Companies are constantly giving themselves makeovers, reinventing themselves in some way. It may be changing a logo, rebranding a website, hiring a new spokesperson, or a new design for a catalogue and billing statement. Trends and consumers are constantly evolving and companies must keep up to evolve with their customers.. Some elements of each brand may be timeless, but there are always variable factors which must transform and adapt to the consumer.
Is this a sign of weakness within the company? Certainly not, as even the most successful companies have done so. Take for example one of the most successful fast-food restaurants, McDonald’s, which spent more than one billion dollars to revamp themselves to a more upscale image. The company is investing in a shift from a stop-and-go-eating establishment to a more comfortable atmosphere where customers may want to stay longer to use Wi-Fi or socialize with friends. The strategy is to create a different and more memorable experience than McDonald’s competitors, like Burger King and Wendy’s. What these adjustments indicate is that McDonald’s is committed to changing customer perception. Another way companies can transform their brand recognition is by changing the way they communicate with customers. Using Precision Marketing tactics to improve communications isn’t a new technique – as customer specific messaging has been a proven to work albeit infrequently executed – however, a recent initiative from the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP) is worth relaying.
InfoPrint Solutions worked with the LADWP to revamp their monthly customer statements to better meet customer needs. They refreshed the look and the feel by adding color, graphs and visual elements to show customer usage patterns, and made icons for each service (water, electric, gas) – making the bill easy to follow and understand. The main objectives were: to improve clarity of the information; in turn reducing call inquires by 20 percent; influence customer behavior to reduce energy consumption and emissions; and lower the cost of statement operations through process automation. The overall goal was to influence customer behavior to keep costs low, while better serving the customer’s communication needs.
Mark Townsend, Assistant Director of IT Services for LADWP, detailed the case study at InfoPrint Solutions’ recent utilities marketing event, Go Beyond the Meter. The redesign also garnered positive reactions from LADWP consumers and local media, such as Southern California Public radio and KCAL 9 Los Angeles.
LADWP Introduces New Bill Format
Although it may not be as global of an exterior makeover as McDonald’s, a bill redesign like LADWP’s can be just as successful. The way organizations communicate to customers is a key factor in how they are being perceived and may be the most personal experience some customers have with the company.
Is there a particular brand reinvention that sticks out in your mind? How do you feel consumers react to companies changing their image?
By Jay Robinson
Senior Solutions Consultant, Professional Services and Softwar
Tags: ADF, data analytics, document composition, LADWP, Precision Marketing, Sustainability, TransPromo, USPS