I have always believed that employees have the potential to be a company’s best spokespeople. No, not the communications team and media-trained company spokespeople, I’m talking about your average employee, in any department, at any level, in any location. A good representative of your brand has the potential to make others want to learn more about the company, invest time and money in the company and become promoters of your brand inside and outside the industry.
Employee engagement is one tool (and a powerful one) that can create brand ambassadors at all levels of a company. Sometimes engagement can mean a strategic communications plan with many tactics, levels and metrics. It can also be as un-earth-shattering as creating a culture that fosters open and honest communications among employees, managers and executives.
Customers can tell when the person they are interacting with is proud of their work and stands by the company. They can also tell when someone is just punching the clock. What kind of experience do you want your customers to have – and are you creating that same experience with your employees?
So True- nice reminder Christine.
Helen
You know I was doing some cold calls the other day, and I called a well known vacuum cleaner company. Both the operator and the customer service person I spoke to sounded like they wanted to slit their wrists. It is amazing how a company’s “mood” or “vibe” can infiltrate through the whole organization. Definitely got a bad vibe there. Something was wrong, very wrong.
Totally agree….brand has to come from the inside out.