Rebranding for Higher Expectations

The other day, I lifted the top bun off a hamburger I had just purchased at a drive-thru and wasn’t pleased by what I saw. There was a small dollop of sauce here, some onions over there, two pickles stacked in one odd spot, and beneath it all a slice of processed cheese that had slid off to the side like a throw rug on a freshly waxed floor. “Oh well,” I thought. “What did I expect?” Epiphany. I didn’t expect much, and that’s precisely what I got. I should have expected a better experience. After all, that particular chain is ranked among the top foodservice corporations on the Fortune 500. They’re making great money. Why aren’t they making great burgers?

People have come to anticipate varying quality across industries and that isn’t right. My expectation for how I want my life to feel doesn’t change. I want good quality, good service and satisfaction. I want to be treated like my dollars are just as important as everyone else’s. Because of that, I expect a great restaurant experience, and a great hotel experience, and a great movie theater experience, and a great healthcare experience. Why do some organizations expect me to adapt; to be flexible and fit in no matter what level of experience they provide?

The same applies to brands. Who you are, what you look like and what you do for a living should not matter. Your experience is what should matter, and it should matter as much to a hospital as it does to a five-star hotel.

Rebranding sets the tone for every user experience. To succeed, it should raise expectations and elevate the experience as well. Adopting a culture to match will create a lasting connection internally and externally. Pride doesn’t come from providing an excellent experience some of the time. It comes from providing an excellent experience as often as is realistically possible.

Aim your brand for a higher level of expectation and serve it up. Then people will come to you the next time they’re hungry for a great experience.