Most government offices confuse the people requiring their services simply because the customer service desk most of the time do not know what they are doing. Now it is either to frustrate opportunity for graft or simply, incompetence. Most countries will attribute this to incompetence but here in the country it seems more like frustration for graft. The reason this is the case is due to the branding the government bureaucracy has earned for itself the past decades. It is difficult to change the mind set once an office or a service is branded. Look at the current situation of the Bureau of Customs; no matter how hard the commissioner tries (assuming he does) compliment with the confidence of the President towards his aptitude, he is scorned by public opinion simply because the bureau the past decades have continued to underperform. Reputation and perception form the truths be it real or otherwise.
Branding is imperative be it for products or services, be it for the public or private sector. And should one not correct and address its faults or short-comings over time will suffer a fate that would be most difficult to correct. Consumer products take the easy way out which is to kill the brand altogether and create a new one. The problem with the public sector is unless approved by congress changes will prove impossible. You simply cannot just quit a bureaucracy when it faults. A PR or public relation is key towards a sustaining strategy but this cannot be achieved in a singular campaign or a short period of time. To change a mind set does not happen over night. Strategic management needs to be engaged with its decision makers understanding the issues at hand. There is no better solution other than confronting the issues. And by this we mean the shorter the denial stages, the better. Solutions may prove expensive and at times having to swallow the bullet, meaning to accept fault and its consequences. At this point damage control is strategic but only a first step towards addressing issues. To address issues, there is the requirement to come clean and to correct the fault. With religion it’s called repentance. There is a need to remember that branding is the consistent delivery of the brand promise that generates integrity making it the brand. And unless you initiate the truth, integrity or to do away with false advertising; you cannot begin to brand. Simple as this may sound most find this difficult. Even congressmen and senators being the culprits cannot change the mindset or public opinion.
Branding is an integral part for commerce and even for politics that still requires comprehension of issues at hand. For our products and services especially for the bigger marketing firms; they know there is no other strategy other than Superbranding.
© 2024. Harry Tambuatco. All rights reserved.
