EMPLOYING BRAND AMBASSADORS
EMPLOYING BRAND AMBASSADORS
Monday, 14 August 2006 03:20
Love them or hate them, your staff remain your most influential brand ambassadors. Employees are the most believable authorities on a brand’s trustworthiness and when negative employees give a bad reputation, it has a multiplier effect and will erode the strength of any powerful brand
According to Anne, a Recruitment Consultant at Achievers Consulting, the company’s brand is as important as the job description and salary when it comes to getting the right candidate for a particular position. Knowing the brand eases the process of pitching as clear standards are laid out. Some of the brand questions that should be answered by a company seeking employees include what the promise of the brand is and what it takes to deliver the same. These questions when correctly answered will give any consultant an easy time screening the candidates as it will act as a blue print against which to evaluate their choices.
Anne notes that global brands are more detailed due to the fact that they have their brands figured out. She goes on to outline that most strong brands use four levels of testing which must all be passed by the candidates. The first level is to seek the consultant who will evaluate technical expertise and factors such as career plans and interpersonal skills. When seeking out a consultant, it’s important to look out for one who will ask the right questions besides having the ability to network. The questions will seek to understand what the client wants and while also providing guidance on human resource issues that will reinforce the client’s brand.
Clear structures on how to gauge technical expertise are of paramount importance. The tricky bit comes when dealing with fields that sometimes have no black or white answers such as HR or Marketing. Such fields may have varied creative solutions. In such cases, the challenge to spell out guidelines is great but should not be ignored since it’s the measure that proves your employees are qualified for the job they are doing. Professional expertise is a distinctive quality and a priceless asset for any brand.
The Short-listed candidates then go through an interview with the MD who seeks to feel the chemistry between himself and the interviewee. The chemistry is very important for a brand as it enhances a desirable working culture amongst employees. This should also be spelt out in the brand identity.
The third level involves the Hiring Manager who does a 2nd level test on technical expertise and systems management that are relevant for one to succeed in the vacancy within the organization.
Finally, the last level of screening is with the Human Resource Manager who covers the culture test. Culture would have to do with checking if the candidate has similar values and personalities as existing staff. It is much easier to check this against an already established brand culture system. One cannot over-emphasize the importance of brand culture as a powerful tool for enhancing team spirit amongst employees.
The brand is strengthened further when all relevant parties agree on the right candidate and all levels must therefore be passed.
Your employees are your number one brand ambassadors and you should therefore choose them wisely. Having a well defined brand will not only protect an existing brand against inefficient employees, but will also help in selecting a team that will reinforce and represent the brand appropriately.
© Brandscape
Nyambura is a freelance writer on branding and other issues affecting economic development in Africa and can be contacted on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
