Is your staff helping or hindering your brand?

Just a quick note to tell you about my recent trip to one of the more elite jewellers in Dublin which reminded me that your company’s representatives have a huge amount to do with your company brand.

Background: My sister bought me a lovely bracelet on my wedding day. She wanted to give me something from that traditional wedding mantra - something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Long story short, it was a bit big, kept dropping off me so I wanted to get a security chain on it so it would stop falling off me.

I went into the store and to put it simply, one of the store representatives looked at me, ignored me and proceeded to make a call.

Then when I finally got speaking with another member of staff, he interrupted us.

I took off my invisible coat and told the lady that was dealing with me about the store assistant that ignored me. She apologised and decisively said that she would give me the security chain with no charge.

Instead of walking out of the store, swearing I’d never use it again, I left thinking what a good representative she was.

Ask yourself honestly:

• Are your staff (whether retail or service based) promoting your business?
• Is their behaviour helping or hindering your business?

You spend a lot of time networking and marketing your business. You might as well burn the cash if your staff aren’t there backing up your brand and being consistent with your image.

To know for sure that your staff is helping your brand, revisit the following five tips:

1. Don’t make assumptions based on your customers appearance

2. Understand that every person that walks through your door is a lead

3. Reward your staff who recognise that every person who walks through the door is a lead

4. Be consistent with your image through regular customer training/support/mentoring

5. Give your staff the authority to make a decision to keep a customer happy.

What do you do to keep your staff promoting your brand?