I recently saw a commercial for a carpet cleaning company that advertised ongoing training for their employees. I’m not necessarily looking for a carpet cleaning company, but it got me thinking about the wisdom this company used in leveraging what they do well as part of their marketing plan.
We moved to a new house a few years ago and I looked for a moving company to help us. This was before Angie’s List, so the only way I knew of to assess the quality of the organization was to ask them about their business practices. The first thing I asked was whether or not they provide training to their employees and whether or not they solicit customer feedback and track customer satisfaction. I was surprised at how differently each company responded to these questions. Ultimately, I chose a company that conducted both employee training and customer satisfaction surveys. Knowing that employees participated in a structured training program was important to me (because I didn’t want them dropping my stuff) and I knew that if they were asking for customer feedback, they probably had a process in place to deal with customer issues.
7 examples of things that organizations can take advantage of in advertising
1. Employee skills training
Most people value employee training because it gives them confidence that the product or service they are purchasing is being delivered by a competent worker. Whether it’s a mechanic working on your car or a customer service representative, people want to know that the person taking care of their needs has had the proper training to do so.
2. Criminal background check
We all feel vulnerable when someone enters our home or cares for a loved one, so whether your business has service technicians or you have a daycare that babysits, let customers know that criminal background checks are done. as part of employee evaluation. process can help alleviate customer concerns. I work with an organization that does background checks on volunteers who help out at a summer camp. Parents find comfort in knowing that the workers caring for their children have been screened.
3. Certifications and Accreditations
Accreditation and certifications verify an organization’s credentials to provide quality products or services. The paying customer is interested in how qualified a business is to meet their needs, so whether an organization hires employees with information technology certifications or is accredited through the Better Business Bureau, the customer cares. These types of credentials are what separate the amateurs from the professionals.
4. The best places to work
Customers like to interact with happy employees. Organizations that can boast of having been nominated or won Best Places to Work awards demonstrate credibility with the community and employees.
5.Financial Transparency
Nonprofits that rely on donor funding must be financially transparent to maintain credibility with taxpayers. When organizations or individuals donate to a nonprofit, they want to know that the money they are donating is being used for what it was intended and is being managed wisely.
6. Satisfied Customers
Customers who buy products or services want to be sure that they will receive what is promised. Soliciting, monitoring and sharing customer satisfaction data can be a very effective recruiting tool. Customers want to know that their needs will be met, their voices heard, and their problems resolved.
7. Quality data
Consumers want to know that they are buying quality products and services. Using quality data in advertising is a great way to educate consumers. Whether an organization can claim a 0.001% defective rate, short lead times, or has won the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, quality data can be a great way to sell your product or service.
Our consumer-driven culture increasingly demands more transparency in how organizations are run. Advertising what an organization does well is a great way to engage the educated customer, so you might as well brag about your best practices!