Branding Update
July 8, 2015
Drought Happens, But...
Getting People's Attention -
When we discuss branding for utilities we need to address the issue of whether
our customers are paying attention. And in most cases they aren't, unless
they are resolving a problem with their service or paying their bill. We
call these customer-service interactions "branding moments" because
these impressions about the utility's service may last for years. And in
this sense they affect the utility's brand. So when someone is paying
attention, there is a clear opportunity to make a positive impression, or
communicate important information.
Communicating Scarcity or
Reliability? - People
are paying attention during a drought. The public is bombarded with
messages to "conserve our precious resource" and encouraged (or
required) to limit their indoor and outdoor water use. Outdoor water
conservation often includes allowing lawns to turn brown or changing to very
different landscapes that use less water. But with all of this
communication about drought and conservation, what is the message that
utilities are sending to the public about the future? Will it be defined
by water scarcity, water reliability, or is it just unclear? And if the
future is one of water reliability, what are the standards that define this
reliability and drive needed investments?
Standards and Water
Reliability - In
previous Branding Updates we have talked about the connection between brands
and standards. The consistent product performance that attracts us to
brands we value is determined by standards, standards that apply to the
manufacture of our favorite golf club or govern the service we experience at
our favorite restaurant. Likewise, a water utility's commitment to water
reliability should be based on standards. So what are these
standards? Is the utility committed to ensuring that the risk of a
sustained water shortage is extremely low? Is the water supply resilient
to drought, or more importantly resilient to climate change? Will people
have to bury their swimming pools? Will communities in certain regions
have to worry about their water for the foreseeable future, and the effects
this has on quality of life and the economy? Is loss of confidence in the
water supply a failure in itself?
People are Paying
Attention - Talking
about drought and the need to conserve is not enough. It's imperative for
water utilities to communicate their commitment to future reliability, the
standards that describe this reliability, and the investments needed to make
this reliability come true. The cost of failure, meaning ongoing water
uncertainty, is much too high.