Don't Let Your Values Sit on a Shelf

Don't Let Your Values Sit on a Shelf
Bringing Your Brand to Life through Customer Touchpoints
By: Elizabeth Murray, Causewave Community Partners

Your organization worked hard to develop an inspiring brand platform that eloquently captures your unique essence and personality, while setting you far apart from others that have a similar mission and services.  Armed with energy and purpose, you eagerly set out to infuse your new brand into every nook and cranny of your organization!  However, when you start to consider the dozens—even HUNDREDS—of ways that customers experience your brand each day, you stop still in your tracks.  Where to begin?!

We’ve all experienced the exhilarating high that accompanies an invigorating, collaborative process.  It’s the “Now what?!” dread that sometimes follows that can take the wind out of our sails and leave us overwhelmed by next steps.  If your organization is feeling frozen by what comes next, we recommend a process called the Customer Touchpoint Analysis. 

As the name suggests, the Customer Touchpoint program methodically analyzes each touchpoint or interaction that your customers experience with you—and asks the all-important question:  “Are their experiences… big and small… consistently aligned with our brand?” 

Using a highly interactive, systematic process, we work with your team to develop a detailed inventory of your interactions with customers and align them with your brand.  We look closely at current and ideal experiences, then prioritize recommendations that your organization can use as a guide for “living your brand.”  Through this collaboration we carefully identify your biggest opportunities (your “Brand Builders”) and those that drain your resources (“Brand Busters”).

After completing their Brand Development program, the Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network (FLDRN) decided to take the next step and embark on a Customer Touchpoint Analysis.  Nancy Ryan, Director of Marketing and Community Relations, shared, “Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network had never considered the full depth of our customer touchpoints, nor honestly judged ourselves on how we were performing in those areas. Putting together our Touchpoint matrix was both eye-opening and helpful in identifying where we should be focusing on energies.” 

After undergoing the Touchpoint Analysis, organizations are armed with prioritized, actionable steps that can immediately begin to bridge the gap between current and desired interactions.  In the case of FLDRN, Ryan explained, “Interactions with Primary Care Physicians (PCPs) was identified as a high impact, low performing touchpoint with the Public Education department. This led to the creation of an organ donation awareness program called “Partnering for Life: The Role Healthcare Professionals Can Play in Saving More Lives Through Organ Donation.” Through specific education and providing a variety of outreach opportunities for PCP offices, FLDRN has established productive and positive connections within major regional healthcare PCP systems. Many of the participating PCP offices have either fully integrated on-going outreach program with patients, or participate in special programing during National Donate Life Month.”

If your organization is ready to take the next step toward “living your brand,” we’d love to help. Contact us at info@causewave.org to learn about how the Customer Touchpoint Program can put your organization on the path to full brand realization.