Two recent examples with BMW and Mercedes demonstrate how easy it is for respected brands to become tarnished and for a competitor to benefit.
Earlier this week I met up for a coffee with old friends in Brighton. We chatted about the things friends chat about – family, holidays, cinema, sport – you name it. Then John excused himself to take a call and he returned with a smile on his face and explained he’d arranged to pick up his new Audi the following day.
John had owned a Merc for ten years. It hardly had anything on the clock really, but it no longer suited his needs. He explained that he had gone back to Mercedes to look for a replacement car. The salesman used old-fashioned, high pressure techniques to solicit a sale, saying that they could ‘cut a special deal’ for John. There was a relentless focus on price with both the salesman AND then his boss pressurising John into making a decision. The harder they pushed forward, the more uncomfortable John felt and the further he stepped back and eventually away from the purchase altogether. He decided to look elsewhere and subsequently considered two other marques – Audi and Range Rover, choosing the aforementioned Audi. John explained to me that the experience at both Audi and Range Rover was very positive and completely the opposite of Mercedes. The salesman in both cases engaged with John, asking him questions, listening attentively and building the relationship. Once he had committed to Audi, John decided to send an email to the salesman at Range Rover and Mercedes to thank them for their help and that he had made a decision to purchase elsewhere. The Range Rover salesman sent a very courteous reply saying he appreciated John letting him know and that he hoped he would be happy with his purchase and wished him all the best. John didn’t get a reply from Mercedes. In fact his dealings with Mercedes left a nasty taste in his mouth and it’s very unlikely he will go there again, should the need to arise.
After John told me his story, I told him of a similar experience with BMW. My partner recently replaced his BMW that was also ten years old. The transaction that ensued calls to mind anything but BMW’s strap line about ‘the joy’of BMW motoring. As an experience, I’d put it up there with a visit to the dentist. Similar high pressure sales techniques were used, with the focus on price and their need to hit their monthly sales target. There was no attempt to engage and build rapport with my partner, to ask questions and to listen. It was all ‘tell and sell!’
So what can we take from this? I’d like to think these examples are just one-off’s, though I doubt it. And with the advent of social media, brands increasingly belong to everyone – not just the brand owner. It’s so easy for anyone with a twitter, facebook, blog or linkedin account to broadcast to the wider world about their experiences. And those high profile ‘broadcasters’ on social media can reach millions of followers, influencing their preferences and buying decisions, any time of day or night.
The Latin expression ‘caveat emptor’ – buyer beware – comes to mind. Perhaps in this day and age it should be ‘seller beware’! So we all need to be even more vigilant. If you’re a leader, what are you doing to protect your brand? What do you have in place? How do you make sure everyone is bought into your brand values and behaves accordingly, day in and day out, especially if they are in front-line sales? Or are you risking your reputation being slowly damaged and your competitors benefiting?
What’s your experience? Post a reply. It will be great to hear from you.
Leadership Insights 