Who Defines your Company’s Brand Values?

“Your brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room” Jeff Bezos

Whilst listening recently to a podcast an interesting statement caught my attention. It may seem obvious now but certainly wasn’t at the time.

Customer feedback is the litmus test for understanding your brand values. A true brand value isn't defined by what a company says but by what customers actually experience.

Your brand values are essentially a commitment to the customer and only the customer can tell you if that commitment is being fulfilled.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝘽𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝘼𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮

Your idea of your company’s brand values is the aspiration, what you want the brand to stand for and how it is perceived.

Customer feedback provides the reality, how your customer interactions, products and services are actually experienced in the marketplace.

Customer perception defines the actual, lived brand value.

Knowing the difference between aspiration and reality focuses your resources precisely where they are needed to close the gap and build an authentic brand value.

𝘾𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘼𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩

Customer feedback allows you to measure how well your actions reflect your intended values. For example, if your value is “customer focus” and metrics say otherwise, you know your value isn't being delivered effectively.

Positive customer feedback (reviews, referrals, etc) is the clearest indicator that your values are resonating.

In summary, you may define the "ought to be," but your customers define the "as is." For your brand values to be real, they must be reflected in what your customer actually experiences.