Communicate early and often
Listening to Tope, it’s apparent the customer is of the utmost importance to herand to the company. But, if she wants tohave a successful company, Tope has tostress that customer-first message to heremployees in order to align the companyaround her objectives.
“You can’t minimize the need for repetition and clarification,” she says. “Somepeople are very visual; some people wantto be able to read it. Some people want it tobe very metric-oriented. I think you have toalways assume that the message hasn’tbeen clear and make it as clear as possibleas often as possible.”
For example, Verizon advertises itself as“America’s most reliable network,” andTope knows the company can’t just saythat and not back it up. She has to stress toemployees it is much more than pricebecause price can easily be matched, butthe quality and value equation the companypresents cannot.
“Be proactive, forthright, direct and communicate that connection,” she says. “Earlyon in the process, get to each and every individual — what’s the value equation here,what makes it competitive? Don’t assumethat everybody gets the connection between,for instance, ‘America’s most reliable network’ and the product that we are placing.”
Another way to help with that communication is putting the products and servicesdirectly into the hands of your employeesor involving them early in a process tofamiliarize them with a new message.
Whether it’s a new marketing campaignor a new product, you want to use town-hall meetings, training sessions, e-mailblasts or any other way you communicateyour message to give everyone a heads upthat there are new actions taking place.
Of course, when it comes to giving outnew products, Tope can’t give every newproduct to every employee, but cyclingthem through different departmentsspreads the word.
“Then it becomes very personal, so youhave the ability to transfer that, if you will,to a customer,” she says. “‘Hey, I’ve usedthis myself; this is how I used it. It made areal difference for me.’
“We are encouraging our employees touse the product and be able to have thosekinds of real-life stories that you may nothave thought of and ways to use the service that you may not have thought of.”
Using the product also allows theemployee to show customers how theproduct will enhance their lives.
“Line up the competitive advantages ofthat device compared to others in the marketplace and also the value equation thatthat presents,” she says. “Be proactive, notreactive in terms of the communication,and do that in multiple mediums.”
Once the message is communicated, youneed to monitor to make sure your point isgetting across, which you can do by communicating with the front-line employees.
“You’re not going to know that sittingbehind a desk,” she says. “Be out andinvolved, and I think it’s pretty clear. Youdon’t even have to ask the question … related to that message, but in your conversations and direct work with the front line, itwill be pretty clear.”
