Your Brand Is As Strong As Your Weakest Touch Point

Recently I traded in my Apple MacBook for a newer model which would help reduce the cost of a new one. While I had to pay the full amount upfront, Apple informed me that it would take about 14 working days for the trade-in value to be transferred into my account. After waiting a month for the money to be transferred, nothing had reflected so I decided to visit the store and speak to the manager. The manager then referred me to admin. When I enquired as to why the money hadn’t been paid, their response was that their systems were down the day I traded in my laptop. They then proceeded to ask me to forward the trade in agreement as they didn't have reference of the laptop.

What frustrated me was that had I not gone to the store, I still would be none the wiser regarding if/when the transfer would be made. Furthermore, I found it hard to believe that the hardcopy documentation accompanying the trade in couldn’t be referenced.

In my view, it is so important for brands to unpack and map out their customer journey(s) and honestly reflect on pain and pleasure points of the brand experience. While a number of the ‘slices’ or phases of the customer journey were strong from my experience with Apple products and their marketing, general customer service and in-store experience, this arguably small touch point left a bad taste in my mouth. A simple call, text or SMS would have gone a long way to notify me of the problem the brand was facing and what they were doing about it.

Regardless, rather than rant about my experience, I thought I would share the opportunity for brands to reflect on:

1. Do you hire staff that embody your brand values?

2. Are your staff empowered, knowledgeable and proactive?

3. Do your systems and processes enhance or hinder the customer experience?

4. Have you mapped out the pain and pleasure points of your customer’s experience?

5. Do you actively and consistently engage with your consumers? In this regard, do you keep your consumer informed, up-to-date regarding inquiries, concerns and issues to mitigate the experience I had at Apple?

Concluding thoughts:

Addressing the above points can really build a formidable brand experience. In a competitive marketplace, winning and retaining consumers, are the lifeblood of any brand and business. Every touch point is either building upon or eroding your brand equity in the eyes of your consumer. By being cognisant and ensuring all touch points whether it be staff, admin, products and marketing can ultimately differentiate your brand and build lifetime customer loyalty.