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Description:
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Andersen
Consulting, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, EDS, Oracle, and other IT services leaders
are investing heavily in building their brands as services and solutions
providers. The newer dot-com consultancies are spending even more feverishly
to establish brand awareness. The sense of urgency around brand is palpable.
But branding is a long-term game. Notwithstanding the new rhetoric about
"branding at warp speed," there remain some fundamental realities
about building brands that cannot be short-circuited by all the wonders
of the Internet and related technologies.
Certainly, basic awareness can be developed more quickly in the digital
age. Just look at Amazon.com, eBay, or Red Hat. But brand awareness does
not equal brand equity. Awareness is step one. If customers don't know
you exist, they certainly won't consider you for their next project. But
it's a long road from simple awareness-they've heard of you-through favorability,
preference, and actual purchase to the formation of a long-term client
relationship.
For IT services firms, the ultimate goal of branding is to create loyal
customers. With loyal customers, marketing is easier, selling is faster,
premium pricing is more acceptable, repeat business is extremely high,
and positive word of mouth helps generate new business. Creating loyal
customers can happen more quickly with the Internet. By definition, however,
loyalty comes through experience and time.
Building Brand Loyalty: Lessons from Industry Leaders digs deeply into
the theory and practice of branding for IT services firms in 2000 and
beyond. Drawing on leading experts from academia, branding consultancies,
and the IT services industry itself, the report highlights critical issues
for senior executives, marketing directors, and brand managers to consider
as they work to build their IT services brand.
The report's emphasis is on the practical application of strategic insight.
As such, the report is filled with specific examples and recommendations,
including six case studies of IT services brand campaigns and initiatives.
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