Ways to Protect & Manage Your Brand When Facing Supply Chain Issues
Throughout the business world, supply chain issues have developed into a major problem. Raw materials and every type of product have been subject to delays of weeks or even months, leaving companies at every phase of delivery in a quandary about how to handle this crisis. It’s not enough to put your head down and hope for the best. Businesses should consider how to manage their brand and reputation while maintaining customer relations in the face of potential disappointment. Here are five important steps.
1. Manage the crisis before it happens through relationships.
If you are just starting to think about managing the supply chain challenge, you are likely already late to the game. A company that has maintained strong, ongoing relationships with its vendors as well as its customers is one way to help to minimize the impact on your supply chain. I recently spoke with a CEO who found out that a component of the company product was going to be delayed substantially in part because the supplier was prioritizing delivery to their top customers. Had the CEO made a point to establish a personal relationship with the head of that supplier, the company might have put itself in the front of the line. Leaders and other points of contact with vendors should be building social capital through a regular, unsolicited connection that puts a face to a name, and creates a personal bond that will come in handy in times like this. It does not guarantee that your supply chain will not be impacted, but it can help with transparency and trust.
2. Be transparent about what to expect
Industry media and even the regular news might be filled with details and information about the delays, but that doesn’t mean your customers are aware. After all, they have their own problems. It is not enough to ask for forgiveness, I recommend revisiting your communications and ensure they reflect your values, what you have tried to do, done, and contain accurate, specific updates that help your customer to understand the situation. Utilize open, honest explanations that give the complete picture, your customers will appreciate your attempt at transparency and maintaining trust. The trust you build with transparency translates into additional customer confidence and enhances brand loyalty.
3. Can you provide interim solutions while customers wait?
Let’s face it, companies that haven’t been creative and adaptive in the past fifteen months have struggled harder than the ones who stayed (or learned to be) nimble. As the world continues to reel under the shifting crisis, customers care less about your problems than about solutions. Interim solutions may be available, and they demonstrate good faith and customer support that goes above and beyond. For example, an interior designer may consider looking for temporary furniture or art to allow a home, a hotel lobby, or an office space to get utilized while waiting for a delayed arrival. A key recommendation would be to map the customer’s journey and identify which touchpoints could be reinforced to protect the relationship as much as possible.
4. Follow up and have a wow experience even if there are delays
Brand trust and loyalty are built at every touchpoint by every employee. When considering the best way to handle the dissatisfaction that seems almost inevitable with delayed delivery, look to making the experience memorable for positive reasons instead. White glove service, personal contact, and other targeted efforts make the customer feel valued, which is one of the linchpins of customer re-engagement. Whether a business offers a product or a service, there always are ways to make the experience better, and now is the time to figure out how to do it. One way to understand the customer’s priority is upfront. What else is dependent on the service/product you are providing? Sticking with the interior design example, is the priority for the client an event, the reveal, finishing an unfinished space? Knowing the reason behind the project can help clarify what options may be available. In all reality, there may not be a perfect option or even a good one. Revisit the budget you can set to allow for creating wow moments from a time, talent, and treasure standpoint.
5. Connect Through Humanity
We are all in this together. As people, as consumers, and as businesses, the events of the day are having an impact big and small. Business leaders making a point to lend a hand to the most challenging situations model the behavior that brings out the best in their teams and sends the right message to their stakeholders, customers, and partners. Showing a human side that “walks the talk,” presents a more persuasive and credible place to call on others to be patient with us as we navigate our own challenges. I guarantee this time will continue to be challenging. Remember to breathe, listen, and ask questions in any situation to help remain calm and learn more about what options might be available. When stressed, our brains are in a fight, flight, or freeze mode, and it is impossible to be creative and collaborate. Leaders who remain calm, yet recognize the urgency, can lead their teams through problem-solving sessions and empower others to innovate and do their best to continue to be on-brand.
Remember, as my friend Donnell Johns says, “most people are not doing things to you, they are taking actions that can make their lives easier, make them feel better in the moment, and (or) protect themselves.”
Jen Dalton is a personal brand specialist with entrepreneurship in her DNA. Her book, Listen: How To Embrace the Difficult Conversations Life Throws at You, is an insightful guide into navigating tough talks. She helps business owners and executives define how they show up as leaders, make the most of their strengths, and be intentional about their personal & company brand, legacy, growth, and visibility. The author of two books, frequent speaker, podcaster, and called the “Purpose Sherpa” by her clients, Jen is a critical resource for any person or company that wants to define their brand and differentiate themselves in authentic, credible, and relevant ways to the market. www.brandmirror.com and www.thenoisebreaker.com.
