Brand Ambassadors are Everywhere (or should be)

We were recently contacted through our website by someone looking for order fulfillment services. Not unusual at all, given that we are a fulfillment provider, but what stood out was the grace and professionalism of the person looking for help, and how well that reflected on her company’s culture and brand. Nikwax (http://www.nikwax.com) makes products for waterproofing anything from your high tech rainwear to gloves and shoes. When Jerusha Gray, their Inventory and Logistics Supervisor for North America reached out, she was seeking a way to scale their order fulfillment capabilities to ship to retailers. It was late on a Friday when I saw her inquiry, but because I’m very familiar with the brand and it is on the West Coast, I called her hoping to knock just one more thing off my to-do list.

Jerusha was professional, charming and bright. It soon became obvious that there was not a fit between our services and Nikwax’s near-term needs. The conversation moved to how much she loves living in Seattle, and my fond memories of learning to climb there as a teen, as well as my long-term relationship with the brand. I offered a referral to a colleague who runs a reliable competitor and as we were about to sign off Jerusha asked for my home address so she could send some products over as a thank-you gesture. I protested, but not too vigorously, and she persisted, so I gave her the address and ended the week on a nice note.

Speaking of nice notes, I received a well packed parcel (the kind of thing a fulfillment guy loves) with a full range of about a dozen products, all of which I and my family will put to good use. Inside was a nicely handwritten note on a branded card with her business card. This is not another tale of a modestly nice interaction which makes you smile and improves the tone of your business day. This professional just killed it as a brand ambassador, and she was the one seeking something. She’s not in marketing, or sales, in fact she’s in one of the least glamorous areas of any business, supply chain.

Jerusha can call me anytime she needs supply chain assistance and I will in turn do my very best to help her. By immediately creating a positive personalized interaction with her brand, she made me a permanent fan. I may have been well-disposed to the brand initially, but the time she took to thank me is seared into my memory. As we all try to distinguish our brands in the busy marketplace we can learn a thing or two from Jerusha.