Brand: Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Recently, I had the opportunity to interact with the CEOs of two large, well-recognized public corporations. I invited each to address a business group that I belong to. In doing some preliminary research, I reviewed both companies' websites.

Each site spoke to its company's commitment to customers and specifically highlighted a focus on providing personalized, prompt and friendly service – powerful promises and a strong position which appeals to customers. However, upon contacting each company, my experiences differed.

Company #1

• Personalized: The CEO's Executive Assistant replied to my invitation
• Prompt: The reply came two weeks after my initial inquiry
• Friendly: While professional and positive, the reply lacked both personal touch and a sense of engagement (i.e. it was simply a standard response to what I am sure is many similar requests)

Company #2

• Personalized: The CEO responded directly to my invitation
• Prompt: I received the CEO's reply within 24 hours (on a Saturday in fact!)
• Friendly: The response was witty and left a genuine sense of appreciation for the opportunity

As marketers, much time goes into understanding and articulating the brand promises that most appeal to customers. If you don't understand or focus on the right message, you miss the mark before you even start. However, the real key is ensuring that the customer experience lives up to or exceeds those promises. Actual customer experience will trump your promises every time.

I'm sure both companies employ many wonderful people. However, based on these experiences, it is clear that only one truly understands that actions speak far louder than words.