Skimping out on the serving size of each customer who comes in the shop doesn’t have much of an impact in the moment and it’ll save you a few bucks.
Using a cheaper screw for a product that is “some assembly required” could lead to folks being frustrated, but not many. And if you’re selling 100,000 of the products, using the cheaper screw can save you a lot.
I wish it were true that making selfish business decisions was a slippery slope, but for most, it’s not. Brand erosion is more like a sine wave that has a downward trajectory. Decisions are made to cut costs and then a smaller “feel good” decision is made to try to make up for the selfish one.
Eventually, the brand erodes. Not as quickly as we like, but it does.
The paradox is that the same can be said for giving a customer an extra serving every now and then and investing in a tougher screw (but not any of the other product elements).
I wish it were true that making selfless decisions from time to time was a guarantee for success, but for most, it’s not.
Brand erosion happens when there’s a lack of consistency.
Written differently, brand loyalty, success and impression happens when there’s a consistency of the way one does things, preferably the selfless things.
Stay Positive & What’ll Your Brand Stand For?
Photo credit
- It Might Be A Reflection - October 8, 2024
- The Special Ingredient - October 7, 2024
- Aftermath - October 6, 2024
