Infidelity in the workplace

It may not seem like a big deal at first. Who cares if the clothing store clerk wears another Brand's clothes? Who cares if the salesperson at the car lot doesn't drive the make of cars she sells? Who cares if the waiter eats at the restaurant down the street instead of his own?

But consider this: how can you expect to convince a customer to choose your Brand if your own employees avoid it in favor of someone else's?

In a recent Globe & Mail article, Brand Coach Ted Matthews was asked about this very phenomenon - the "cheating" employee who regularly uses a competitive Brand versus just being aware of the competitors.

His coaching? Get them back on board or show them the door.

Consumers are bombarded by more than 3,500 commercial messages every day, so the best way to stand out in the crowd is to become remark-able. Literally. And who better to "remark" about your Brand than your own employees - the people who should know your Brand best.

It's the responsibility of the CBO (Chief Brand Officer) to foster the kind of fierce Brand loyalty that makes a Brand Ambassador out of every employee, keeping them on the straight and narrow in the process.

Consider Zappos, an online fashion retailer. After the first week of their four-week long training program designed to turn all new recruits into Brand Ambassadors, trainees are offered $2,000 to quit. Their unique employee loyalty test has a very low failure rate. Why? Because Zappos knows how to attract and make the right hires proud of their company and their products - their Brand. They've figured out how to clearly demonstrate the 'wow' that makes the Zappos Brand remark-able, and their employees become fiercely loyal, delivering their Brand with ruthless consistency at every touchpoint.

What does the Brand Coach coach?

Brand building starts from the inside out. You must first convince your own employees that they have a remark-able product or service before they can convince anyone else. In fact, you should hire and fire based on an employee's willingness and desire to become a committed ambassador for your Brand.

Further, fostering a culture that encourages and enables staff to use the Brand - like offering employee discounts or other corporate incentives - means they'll refer friends and family. More importantly, they'll want to.

But if, despite your best efforts, an employee won't mend his cheatin' ways, he's clearly not the right fit for your company.

Simple as that.