I am not talking about companies singing their own praises for investing in generators to ensure business continuity during a black out. I am talking about companies adequately using the opportunity to strengthen that emotional bond customers have with their brand.
And there are companies that are doing it – and doing it well.
There's the direct insurer who pays for pointsmen to be deployed at busy intersections when the lights are out and the hardware franchise that sponsors a public service announcement in the afternoons so weary motorists know which areas are affected by power outages and so can try to avoid them.
Load shedding and the mayhem it creates can be turned into an opportunity for meaningful brand building, especially if companies tie the campaign in with their brand persona and ensure that this attitude is carried through, so that staff in the field buy into it and live the brand at every touch point.
An upmarket food store that built its concept around lifestyle and modern living could, for instance, use a power outage as a cue to promote romantic take home candlelit dinner portions – perhaps even use the opportunity to promote its pre-made, packaged food options with no heating required. A fast food retailer could replace its kiddies meal toy with a family type of game, so families could use the opportunity to bond.
Why can't movie distributors use the parks at night to screen movies again, to help build better relationships with consumers? Companies must appreciate that we are all in this together, and through these types of tactics, they can enrich their brand perception in the eyes of their customers.
These types of proactive and clever interventions build brand personality and customer loyalty and these are what will ultimately entrench a brand in the long term.
