The Nation Newspaper

Category: Brand week

  • Nokia Care: Is that customer service?

    Every business needs to deliver excellent customer service regularly. This is important, particularly in a business where the customer can vote with his wallet. If my wallet gives me voting right, and I do not like the service at a restaurant, I would leave. If I have a lousy experience ordering online from a   company, I would switch loyalty. If a service station treats you like a pawn, what would you do?

    Having had several bad customer service experiences, I decided to dig into the subject so I would know if I am on the right side or wrong side. You know that customer service is the deal you get before, during and after you have purchased and used a phone, gas cooker or ATM.

    A good customer service should provide an experience that meets your “expectations”. It should “satisfy you”. However, a bad customer service can generate complaints. Like this one.

    I am not the only one. You have attachment to Smartphones. Therefore, the thought of not having a phone for four days, for me, is unfathomable. What if there is a need to reach me urgently? What if there is a place I need to go, a call I need to make and a work I need to do.

    Anyway, I left my phone at the service station for one day. It was a new phone. Why would it, in the name of Bill Gates’ Microsoft, trip off? Why would it freeze? Why would it not perform at the optimum level?

    To seek redress, (warranty coverage is my assurance), I visited one of the Nokia Care service stations in Lagos. The first shock I got was that the phone would be in custody for four days. The centre would not give me a “loan phone” to use while the phone is undergoing software upgrade. I disagreed. I attracted the attention of one of the manager, a South African. He calmly handed me over to an engineer. In 30 minutes, the engineer upgraded the software of the Microsoft Lumia 640 XL. Still, the phone failed to perform at the optimum level.

    Besides, two very important features, “Cortana and Quiet Hours” that came preloaded with the phone were missing. Using the phone to activate the features, a dialogue box asked me to buy them with my debit card. I disagreed. Going back and forth over this issue, I visited Nokia Care six times. Care had vanished. Where was the former engineer who upgraded the software? “He is busy”. Could I speak with the South African? “He’s gone out”. Speechless, I looked at the ceiling. What would I do? Wait.

    I waited. I watched. I discovered that the employees at Nokia Care service station lack universal skills every support member needs to improve interactions with customers. I noticed skill gap such as a lack of attentiveness, time management, willingness to learn and the ability to handle surprises.

    Gregory Ciotti in 15 Customer Service Skills that Every Employee Needs said the willingness to offer these skills shows the customer three important things: “You care about getting it right. You are willing to keep going until you get it right. The customer is the one who determines what right is”.

    I would get it right. I would keep going. I would determine what is right. In my contemplation, two South Africans and a Nigerian walked in. There was an air of importance around them. I was on my feet all the while. The Nigerian accosted me. I shared my experience. He apologised. He fixed the phone. I checked to ensure it was “right”. It was right. We exchanged numbers. We shook hands. We parted ways. The customer wins. However, if customer service is done “right,” every business can win too.

  • Firm introduces new App

    Slot Systems has introduced to the market to deepen customers experience and convenience while transacting business.

    Slot’s Managing Director, Nnamdi Ezeigbo, said: “As we are all aware, we now live in an era where business transactions are carried out electronically. In essence, you don’t need to be  present before you can engage in the business of buying and selling. As a company we are aware of this new reality, hence the creation of Slot.ng and the Slot App.’’

    He continued: “With Slot.ng, you can buy all your quality phones and accessories online using the Slot App; it’s like having the 50 Slot shops nationwide at your fingertips. With this new service from Slot, we want to ensure that our valued customers get a whole new shopping experience and also get value for money.’’

    Ezeigbo further said to start, all one needs is to download the Slot App free Google store, click and it takes you to the online store where one can buy his or her phones, accessories, laptops and i-pads, from the comfort of their home or office and have it delivered to them within 24 hours of payment.

    “It’s stress free and it’s convenient,” Ezeigbo added.

  • Team Meddlelane wins contest

    Team Meddlelane has emerged winners of the edition of Fayrouz L’Original competition, grabbing the coveted N4 million grand prize.

    The jury, comprising ace photographer, Kelechi Amadi-Obi; make up expert, Rhema Akabuogu from House of Tara; creative fashion designers, Mai Atafo and Kunbi Oyelese announced Team Meddlelane winner after a keenly contested competition against their opponent Team Hai.

    Team Meddlelane will enjoy fashion opportunities, including an automatic entry to showcase their designs at the Lagos Design Fashion Week while contending team Hai which came second went home with N1.5 million.

    Notable faces at the event include Marketing Director, Nigerian Breweries, Walter Drenth; Corporate Media and Brand Public Realtions Manager, Nigerian Breweries, Edem Vindah; Gbemi Olateru Olagbegi, Zaaki, DJ Jimmy Jatt, Toke Makinwa, Dotun, Adunni Ade, Gbenro Ajibade, Reekado banks, Dare Art Alade, Ebuka Obi Uchendu, Lamide Akintobi, Omalicha, Moet Abebe, VJ Adams, Tunde Demuren, and DJ Sose.

  • EXMAN’s executive targets 25 per cent growth

    EXMAN’s executive targets 25 per cent growth

    Disturbed by the challenges facing its members, Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria (EXMAN) has resolved to tackle them.

    Its President, Dr Rotimi Olaniyan spoke after the group’s second Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Abeokuta.

    He said the problems include dwindling revenue, reduced margin, and slow growth.

    Olaniyan said the agenda of the new Executive Council include the   growth and profitability to increase the sector’s market size.

    He said its targeted 25 per cent growth rate could be realised given the six critical goal areas set up to drive the process.

    He said this would be achieved in the next one year and to achieve these, the body would only worry itself about six critical goal areas.

    “First is revving the industry and basically protecting the industry from non-professionals, and secondly, it is about thought leadership. This is putting in place initiatives that would ensure that we maintain cutting edge as a practice and professional service industry,” he said.

    Other areas, Olaniyan believed, could spur the intended growth rate include improving the internal training capacity and focus on client engagement.

    “We will focus on client engagement as a critical issue. It is time for us to set up a proper forum to  to engage with clients and bring them up to speed with the challenges that we all faced,” he added.

    According to him, “Everybody in the experiential marketing industry is complaining; we have reduced margin; we have payment compensation terms that we don’t feel is adequate to cover our operational cost, not to talk about the little profit at the end of the day, which we can use to reinvest. So, there is a need for us to do some work in that area,” he said

    He, however, promised that in the next 30 days, the new leadership would unveil a document that would show the output that would be used to measure their performance in office.

    EXMAN’s immediate past president, Olagesin said his two years as foundational president had been fantastic. According to him, “it is never easy to take up the responsibility of leading a new association and starting from scratch. It has been very interesting, challenging as well as enjoyable, because laying the foundation and structure that would guide us going forward was never going to be an easy task.”

    The other new executives are Vice President, Wole Olagundoye; General Secretary, Kehinde Salami; Financial Secretary, Kayode Idowu and Publicity Secretary, Abiodun Oshinibosi.

  • Rising dangers of unlabelled local gin

    Rising dangers of unlabelled local gin

    Production and marketing of a local gin without a brand name, the International Standards Organisation (ISO) certification, portends great danger to consumers. There are fears that many consumers will suffer the effect of the uncertified and unlabelled gins that go with various acronyms, writes ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI.

    Ogogoro, kai-kai, OR, AKPETESI, is a West African alcoholic drink, brewed locally. With no brand name, label and product content information, as well as International Standards Organisation (ISO) certification, the local gin has attracted somewhat creative brand names across regions and culture. But, health experts believe Ogogoro, Kain-kain or akpeteshie dangers it poses to the health of ifs consumers.

    In Ghana, it is also known as akpeteshie. It has various names in Nigeria, such as Sapele Water, kain-kain, Sun gbalaja, Egun inu igo (meaning the Masquerade in the bottle), push-me-I-push-you, and Sonsé (“do you do it?” in Yoruba language). “Ifs local brewers can adapt some of these fantastic and creative names as brand names with label and content information. These brand names will win brand name awards any day,  but the dangers of consuming this local gin and the health effect, are a topic for another day,” says the Chief Executive Officer, Kush Media Limited, Mr. Yemi Kushimo.

    Distilled from the juice of Raffia palm trees, an incision is made in the trunk and a gourd placed outside it for collection, which is collected over a day or two period. After extraction, the sap is boiled to form steam, which subsequently condenses and is collected for consumption.

    But this production process has been faulted as the active ingredient in ogogoro, ethanol, which concentration within the drink is very high, and said to be of a great health risk.

    As a result of the concern over unlabelled local gin, the Federal Government a few weeks ago banned the consumption of the locally brewed gin, popularly called Ogogoro in all parts of the country as a result of the rising health hazards.

    Of more to the government was a recent report of deaths that trailed the consumption of the local gin in Rivers and Ondo states. The government confirmed that the death toll in Rivers State had risen to 38, while 18 people  died in Ode-Irele, Ondo State, following the consumption of the local gin.

    The Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, Dr. Paul Orhii, in his reaction to the death of 38 persons in Rivers State, said the recent incidents in Rivers and Ondo states were associated with the consumption of locally made gin. According to him, considering the risk in the consumption of locally made gin, it has become imperative to “warn the public to desist from the consumption of unregistered locally made spirits (Ogogoro) and other unregistered bitters.”

    He also warned that the government “would confiscate all illegally brewed alcoholic beverages” across the country. “The symptoms suffered by victims include vomiting, abdominal pain, blurred vision, headache, dizziness and loss of consciousness with subsequent sudden deaths of 18 victims.”

    According to a brand expert at Products Label Intelligence, labelling of local gin gives the product an identify, and shows how socially responsible a brewer is. In the case of those who died in Ondo State, the analyst said, no producer will be held responsible because there was no identified maker of the Ogogoro.

    “The main function of labeling is to provide a form of distinction to assist people differentiate one product from the next. The information on labels contains all the relevant data about that particular product. Labeling is greatly used in beverages and food products, cosmetics, pharmaceutical products and electronics, among others. So, if any one died, or suffered any health hazard as a result of consumption, someone can be held responsible,” said the analyst who works on a alcoholic brand.

    He said labelling is essential in beverages and food products. “This kind of label is the simplest and significant method of communicating information about products between sellers and buyers. It is the main means through which buyers tell apart individual brands and foods so as to make good buying choices. When food products have been labelled, users can now see vital information live quantity and quality, features and also expiry date. It also includes instructions like safe handling and storage,” he added.

    Meanwhile, with the dangers posed by consumption of unlabelled local gin, the Director General of Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Mrs. Dupe Atoki, said the agency had deepened civil and consumer education to prevent them from consuming unwholesome products, noting that emphasis must be centred on creating a clear means of identification for the registered brands to forestall a recurrence of that episode. She explained that the consumers must heed instruction given to them to avert unnecessary deaths.

  • How to build an enduring brand

    How to build an enduring brand

    Increasingly, the business world is competitive. It evolves daily with innovations, challenges and new trends.  An effective brand strategy gives you a major edge in increasingly competitive markets.

    But what exactly does “branding” mean? Succinctly put, your brand is your promise to your clients.

    It clearly shows them what they should expect from your products and services and such differentiates your offering from the crowd or competitors. Your brand is derived from who you are, who you want to be and who people perceive you to be.

    Your brand strategy is how, what, where, when and to whom you plan on communicating and delivering on your brand messages. Where you advertise is part of your brand strategy. Your distribution channels are also part of your brand strategy. In fact, everything is about your brand strategy.

    Consistent, strategic branding leads to a strong brand equity, which means the added value brought to your company’s products or services that allows you to charge more for your brand than what identical, unbranded products command.

    In the 21st century business world, entrepreneurs’ need to build strategic brands that would transcend to the future. There are basic fundamentals SME, corporate and evolving organisations should have in mind in building an enduring brand.

    Without these foundations, one cannot successfully build an enduring brand. The truth is when the fundamentals fail, the brand suffers.

    A brand is built on foundation of these fundamentals.

    1. DEFINATE VISION: An enduring brand must have a definite vision. A vision is an expression of corporate ambition.  Vision is an aspiration or description of what an organization would like to achieve or accomplish in the mid-term or long-term It is intended to  serve as a clear guide for choosing current and future decisions. Therefore, every brand as a matter of foundation should have its vision well defined from the inception. It will birth corporate values, ethos and beliefs.

     

    1. COMPETENT HUMAN ENERGIES: Yet another deciding factor for brands.  Some refer to it as human resource, but it connotes same thing.  Brands must have very motivated and competent human resources that are passionate, prepared and persistent about the brand’s vision.  When your brand’s resources are not ambassadors of the brand, then there is a clog in the wheel of your progress.  Constantly identify how to motivate your “energies” towards your corporate vision. It pays to do so.
    1. SOUND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT: Nothing wrecks brands like financial recklessness. To mention brands that have kissed the dust based on this single action is messy. The effect is better imagined that experienced. Therefore, enduring brands must have very sound, technical financial management in place. Things should follow the established rules and regulations.  Most especially in Africa and Nigeria in particular, people want to cut corners on their duties with the hope of deceiving the system. Hence, every brand managers should ensure proper financial technicalities to cage mismanagement. This is vital for brands.
    1. EXECELLENT LEADERSHIP: This is the ability to guide, direct, control or manages a set of people. This is crucial in brands management. The old adage that says “When the head is bad, the whole body will be affected” is very apt here. If your business must succeed, then up your leadership skills regularly. There are various trainings, free seminars on leadership development to attend.
    1. STRATEGIC PLANNING: Strategic Planning is putting positive efforts into your future. For your brands to last, you need to constantly ensure plans ahead of your competitors.  Be alert of new trends, inventions and technologies in your service industry.  Learn to embrace these new ideas if you must remain industry relevant.
    1. GOOD CORPORATE VALUES: Do you know that your corporate values determine what you value which in turns determines your corporate value in the industry? Think on that!

     

    Brand value exists in segments. You need to indentify your niche market and play there. A brand succeeds when the fundamentals are taken care of.

     

    Osanyintuyi has over 12 years rich media industry experience. He is passionate about using media for national development. As an expert in media relations and corporate communications, Sunday consults for SME, churches and other corporate organisations to maximize their media exposures.

    He belongs to some professional bodies like Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, (NIPR), and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) among others. He has undergone international trainings on media, leadership, and management.

    sundayosanyintuyi@gmail.com

    Twitter: @SundayOs

  • NB: Star Triple X herbal beer inspired by consumer research

    NB: Star Triple X herbal beer inspired by consumer research

    Incorporating the ‘voice of the consumer’ to develop new product has been identified as a critical success factor for product development. However, this consumer insight is often ignored by some brands when configuring new product for the market.

    In the Brewery sector, some products have been launched and their successes in the market have been connected with deep consumer insight.

    Guinness Orijin and Nigerian Brewery (NB) Ace Roots continue to jostle for the market share as a result of the fact that they are developed out of consumer request for such experience. A new product has been developed by NB after a consumer research revealed  that there is need for a herbal beer beyond the usual ready-to-drink herbal drink.

    Branded, Star Triple X, the brewery giant considered the new offering as “Nigeria’s first beer with extra benefits”.

    While industry observers do not understand the need for such product after the same brand owner had launched a herbal drink, Ace Root, the brewer, said the introduction of Star Triple X is borne out of consumer need discovered after a painstaking research.

    The brand owners said it embarked on the research by asking consumers what else it could do for them. The Senior Brand Manager, Star, N B Plc., Mr. Chidike Oluaoha said:“We are in a consumer inspired and brand led business. At every particular point in time, we go the extra mile to ensure that we provide superior satisfaction to our consumers. And one way we try to do that is to always check with them to know what they want.

    “To know if what they have currently is enough, if there is something extra they would want. We asked the question find out in our usual way of checking with our consumers, what more the consumers want. And that question elicited one answer from them and that answer is, we want Extra! So our consumers told us that they want extra.

    “They love our beer, they love the portfolio of brands that we have because Nigerian Breweries Plc is renowned for its portfolio of great brands. Our esteemed consumers love and trust our brands, but they want more, they want extra! And they also trust that Nigerian Breweries has the credibility to give them what they want.

    “When we probed deeper, we got more insights into what we needed to do. And that gave birth to Star Triple X. The Triple X in the name stands for Extra Smooth, Extra Strong and Extra African Herbs. We know that Nigeria is big on herbs. Nigerians believe that herbs have medicinal and health benefits.”

    Accordingly, the herbal beer contains 14 extra African herbs, including bitter kola, kola nut and ginger. This makes it the first-ever beer brand in Africa produced with African herbs. The innovative brew was unveiled at the Polo Park Mall, Enugu. The Star Triple X beer launch, according to the brand handlers, was dedicated to consumers as the brand constructed an Experience Centre to enable scores of visitors connect with the new brew.

    Supporting the launch with activations, a gigantic mock Star Triple X bottle was also built. It measured 70 feet from the ground, making it the biggest bottle ever constructed in Nigeria. The huge bottle could be sighted afar by people approaching the Polo Park Mall and its environs.

    Visitors, who witnessed the launch, were taken through the process of brewing Star Triple X at the Experience Centre. The ambience of a brewery was simulated, complete with mild sprinkling of water and bubbles, which are essential components of beer. The screen also beamed a mini-documentary, which revealed the brewing process and ingredients for the product.

    The highlight of the Experience Centre tour was when consumers finally got to taste Star Triple X. Obinna Chukwuemeka, a Civil Servant, who was at the centre, described his experience as amazing.

    He said: “I was in the office when I heard on radio that one of Nigeria’s biggest brands would unveil something extraordinary this evening at this venue. It was only when I got here that I realised that the event was about a new product, Star Triple X. I just came out of the Experience Centre and, indeed, it was astonishing. More importantly, I tasted the beer and it was superb. I have switched to this new brand henceforth.”

    Also, Uche Anyaebe, an aspiring Nollywood actor, described his time at the Experience Centre as unforgettable. He said: “I have been to some product launches, but the Star Triple X unveil was a brand new experience for me. We were taken through the journey of the production of Star Triple X and I felt as if I was in a brewery. I learnt a lot about Star Triple X today, and I have also tasted it. As they said, this beer is extra smooth, extra strong with extra African herbs.”

    Shedding more light on the uniqueness and extra benefits of new Star Triple X, Oluaoha said the product is made of 100 per cent barley, which makes it extra smooth, while its 5.5 per cent alcoholic volume makes it extra strong. He added that 14 African herbs were selected for its production, thus affirming the beer’s status the first of its kind in Africa.

    Meanwhile, an industry observer said the herbal beer launch would further stiffen competition in the new market, which has continued to grow in recent time.

  • Nigeria’s first outdoor media specialist service makes its debut

    Posterscope, the world’s leading out-of-home commu-nication agency, has  launched its Nigerian office. Nigeria is the 32nd market that Posterscope is venturing into globally and the third in Sub-Saharan Africa after South Africa and Kenya.

    To mark its entry into the market, Posterscope hosted advertising industry stakeholders to a full day thought leadership conference at Protea Hotel Ikeja, Lagos, where Posterscope experts from around the world shared knowledge and discussed how convergence and connection are defining the future of out-of-home media.

    The conference, which was endorsed and co-sponsored by the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN), attracted advertisers, media owners, regulatory agencies, media independents and creative agencies.

    Speaking at a press briefing held before the thought leadership session, Posterscope Worldwide’s Global Insight Director, David Gordon, said Nigeria is a significant market for Posterscope and its multinational clients, adding: “the OOH space has never been so important for communicating to the always-on connected consumers, who are empowered to comment, search and buy throughout their OOH journey. The increasing availability of location data from mobile operators is leading to greater efficiency of OOH panel selection both static and digital, as we understand where and when consumers are searching for specific product categories.”

    The Managing Director of Posterscope Nigeria, Mr. Dan Oshodin, said: “Posterscope’s focus on putting the consumer at the heart of OOH planning will cause a significant shift in the way advertisers consider the medium, the catalyst for this is our imminent launch of OCS, Out-of-Home Consumer Survey, our consumer insight research that enables us to look at the OOH landscape through the lens of the consumer.”

     Oshodin added: “OCS will help us create optimal plans and enable us determine the most efficient format/environment mix to engage consumers at the right time, in the right place and in the right mind set.”

  • CSR: Airtel opens adopted school

    CSR: Airtel opens adopted school

    Airtel Nigeria has inaugu-rated its newly adopted school, Iyeru-Okin Primary School 1, Offa, Kwara State, under its Adopt-a-School Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) programme.

    The Telco unveiled the school’s renovated blocks of classrooms and donated toilet facilities, borehole for potable water, 400 school bags, 1,400 note books, 400 uniforms, packs of pen, among other items.

    Speaking at the event, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, said the Telco recognised the interest of the state government in uplifting the standard of education in Kwara State and is therefore, pleased to partner with the government and people.

    According to Ogunsanya, who was represented by the Company’s Chief Sales Officer, Godfrey Efeurhobo, education is the bedrock of development of a nation and the best place to start is at the formative stage of children, noting that the government has taken various initiatives in this direction but has often not reached the poorest section of the society.

    He added that Airtel is committed to enriching the lives of key stakeholders in the communities it operates in, noting that the telco will continue to create opportunities to uplift underprivileged kids through its various CSR programmes.

    The new primary school will join four other Airtel adopted primary schools spread across Nigeria, namely Oremeji Primary School II, Ajegunle, Lagos State; St. John’s Primary School, Oke-Agbo, Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State; Community Primary School, Amumara, Imo State and Presbyterian Primary School, Ediba, Cross River State.

    While commending Airtel’s Adopt-a-School programme, Kwara Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr. Lamid Alabi, noted that Airtel’s CSR initiative connects with the state educational infrastructure development programme.

    Head Teacher of the school, Mrs. Bambe Beatrice while praising Airtel for transforming the school noted that the plight of pupils and teachers in the school has been addressed by Airtel.

  • Agencies hold 42nd AGM in Osogbo

    The Association of Advertis-ing Agencies of Nigeria’s, AAAN’s, 42nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Congress, which began yesterday would end tomorrow in Osogbo, Osun State.

    Its President, Mr. Kelechi Nwosu, said the theme: “Nigeria advertising, what next”, was to further provide a professional platform for a truly intellectual and practical discourse on the need for the tripod of the Advertising practice to further understand the emerging business issues and its effect on business relationship.

    New members of the Association, Interactive Media Limited, 7even Interactive Limited and Agile Communications Limited will also be inducted during the Gala Nite.

    Traditionally, the association’s executive board members are usually elected during the congress.