Quantitative Research can tell you if your Brand message is getting through, but only Qualitative Research can help you develop and express the most powerful and appealing proposition Your Brand can make.

Only Qualitative Research can identify then match the key needs of the category’s consumers with the values of Your Brand best able to satisfy those needs. These ‘determinants of choice’ need to be understood and discussed in depth, rather than merely ‘rated’ against each other, or ‘voted upon’, in Quantitative Research.

Only Qualitative Research can discover:

• what is expected of your Brand;
• what consumer needs can best be satisfied or met by Your Brand;
• and whether these needs can be well enough satisfied and promoted by Your Brand to ensure that it becomes a brand of choice.

While Quantitative Research can tell you the functional values of Your Brand, it can tell you very little about what should be Your Brand’s expressive values (the image its consumers or customers want to project or feel, or the badge they want to wear, by using Your Brand) and core values (those values that tap into their central belief system).

Quantitative Research can tell you whether they know of Your Brand, but not what they know about Your Brand (which can be alarmingly little, or horribly negative).

Qualitative Research is the best way you can fully understand Your Brand’s:

• reputation (the esteem in which it is held);
• relevance (whether current customers or consumers are happy to continue their brand relationship, and whether prospects are likely to consider a relationship with Your Brand);
• present or potential point of difference (the most successful and resilient brands are built outwards from their inherent point of difference, which is perhaps better called their distinct buyer advantage).

Qualitative Research is also the best way to understand how to improve Your Brand’s reputation, relevance and distinctiveness.

Qualitative Research is also uniquely able to identify and understand in-depth:

• the language used about brands;
• the perceived personalities, identities and characteristics of brands;
• feelings about verbal (name, logotype, claim, proposition, products) brand identities and visual (logo, symbol, colours, packs, storefronts, other visual elements) brand identities;
• brand switching drivers, triggers, inhibitions and barriers;
• how respondents position Your Brand against others (and how this compares with how you position Your Brand);
• the appeal of present and potential alternative brand propositions;
• which values of Your Brand best support or prove the most appealing brand proposition;
• and how well your present and/or potential advertising communicates this proposition and these proof points.

So, next time you review Your Brand, please remember that Quantitative Research can tell you where it stands, but not where it ought to stand, nor what marketing communications can best help get it there. Qualitative Research will always do those things best.

Chris Martin Murphy 17^th November 2016

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Stronger brands are easier brands to choose and buy because customers take their quality for granted. So strong brands retain these customers longer, and attract new customers sooner.

Chris Martin Murphy looks at what you can do to make your brand stronger.

 Brands without power have insufficient brand stature or brand strength. Brand stature is the reputation and esteem a brand enjoys as a result of the familiarity consumers have with a brand and the image they have of that brand. Brand strength is the relevance and point of differentiation of the brand in the perception of its users.

To empower a brand or re-empower a brand it is necessary to understand the attitudes, issues and dynamics underpinning the brand’s present stature and strength. It is also necessary to understand the brand attributes which make up the perceived values (positive and negative) of the brand.

Through the use of the Interface Brand Business BuilderÔ  (IBBB), a research-based system designed to re-empower brands, a business environment can be evaluated and determined and then a business direction can be set. The IBBB analyses and researches the brand environment in order to develop and recommend the brand communications platform or strategy. Brand owners then gain clarity and focus; through the right brand strategies; and by communicating the right brand image, reputation, proposition, values, personality and symbol.

Why bother to empower your brand? Stronger, ‘power’ brands last longer. They enjoy greater consumer familiarity, retain loyal customers longer, and enjoy better end-user demand. Consequently, they can command higher prices, better margins and greater profits. They are more resistant to competitive pricing or promotions, and better survive crises.

Stronger brands simplify the selling process and the buying process. They sell more volume with less effort. They are easier brands to choose and buy, because we take their quality for granted. They are harder to copy, and take the higher image ground in close-substitute categories. They cost less to grow.

The Interface Brand Business Builder begins by analysing the business environment in terms of market size and sectors; market trends and drivers; the competitive frame; and the relevant customer segments. A business SWOT analysis then follows, prior to the setting of the business direction. This recommends on services and pricing; distribution and staffing; customer segments for marketing; and marketing communications expenditure.

Next the system analyses the brand environment. Unless recent research exists, this section often requires new research. This could be quantitative research (usually a telephone survey with a sample of several hundred respondents) into awareness, usage and attributes of your brand and its competitors.

Qualitative research (usually focus group discussions) will be required to establish the image and reputation of your brand and its competitors. As David Aaker says, “The challenge for all brands is that they have a distinct, clear image that matters to customers and truly differentiates them…a broad brand identity…something greater than a set of attributes that can be imitated or surpassed”:

What are the attitudes, issues and beliefs surrounding the image and reputation of your brand and its competitors? What do you need to change about your brand to improve its reputation? Use research to find out. Qualitative research is also required to determine the perceived brand propositions or offers in the category, and how well each brand’s proposition encapsulates the positive brand values of that brand. For example, “Coke adds life”, “I feel like a Toohey’s” and “Go well, go Shell” are some of the better brand propositions. They also integrate the brand name within the claim, and therefore have enjoyed better brand recall or memory.

How appealing is the main proposition of each brand? How relevant is it? How competitive is it? Underpinning the brand proposition should be the recognised positive brand values. We say recognised because we do not mean the brand values attributed by the marketing department or by the advertising agency, but the brand values attributed (in research) by the brand’s users and non-users. How important are the brand’s particular values to users? (One of our client’s brands rates brilliantly on an attribute that we have discovered ranks only 18^th in category importance!)

Qualitative research should also analyse perceived brand personalities and the brand symbols, if they exist. A brand without a personality lacks friends and is easily rejected. A brand which has an appealing personality will be trusted by its users, just as they would trust a reliable, enjoyable friend. They can identify with that brand. Very few brands have a strong symbol, which is at best a vivid visual metaphor for the brand proposition and personality (e.g. the Legal & General Umbrella says ‘protection’; the Merrill Lynch Bull says ‘investor success’ in a bullish market).

Once all the above attributes of the brand and its competitors have been analysed, the brand opportunities should be documented. What are the best opportunities for the brand in its competitive frame? What brand proposition and values can best enhance the brand’s image? What should the brand personality and symbol be?

The recommended brand communications platform can then be written.  This includes the intended brand image; the desired brand reputation; the brand proposition; the desirable brand values; the brand personality; and the brand symbol. The use of qualitative research is recommended to evaluate alternative versions of these communications elements, usually in the form of advertising concepts, which can be TV storyboards or press layouts with copy.

In this way research is used to define the brand proposition, values, personality and symbol capable, with the right marketing and communications support, of rebuilding the brand to a position of power, a position from which its owner can continue to profit. The brand’s equity is enhanced. The brand’s immunity to competition is increased. The brand is further empowered.

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These ten least wanted attributes of their bank are not in any particular order, but they are consistently raised in the market research we conduct with bank customers.

#1. Long queues in the branch – at lunchtime or anytime

Bank customers intensely dislike queuing in a bank branch, particularly during their precious lunch hour. This is, after all, the only time that most customers can get to their bank before it closes at 4pm or 5pm in the afternoon. Unfortunately, it is also the time when many branch staff either take their lunch shift, or change shifts with other staff members.

#2. Long queues when calling their bank on the telephone

Some of the most irritating recorded words in the English language (which are not confined to banks) are “You call is important to us. Please hold while your call is forwarded to one of our service consultants.”  Callers say that they wonder why they have to wait so long if their bank really regards them (or their call) with such importance.  Indeed, once they have reached this roadblock on their road to completing their enquiry, these same words signal to the customer that they are likely to be kept waiting for a considerable length of time, regardless of how important their call is.

#3. Unhappy and unhelpful staff at the end of the branch or telephone queue

There is a direct relationship between the length of a bank queue and the exhaustion and distress of the bank staff serving at the end or front of that queue.  Long queues signal to customers (often factually) that there are too few staff members to handle too many customers in that particular branch or call centre.  Consequently, as their shift progresses, these branch (or telephone) staff members get more tired and cranky, and less willing or able to serve and to help.

The end result is that the queuing customers get equally tired, cranky, and hugely frustrated. And if this happens once too often, these customers will take their bank accounts elsewhere, to a happier place with happier staff members.  (This means that too many branch staff or call centre staff cuts can be ‘a dumb way to do business’, and an excellent way to drive customers away.)

#4. Bank CEOs who position ‘increased efficiency’ as a customer benefit

 Every time a bank CEO talks about staff cuts and other cost cuts (including using overseas call centres), and tries to position these as a move in the direction of ‘improved customer efficiency’, the customers of that bank interpret that announcement differently.  They make a note to expect poorer and less personal service from that bank, particularly in branch, but also on the telephone.

They believe that what the bank CEO is really trying to say is “We’re going to introduce cost efficiencies, so that our shareholders will receive an even better return on their investment. We are hoping that our customers will support us in this move and will use more economical means to access their banking services”.

#5. Inconveniently located branches of their main bank 

Business banking customers mainly, and personal banking customers occasionally, will switch to another bank if the bank they use the most (which they will normally identify as their ‘main bank’) is not located near their business or their place of work.

#6. A $2.00 transaction fee for using an ATM of another financial institution 

Bank customers know that an interchange fee has to be paid between banks, and that this will usually cost them $2.00 if they do not use the ATM of the bank where they have their main everyday savings access account.  This fee is greatly resented by bank (and other financial institution) customers, and most of all by those customers whose do not have convenient access to their own bank’s ATM, and who also usually (through having no income or a low income, or having higher expenses and larger debts to be repaid) are not able to maintain much money in their everyday account.  (Often younger) customers make smaller withdrawals either to make their ‘pay last longer’, or to limit their spending, or to prevent friends and family borrowing money that they may never repay.  They therefore resent the fact that when they make, for example, a $20 withdrawal from another bank’s ATM, it is actually worth only $18.00.

#7. A bounced cheque, followed by an overdrawn fee

Probably the most embarrassing experience for any bank customer (particularly a small business customer) is to have their cheque bounce, and without warning, because there are insufficient funds in their account. They often feel guilty that their payee is out of pocket. They also feel embarrassed that the payee may think that they are incapable of paying their bills, which in turn may bring the health of their business into question.  Their embarrassment normally turns to anger when they are then charged an overdrawn fee of $35 or so.  They will bear this charge once or twice, before some will walk away and join another bank (as this writer will do the next time he is charged $35 for being $6.50 overdrawn, which happened to match the transaction fees on his account in that month!).

#8. Additional credit is refused

Customers who have a long and satisfactory ‘history’ with their bank, and who are refused additional credit by that bank at the time they need it most, regard this behaviour or decision as a major betrayal of their relationship with that bank.  It is seen as akin to not recognising, and therefore not showing any respect for, a close relative or friend.  They cite instances where their bank had offered them credit when they were flush with funds and least needed that credit, then refused them credit when they most needed it (for example, to repay large credit card balances).

Some customers have been refused a smallish business loan one week, only to be offered a larger personal loan or credit card limit increase the next week, and both by the same bank!

#9. No care, all responsibility

If banks claim full responsibility for looking after their customers’ money, they should likewise offer to provide those customers with all the care they need in managing their finances.  The reverse is one of the things that customers want least from their bank. Customers really appreciate some demonstration that their bank cares about more than just their money.  Remembering the customer’s name is a good start.  Actively helping the customer with their finances and their consequent quality of life is an even better way to foster a positive and lasting mutual relationship and appreciation.  Helping the customer can be as simple as listening better to their needs and concerns, then helping the customer to satisfy those needs or to resolve those concerns.

#10. There is no-one locally with the authority to say ‘Yes’, and then to make it happen 

Some of us are old enough to remember with gratitude our local, resident bank manager who gave approval ‘on the spot’ of our first personal loan or home loan or business loan (usually in that order).  Now the actual truth of the situation may have been little different from today, where loan approvals have to be referred to a credit risk assessor ‘somewhere hundreds of kilometres away’, but at least our ‘local hero’ bank manager back then gave us the impression that he (usually, rather than she) was vested with full authority to make an instant decision that was to our benefit.  While most borrowers much appreciate getting approval of whatever they are allowed to borrow (so long as it is at a fair interest rate), many borrowers  -particularly those who own their own businesses – very much resent being ‘rejected’ by a remote lending manager who doesn’t know them personally, and who has no idea about their individual personal or business financial needs.  The more often they are turned away by such a ‘stranger’, the sooner they are likely to seek out a bank where they can find and make a friend.

The post The 10 Things That Customers Least Want From Their Bank appeared first on Interface Research & Strategy.

More than anything, financial services customers want ‘their’ Call Centre to provide them with the same level of service they used to receive in the branch of their bank, building society or credit union.  Some resent the necessity of having to use a Call Centre. They talk to us in group discussions about how Bank Tellers who they used to know have disappeared, leaving empty ‘stalls’ and longer queues.  They tell us that the remaining Tellers/CSOs are briefed to encourage customers to use Telephone or Internet Banking more often, and the Branch less often.  Even recently, some Bank Branch customers have told us that they have been encouraged to call their Bank’s Call Centre from the Branch, only to find either that the Telephone was out of order, or that the Call Centre Operators were out to lunch!

The aspect of Branch service they want maintained in Call Centre service is a personal, yet professional relationship. While that sounds simple enough to provide, many banking customers do not believe that it is well provided. (They also tell us that a personal relationship is possible with a Call Centre CSR, but is not possible with Internet Banking.)

The personal treatment Callers want is a person, not a machine; a person who is friendly, but not too familiar; a person who is pleasant, but not ‘too nice’ or ‘too saccharine’; a person who is helpful, but not too pushy; a person who is intelligent, but not too ‘smartarse’; a person who is patient, but not too patronising; and a person who is caring, but not too intrusive.  And every caller wants to be made to feel important.

Better educated customers (often in white collar occupations) want a reasonably experienced and intelligent person to talk to – someone who knows as much about the subject as they do.  Less well educated customers (often in blue collar occupations) lack confidence and don’t want the CSR to confound them with science, or to make them feel stupid, when they are not sure what the CSR is talking about, and this has become evident during the call.  They want to be taken through things slowly and easily, and this is not always done.

The professional treatment that Callers want is someone who knows what they are talking about, and doesn’t ‘duck and weave’ on the enquiry.  If the CSR sounds experienced, this gives the caller the confidence that the person they are talking to is well trained.  Customers prefer someone who knows them personally, or at least who knows their details, because they possess all of these details on a computer screen.  This expedites and helps to personalise the process.

The most evident sign of professional treatment that callers want is something extra and helpful offered on the call – something unexpected and not requested – which they say can be the difference between good service and great service.  One example is information about a product or service they didn’t know about, but can see a clear benefit in having.  This need-identification – the most effective form of cross-selling – is missing from most calls that they make.

Financial services customers want their calls to be answered quickly, and dealt with quickly (but not dismissively).  Speed can be the clearest sign of Call Centre efficiency.  Customers want to be treated with empathy. This includes courtesy; respect; helpfulness; friendliness; careful listening to what the caller wants or to what is being asked; instilling confidence that the CSR can help the customer; and making the customer feel wanted and important.  Empathy can also be demonstrated by enthusiasm about speaking with a customer, and by recognition of the customer and his or her accounts or policies.

Callers do not want to hear an (Asian) Indian voice answering their call.  This suggests to most that the Call Centre is located in India, and that the CSRs therefore have no knowledge of either local customers’ needs or no understanding of how to deal with Australians.  Even if the Indian-accented CSR is located in Sydney or Melbourne, many Callers will still cut short or terminate the call.  (This is an issue that is raised by respondents – without us prompting them – in just about every banking service group discussion that we conduct.  Customers hold similar views if the CSR does not speak English well, regardless of the CSR’s location.)

The Financial Research Company has long ago developed and often used an inexpensive Call Centre Study which measures main reason for call; speed of answering; whether and how Caller transferred; how they rated the call on five aspects compared with calls made to others; how they rated the CSR/Operator on courtesy, understanding, knowledge, interest, helpfulness, clarity, speed, information detail and accuracy, speed of callback (if promised); overall call satisfaction; whether they were offered any extra, helpful information and whether they took any consequent action; their future purchase intentions; and their comparative rating, against competitors, of certain products and services offered by that financial institution.

(Occasionally we also conduct a mystery or ‘shadow’ shopping exercise on the Call Centres of our clients, where the interviewer rates the call on very similar criteria to those above.)

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Great advertising based on a not so great strategy is a great waste of money. 

The right advertising on the wrong strategy is the wrong advertising. 

Good advertising on a bad strategy is bad advertising. 

Good creative on the wrong strategy can never work great. 

A great strategy can inspire great creative work. 

A great strategy contains an inspirational idea. 

A great advertising strategy goes beyond information to inspiration, it not only informs but inspires. 

Will you value my brand’s user value proposition enough to change sides, to switch to your brand?

What can I possibly say to you that will make you change your brand?

And what reasons or proof points do you need to know before you change your brand?

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