Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/620616
Y our brand is under attack. Whether it is the changing dynamics of the marketplace, the increased eect of government regulations, supply of labor or simply competitive forces, your brand is still under attack. What had been assumed was a pure, unadulterated, 100 percent entity has been shown to be something less than conveyed. ere are three forward courses of action: Counter-attack/Deny, Mea Culpa/Fix, Surrender/New Branding. COUNTER ATTACK/DENY STRATEGY In the Counter-attack/Deny strategy, the source of the revelation is attacked mercilessly. e information behind the revelation is countered with information to the contrary (backing up the previous purity claims). is is the "If I can't beat them, confuse them." e hope is that with all of the conicting information, the brand's consumers will give the brand the benet of the doubt and everyone will live happily ever aer. is is the "caught-politician's" initial strategy but this only invites more concerted and better sourced information and is usually not what a brand or its management should be courting. MEA CULPA/FIX STRATEGY In the Mea Culpa/Fix strategy, the information is acknowledged as at least partially true and also previously unknown to the brand. Public high-level apologies are immediate and followed by remedial action directives. One note: e apologies must be sincere and truly convey regret (and not just regret that someone was oended). Provided that these directives are successfully implemented and executed, the brand will survive and perhaps even thrive. If executed properly, it may even be inspiration for a case study on how to survive from a crisis. Either way, by giving voice to those oended by the revelation, the brand and its management portray themselves as receptive and caring. SURRENDER/NEW BRANDING STRATEGY In the Surrender/New Branding strategy, the brand meets its untimely demise. Perhaps the revelations are too severe to be remedied. Perhaps the revelations show the brand and/ or its management to have been complicit in the facts behind the revelation. Perhaps there was enterprise-wide unethical or even criminal activity. Regardless, there is too much re to salvage the brand in its current state. Whether a new brand can rise from the ashes highly depends on actions taken aer and during the brand's death throes. Like the Mea Culpa/Fix strategy, most of us like to give second chances. But we only are willing to do so, if we believe that we are being dealt with honestly and with people we can trust. No trust? No relationship and no brand (reincarnated or not). Ultimately, if this is your brand and therefore, your baby, you will defend it with vigor. And why not? But understand, sincerity and quick remedial action are likely the only ways to keep it viable and growing. TO THE DEATH? BY MOE GLENNER COURSES OF ACTION WHEN YOUR BRAND IS UNDER ATTACK When not flying the friendly skies, Moe Glenner speaks about personal and professional leadership, change management and innovation. To learn more, please go to www. MoeGlenner.com and/or follow him on Twitter: @Moe Glenner. Vo l . 1 0 , N o . 1 TRUCKSTOP.COM 7