You would have had to be hiding for the past few months not to realise that the John Lewis Partnership is celebrating 150 glorious years this year!
I’ve read many articles and gleaned fascinating information about this British institution and it’s got me thinking…….
Has your brand or organisation got the staying power to last the next 150 years? Have you instilled a strategy to secure your future way beyond the next three to five-year plan? What about your people, are they engaged and participating at the most contributory level possible?
If you haven’t taken time recently to step back from the day to day and considered the cultural and ethical elements that underpin your business it might be useful to consider some of the key attributes that reflect the John Lewis business model as your start point to reviewing the staying power of your organisation.
1) STAFF EMPOWERMENT & OWNERSHIP
John Lewis has the unique structure whereby every employee is ‘a partner’ and owns the business. It is said to enhance many aspects of the corporate/employee relationship with reduced staff turnover, improved service levels and greater collaboration and productivity being just a few benefits. Other businesses have played with similar models to a lesser or greater degree and some with an element of success.
Certainly a shared annual profit bonus is just one way to start the journey and an internal set of criteria or ‘employee charter’ that is created by everyone in the business and becomes a code of conduct for doing business with each other can be highly motivational and a step towards consistency of approach.
2) GREAT VALUE FOR MONEY
‘The never knowingly undersold’ pricing strategy has been running since 1925 and although it has been adapted more recently to take account of multi-channel and the growth of online, where price comparisons had become less clear, it is the clarity and honesty that this strategy delivers that makes this so powerful. It provides trust and assurance. John Lewis recognise that it’s about quality products at the right price and therefore great value for money becomes a far more important driver than regular discounting and price offers that only seek to confuse and create distrust with the consumer.
Are you offering your customers great value for money, consistently and across all your channels? Are you taking account of your competitors positioning and considering your business USP’s when setting your price points, fees or charges? Do you have a long term pricing strategy that isn’t just about short-term sales spikes and promotional complexity? Keeping it simple and sustainable secures customer understanding, trust and internal operational and communication sanity!
3) CUSTOMER SERVICE
Exemplary service has helped JL maintain its hold at the forefront of retailing and as the customers’ favourite shopping haunt. This service quality extends to the heart of customer service itself where good service is provided through extensive training and the empowerment of staff to be able to take necessary immediate customer service decisions to resolve a ‘live’ issue; to the number of services that are offered to customers today including through online.
Zappos, the US shoe etailer possibly best exemplifies how customer service and thinking ‘as a customer’ can be used to define a strategy that underpins the business and becomes an integral part of the DNA and customer experience. Today offering great service starts with employing the right individuals and creating an empowered workforce who think customer centrically.
4) OMNICHANNEL ENGAGEMENT
What has kept John Lewis successfully trading on the High Street is the impressive way that they have adapted to the cultural and technological changes required by the business and it’s customers. Early adopters of ecommerce, the development of Click & Collect and their newly launched JLab concept linking to smaller innovative technology companies indicate that they have their finger completely on the pulse.
How do you review your future technologies and do you have the in-house expertise to build your systems integration and keep competitive? What are the new trends affecting and driving your market segment and how quickly are you embracing these? What happens if you ignore them?
5) EMOTIONAL CONNECTIVITY
Over the past few years the partnership has successfully created advertising campaigns that have engaged customers emotionally and created social media connectivity and buzz on a huge scale. Most recently this instigated spin off merchandise but it isn’t all just about selling product. With the strength of core drivers such as customer service, pricing transparency and brand heritage supporting these campaigns the emotional connection to John Lewis is haloed.
Consider your marketing, social media, PR and advertorial campaigns and what they really say about your brand, products and your approach to business. Are they about the direct promotion of a product or could they also say more about who you are too? Encouraging co-parenting in a brand is immediately connecting you to your customers.
6) TRUST & CUSTOMER LOYALTY
John Lewis is the most trusted Brand and UK retailer according to analysts and it is the combination of honest pricing clarity, high and consistent customer service standards, reliable and good quality products, and it’s heritage that have helped them translate trust into customer loyalty. This hasn’t seen them rest on their laurels either with the recent introduction of my Waitrose and my John Lewis loyalty cards.
How can you instill this level of trust and in turn loyalty from your customers? If you have considered the points above carefully to achieve a long term and sustainable purpose you are certainly on your way. Remember – everything matters and we can’t hide behind our logo!
Get in touch for more help and support in achieving a long-term set of guiding principles that work across your business and ensure some staying power of your own.