Brand : Ready, Set, Listen!
Practice active listening to obtain valuable customer feedback
March 2010 By Andrea Syverson
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Papa John's founder John Schnatter went out on a nationwide road trip to personally deliver pizzas to celebrate the company's 25th anniversary. He combined this with a hunt for his original 1972 Z28 Camaro, which he sold in 1984 to finance his first Papa John's restaurant at the age of 22 (and yes, he found it!). After 25 years of running the world's third largest pizza company, Schnatter still never tires of direct customer interaction. He prioritizes face time with his customers and has even incorporated the acronym of P.A.P.A. (People Are Priority Always) as part of the brand's core values.
Sounding Boards
Do you ever wish you could just pick up the phone and pick a few of your customers' brains? If so, customer advisory boards are just the listening tool you need. Companies of all shapes and sizes are tapping in to the wisdom of their customers through this listening method.
McDonald's launched a mom-driven Quality Correspondent program where moms from across the country go on McDonald's field trips to learn all about the company's inner workings and behind-the-scenes happenings. Recent trips have focused on the Happy Meal, from toy development to menu choices, and the making of McCafé, McDonald's new espresso-based coffee line. These moms then report back to customers their findings via blogs and posts on mcdonaldsmom.com. This transparent mom-to-mom sounding board allows McDonald's to see firsthand how its brand is perceived and what is top of mind for moms in making fast food choices for their families.
One of my clients, Christian Brothers Services, just implemented this idea in order to get a better understanding of its customers' evolving needs as pending health care reform threatens to change the entire way benefits are delivered. The new board of advisers felt honored to be asked to participate and already shared valuable insights with the CBS managers.
I don't believe we can ever listen too much. Make this a year of deep and active listening for your brand.
Andrea Syverson is president of IER Partners, a strategic consulting company specializing in innovative brand and merchandising directions. This article is an excerpt from her new book, "BRANDABOUT: A Seriously Playful Playbook for Passionate Brand-Builders and Merchants," due out this spring. She may be reached at asyverson@ierpartners.com.
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