Andavo Travel had reached a tipping point.
After weathering the
after effects
of 9/11, the ongoing price wars of their industry and questions
about the relevance of travel agencies in a time of the
online outsourcing of many core services, they were ready
to step
up and define their value to the marketplace and to each
other. Like many organizations who grow their business
through a winning formula of dedication to customers and
dedication
to their
team, taking time to understand the value and meaning of their
brand had not been a priority. But growing regional competition
and
aggressive internal goals for the coming year put it in the
spotlight and Brand Alignment Group was engaged to help with
the endeavor.
No brand message can be successfully crafted
without first understanding what is the true brand that lives
in
the foundation
inside the company? BrAG believes that this combination of
what the company believes to be true and what its actions show
to be true is in fact the cornerstone of brand. Helping companies
uncover the authentic components of this equation is the
most important
work we do.
Through a series of workshops and interviews
with employees and executives BrAG uncovered a universal
belief – a
passion shared by everyone in the company that they travel
with their clients through every step of their travel experience.
Sounds simple enough, but in practice it is a powerful differentiator
in a marketplace increasingly marked by practices that automate
services to the customer. It also had the added value of being
true – no change initiative to get employees to “focus
on the customer” needed!
The resulting brand promise “At
Andavo – we travel
with you” was much more than a tagline placed under
the logo and forgotten. It has become a rallying cry for
actions
throughout the organization and has incited initiatives across
the company such as: the implementation of "Promise Dollars"
– a monthly program to reward team members, who are nominated
by their peers, who have shown the promise in action;
rethinking
the content, style
and
delivery
of
new prospect proposals,
presentations
and
contracts; and
acting as part of the framework for employee goals for the
coming year. On the table for the year to come – a brand
council drawn from the four corners of the company to help
keep the brand strong.
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