A special thank-you to Gary George, the first (but hopefully not the last) guest blogger for Business Value Matters. Gary is one of the smartest technologists I know, a consultant for premedia business process analysis company Tunicca, a new father – and a good friend.
It’s a strange thing writing a guest blog, a proud feeling to be asked, but this one comes from an idea I had and thought this was the best place for the content, I never imagined that I would actually be asked to write it myself, so I won’t even try an mimic the writing style, you get me as I am when I write on my own blog.
I’m keeping this short as it’s based on the frustration of driving nearly every time I get behind the wheel of my car, a frustration or experience I don’t have when I have driven in different countries, although I am sure this happens there. This frustration got me thinking about the companies the drivers and their vehicles represented, have you worked it out yet?
Everyday on the streets of the UK we see companies advertising their brand on their company vehicles, these vehicles and their drivers in theory represent those brands, everything from your large multi national service industry like the mail companies or phone companies, to the more independent companies, one man bands.
Yet everyday the drivers and vehicles that represent the companies brand terrorize other motorist on the streets, whether that is sitting at 100mph at your bumper on the M25, maybe cutting you up, how about driving like a maniac on a residential street, or even falling out of a pub or bar and climbing into the company van (who’s to know if they have had a drink or not) either way these acts by driver and vehicle are being performed with your brand. The visual message is associated with your brand, represented by the person handling your brand asset.
I sometimes want to phone my telephone company to close my account on the strength of a driver who is using the company van to force me out of the way on the motorway, I’ve wanted to phone a lift company and tell them that unless they deal with the driver of their van registration mark XXXX XXX then I will pull their contract (even when I don’t have one with them) but my point here, is if I feel this way about companies that I have my business with and even companies that don’t, what damage is being done to your brand when your brand is being advertised irresponsibly and out of your control?
We saw a rise in lorries with “How’s My Driving? Call this number 0800 000 000” did you ever call it? I did, and I hoped that the driver paid the price for his irresponsible use of that company’s brand.
So when you provide a vehicle that promotes, advertises and sells your brand, your company, your livelihood, make sure that the person you are giving that responsibility to understands what it means to the company in current sales and future sales as your brand makes you money so be sure who you trust with it.