Category: Brand

Cycle of Silence

Following the publication of the USADA report into routine doping in the world of professional cycling, Dutch firm Rabobank has announced its decision to stop sponsoring a professional cycling team from the end of this year. Rabobank has said it will continue its ties with amateur cycling as a sponsor, including the youth training and the cyclocross team.

Current pro cyclist David Millar (who has himself served a ban for doping) has lambasted the bank for their decision, calling it ‘sickening.’ He’s gone on to publish an open letter to the bank in which states he believes it is the ‘duty’ of Rabobank and others, to stand by the sport. I think Millar is plain wrong on this. It’s not his job to try and coerce anyone to pay money to keep the sport going. Rabobank can decide to sponsor whoever they wish or not and reap the benefits and suffer the consequences accordingly. Personally I think a total collapse in sponsorship of the professional sport now could help in the long run – a total rebuild including a new professional body (because let’s face it the UCI aren’t coming out of this well at all) and a total removal of anyone found to cheat or have cheated.

Meanwhile Rabobank and others can continues to support the sport through investment in grass roots cycling, if they want to of course.

photo credit – the drawing above is by @BagOfGuts on Twitter. I love it, absolutely love it! I’ve approached the artist for permission to use the picture. I hope they will continue to let me do so. Fingers crossed.

 

How To Damage Your Brand. Just Say ‘It’s Not My Job’

‘Nope – I can’t help you with that, it’s not my job.’ How often have you heard that? I don’t even care that it might be true – ‘it’s not my job’ is a crappy and unhelfpul way to deflect an enquiry. It sucks when it happens between one employee and another and it goes off the scale when you are the customer. Too many brands think it’s an imperative to be social when it comes to broadcasting their message, and are apparently less keen when it comes to delivering service. Let me give you a current example:

At the beginning of this week I heard from Lisa-Mari about some problems she is experiencing with Sony, and specifically, a laptop that won’t stop misbehaving. Lisa Mari has tried to deal directly with Sony but after a series of blunders and failed promises, she contacted them via Facebook and Twitter. Here’s how the story starts on Facebook:

A very understanding opening from Lisa-Mari. She apologises for contacting Sony publicly and even says please when she asks for help. Then we move to:

As I type – there’s been no further follow up from Sony, despite a small bunch of people chivying them along on Twitter too. If your brand is online, then your job is customer services, end of story. And if you don’t get that I suggest you turn out the social lights, go home and let a more responsive company deal with your ex customers.