Comments on: The bonds that bind us and how brands win us over http://simonmainwaring.com/brands/the-bonds-that-bind-us-and-how-brands-win-us-over/ Simon Mainwaring is a branding consultant, advertising creative director, blogger and speaker. Tue, 15 May 2012 23:53:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Simon Mainwaring http://simonmainwaring.com/brands/the-bonds-that-bind-us-and-how-brands-win-us-over/comment-page-1/#comment-607 Simon Mainwaring Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:20:38 +0000 http://simonmainwaring.com/?p=1883#comment-607 Fantastic and thanks so much for spreading the story, Jodi. Fantastic and thanks so much for spreading the story, Jodi.

]]> By: Jodi Henderson http://simonmainwaring.com/brands/the-bonds-that-bind-us-and-how-brands-win-us-over/comment-page-1/#comment-606 Jodi Henderson Tue, 27 Apr 2010 22:41:15 +0000 http://simonmainwaring.com/?p=1883#comment-606 Since this is one of my favorite posts ever, I had to dedicate a post on my own blog to it. Hope that's okay! It's just such a great story to share. <a href="http://apatontheback.com/" rel="nofollow">http://apatontheback.com/</a> Since this is one of my favorite posts ever, I had to dedicate a post on my own blog to it. Hope that's okay! It's just such a great story to share. http://apatontheback.com/

]]> By: iconic88 http://simonmainwaring.com/brands/the-bonds-that-bind-us-and-how-brands-win-us-over/comment-page-1/#comment-1046 iconic88 Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:37:00 +0000 http://simonmainwaring.com/?p=1883#comment-1046 Hi Simon, I'd love to write a guest post mate [I'll email you]. Regarding this post, yes you're absolutely right!! "brands need to apply the same expectations from their service and products that customers do. Not through the lens of profit and efficiency exclusively, but through the lens of customer's needs. So rather than "serve" the customer, they need to be in the service of the customer. A subtle distinction but a consequential one." To be in 'service' of the customer is a very very very different level of thinking & acting from simply 'serving' the customer as you say. One is by the book, the other from the heart. One has a motive, the other I would argue 'love' is the motive. One is conditional, the other unconditional. My parents taught me and all my siblings this: "Always give with both hands. Never give with one hand and let the other person feel your other hand is in their pocket". As you say Simon, a subtle distinction but a consequential one. Best, Mahei Hi Simon, I’d love to write a guest post mate [I'll email you].

Regarding this post, yes you’re absolutely right!!

“brands need to apply the same expectations from their service and products that customers do. Not through the lens of profit and efficiency exclusively, but through the lens of customer’s needs. So rather than “serve” the customer, they need to be in the service of the customer. A subtle distinction but a consequential one.”

To be in ‘service’ of the customer is a very very very different level of thinking & acting from simply ‘serving’ the customer as you say. One is by the book, the other from the heart. One has a motive, the other I would argue ‘love’ is the motive. One is conditional, the other unconditional.

My parents taught me and all my siblings this: “Always give with both hands. Never give with one hand and let the other person feel your other hand is in their pocket”.

As you say Simon, a subtle distinction but a consequential one.

Best, Mahei

]]> By: Simon Mainwaring http://simonmainwaring.com/brands/the-bonds-that-bind-us-and-how-brands-win-us-over/comment-page-1/#comment-394 Simon Mainwaring Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:30:44 +0000 http://simonmainwaring.com/?p=1883#comment-394 Totally agree. Love that benevolence formula. You should write a guest post for me (if you want). I'll post it on my site. There's only one other note I'd add. For the dynamic you describe to work most effectively, brands need to apply the same expectations from their service and products that customers do. Not through the lens of profit and efficiency exclusively, but through the lens of customer's needs. So rather than "serve" the customer, they need to be in the service of the customer. A subtle distinction but a consequential one. Thanks and let me know if you ever want to write a guest post. Thanks as ever. Simon Totally agree. Love that benevolence formula. You should write a guest post for me (if you want). I'll post it on my site. There's only one other note I'd add. For the dynamic you describe to work most effectively, brands need to apply the same expectations from their service and products that customers do. Not through the lens of profit and efficiency exclusively, but through the lens of customer's needs. So rather than “serve” the customer, they need to be in the service of the customer. A subtle distinction but a consequential one. Thanks and let me know if you ever want to write a guest post. Thanks as ever. Simon

]]> By: Iconic88 http://simonmainwaring.com/brands/the-bonds-that-bind-us-and-how-brands-win-us-over/comment-page-1/#comment-393 Iconic88 Wed, 10 Feb 2010 06:46:28 +0000 http://simonmainwaring.com/?p=1883#comment-393 Bless! This blog post made my day Simon, thank you! Fantastic read! It's authenticity and your emotion as a parent oozes through your narrative. <br><br>You are so right Simon (and loving your post header BTW)), the bonds that bind us are fully realised and weakened/strengthened when connections are stimulated via a direct/indirect negative/positive experience. The question for brands, is understanding and appreciating the 'how' and 'why' >> this you've discussed in previous posts with integrating meaning into brands.<br><br>Service is the key here because service is the connection into how we place value on the experience. Is it positive? is it negative? to what degree? >> this at a roots level.<br><br>How an audience views/perceives a brand is contingent on how we, as consumers, experience the brand. You can commoditize just about any product/service, however superior customer service in alignment with a purpose lifts the perception of a brand into another realm. Authenticity and trust levels dramatically improve into the "I need to tell people about this" arena.<br><br>The brand comes alive through exceptional service, exceptional branding touch-points via exceptional people. As the Maori in New Zealand say, "He Tangata He Tangata", "its the people, the people".<br><br>.....and it was a group of people who represented an airline to bring Snuggles home to your daughter. <br><br>It would be interesting to know if it was a parent from Delta who located you. Sometimes as parents, when we find something like a child's toy, we can appreciate the anxiety and feelings another parent could be experiencing. This more than representing the company compelled them to make the trace. So on another level, it's outside of the brand and down to an empathic parental level. It just happens to be that this person was working for Delta.<br><br>If the person who found your bag had been from a specific ethnic group, there would be spillover positive associations and feelings with that group as there are negative ones. If the person was a police officer, this experience would shed positive light on the police at LAX if not the whole of LA. If the person was a McDonalds employee who located your daughter's bag, 'Maccas' would experience the same. If Drew Brees had found it, you'd be a Saints fan for life ;-)<br><br>Apologies..I digress Simon. <br><br>Brands + Bonds + Benevolence = Breakthough.<br><br>3 cheers for Delta!! ;-) Bless! This blog post made my day Simon, thank you! Fantastic read! It's authenticity and your emotion as a parent oozes through your narrative.

You are so right Simon (and loving your post header BTW)), the bonds that bind us are fully realised and weakened/strengthened when connections are stimulated via a direct/indirect negative/positive experience. The question for brands, is understanding and appreciating the 'how' and 'why' >> this you've discussed in previous posts with integrating meaning into brands.

Service is the key here because service is the connection into how we place value on the experience. Is it positive? is it negative? to what degree? >> this at a roots level.

How an audience views/perceives a brand is contingent on how we, as consumers, experience the brand. You can commoditize just about any product/service, however superior customer service in alignment with a purpose lifts the perception of a brand into another realm. Authenticity and trust levels dramatically improve into the “I need to tell people about this” arena.

The brand comes alive through exceptional service, exceptional branding touch-points via exceptional people. As the Maori in New Zealand say, “He Tangata He Tangata”, “its the people, the people”.

…..and it was a group of people who represented an airline to bring Snuggles home to your daughter.

It would be interesting to know if it was a parent from Delta who located you. Sometimes as parents, when we find something like a child's toy, we can appreciate the anxiety and feelings another parent could be experiencing. This more than representing the company compelled them to make the trace. So on another level, it's outside of the brand and down to an empathic parental level. It just happens to be that this person was working for Delta.

If the person who found your bag had been from a specific ethnic group, there would be spillover positive associations and feelings with that group as there are negative ones. If the person was a police officer, this experience would shed positive light on the police at LAX if not the whole of LA. If the person was a McDonalds employee who located your daughter's bag, 'Maccas' would experience the same. If Drew Brees had found it, you'd be a Saints fan for life ;-)

Apologies..I digress Simon.

Brands + Bonds + Benevolence = Breakthough.

3 cheers for Delta!! ;-)

]]> By: Simon Mainwaring http://simonmainwaring.com/brands/the-bonds-that-bind-us-and-how-brands-win-us-over/comment-page-1/#comment-386 Simon Mainwaring Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:31:00 +0000 http://simonmainwaring.com/?p=1883#comment-386 Thanks, Jezmo. If a brand makes products that support their purpose - wow - you're right. Then everything falls into place. Great point. Thanks. Thanks, Jezmo. If a brand makes products that support their purpose – wow – you're right. Then everything falls into place. Great point. Thanks.

]]> By: jezmo http://simonmainwaring.com/brands/the-bonds-that-bind-us-and-how-brands-win-us-over/comment-page-1/#comment-385 jezmo Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:52:44 +0000 http://simonmainwaring.com/?p=1883#comment-385 And not just brands that stand by their products - brands whose products clearly support and extend what the brand stands FOR. Great post Simon. Pass the Kleenex And not just brands that stand by their products – brands whose products clearly support and extend what the brand stands FOR. Great post Simon. Pass the Kleenex

]]> By: Simon Mainwaring http://simonmainwaring.com/brands/the-bonds-that-bind-us-and-how-brands-win-us-over/comment-page-1/#comment-384 Simon Mainwaring Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:27:27 +0000 http://simonmainwaring.com/?p=1883#comment-384 So true, Tanveer. As silly as it seems to us, that little bear means the world to my daughter in the same way Google Search probably means to many of us! When brands should view their own products and service with the esteem customers feel and and offer long term loyalty in return. As with all things in life, you has to start with yourself rather than blame someone else. Thanks for the great comment, Simon So true, Tanveer. As silly as it seems to us, that little bear means the world to my daughter in the same way Google Search probably means to many of us! When brands should view their own products and service with the esteem customers feel and and offer long term loyalty in return. As with all things in life, you has to start with yourself rather than blame someone else. Thanks for the great comment, Simon

]]> By: Tanveer Naseer http://simonmainwaring.com/brands/the-bonds-that-bind-us-and-how-brands-win-us-over/comment-page-1/#comment-383 Tanveer Naseer Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:49:42 +0000 http://simonmainwaring.com/?p=1883#comment-383 Simon, as a father I can only relate to how much resolving this issue mattered, not only to your daughter, but to you as well. And I think the most powerful message in this story is that even in business, it comes down to relating to another one as people, and how similar experiences can make us understand the immeasurable value of returning a missing bear to a little girl.<br><br>Thanks for sharing this wonderful story and reminder of the power of engaging with others on a human level. Simon, as a father I can only relate to how much resolving this issue mattered, not only to your daughter, but to you as well. And I think the most powerful message in this story is that even in business, it comes down to relating to another one as people, and how similar experiences can make us understand the immeasurable value of returning a missing bear to a little girl.

Thanks for sharing this wonderful story and reminder of the power of engaging with others on a human level.

]]> By: Simon Mainwaring http://simonmainwaring.com/brands/the-bonds-that-bind-us-and-how-brands-win-us-over/comment-page-1/#comment-382 Simon Mainwaring Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:19:22 +0000 http://simonmainwaring.com/?p=1883#comment-382 Totally agree, Mike. Customers only stand by brands as much as brands stand by their own products. We in fact follow their example. It's the companies that have their own house in order that attract the most dedicated customers. Great point. Thanks. Totally agree, Mike. Customers only stand by brands as much as brands stand by their own products. We in fact follow their example. It's the companies that have their own house in order that attract the most dedicated customers. Great point. Thanks.

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