Toilets, Muzak and Your Brand
You are on a long road trip and need to stop to go to the bathroom. What fast food restaurant would you prefer for a pit stop? I know the answer. McDonald's. Why? You know it will be clean. They always are. McDonald's makes a point of ensuring ALL their bathrooms are clean. Yes, it gets them some incremental demand from pit stoppers, but the more important reason is it makes the food taste better. What?!? Yep, the bathroom cues us to cleanliness and hygiene. It gives us confidence and faith that McDonald's cares about these things.
Apple's packaging has the same impact. When you open an Apple product, you not only take joy in the experience, but you feel their commitment to design and engineering. You start to perceive their products as simply better. I have been to the genius bar 3 times with my Macbook, but I still think it is put together much better than an HP. The packaging is part of the reason. I have been given cues to think this way.
This works the other way too.
Dell started to lose its reputation for service when it moved most of its customer care to India. It saved them a bunch of money and in truth the support likely did not get much worse. But, when a customer hears an Indian accent, it is cue to them that the company cares more about saving money than getting it right. Might be irrational, but it is true. Any mistake made by the service rep will be deemed inexcusable. The perception of cutting corners starts to infect the whole perception of Dell. I think this move, which made sense on a spreadsheet cost Dell billions.
Another more indirect example. I think one big mistakes Starbucks made was going into the music business. Why? Now, the Starbucks music is the same in all stores. It is piped in over a centrally planned Muzak system. The employees have no say. I think it attracts less interesting employees, makes them less engaged, removes the local flavor, and hurts the overall experience.
These types of small choices exist all over our businesses. Analysis won't tell you they matter.
How do your customers get cues about what you believe in? Find them. Get them right.
