WALTER SISULU UNIVERSITY BRAND CONTACT PROCESS

 

(Hodak, 2021) postulates that brand contact points are interactions happening between the customer and the brand. These range from online communication and in store interaction. Brand familiarity, brand significance, customer attitudes towards the brand and preserving of relationships with brands are a result of information related to brand contact points.

Walter Sisulu University (WSU) is a comprehensive university based in the Eastern Cape. It recently rebranded and works hard to create positive perceptions for its potential clientele. In the past, the university was infamous for protests. In its efforts to change brand perception, WSU has been working hard to promote its academic achievements on different online platforms and through student recruitment initiatives.

Knowing all contact points

WSU management understands that in order to succeed in changing brand perception it has to start with the employees and current students. The employees have to first understand the vision and the direction that the university is taking to be able to advocate for the brand externally WSU is still very challenged when it comes to packaging recruitment information, which means the student recruitment team has to improvise when going out on recruitment drives. However, the university is doing well on its social media platforms, they have a way of delivering engaging content with both current and potential students.

WSU constantly trains its call centre agents, admissions staff and faculty frontline employees on customer-care because they are the first contact of students. Employees in these sections go an extra mile to assist students to enrol. The university provides tablets to faculty representatives with different WhatsApp numbers to ensure that all queries are attended to and delegate individuals to answer on other social media queries . Also, through community engagement initiatives such as partnering with municipalities in bringing change to the community, WSU is changing its public perception. WSU partnered with the OR Tambo Municipality to assist in rural development. Such initiatives create a positive perception to the external stakeholders. It is unfortunate that brands have no control over unplanned contact points such as word-of-mouth but they can control the narrative by being proactive instead of being responsive.

Primary brand contact points

WSU understands that all contact points with external stakeholders start with its employees. The WSU Vice-Chancellor often holds stakeholder engagements with different internal stakeholders such as students, administration staff and academics to listen to their challenges and together brainstorm how things can be improved and how she can assist to make the university a conducive place to work in. The Vice-Chancellor understands that motivated and happy customers will carry the university vision well and represent the university well in other touchpoints.

 

Most important brand contact points

The first contact point for WSU is the website because applications and registration are done online. The university recently worked on a project to revamp the website and make it user friendly because it is the first place users seek information from. The website added a chat bot later to try by all means to provide information to clients.

The last contact point of the university is interactions with the employees. Clients will have to interact with employees either via emails or telephone, but how staff respond to the client will be their lasting impression of the institution. Whether they get what they are looking for or not, but how they are responded to will stay with them, hence the Vice-Chancellor always encourages excellent customer-care service.

WSU’s frequent contact point is its social media platforms, in its approach to be proactive, the university uses social media to publicise information they need the public to know about. This is where its clientele often experience the brand. With some universities having an application fee, WSU has a free online application system that always leaves an impact on clients because the university is rural based and most families around do not have the money. The university addresses societal challenges by visiting deep rural areas and provide information to learners. Communities resonate with the brand for taking such initiatives.

Brand contact cohesion strategy

Cohesive branding is not just about the company feel, the contact points have to serve the brand purpose. It is important that brands communicate unified brand messages in all brand contact points and in so doing be consistent, so that the customers what the brand is all about. WSU still needs to improve on this. The university communicates different messages in different campuses, you get dedicated employees that are willing to go all out for a customer and in other campuses you get a different service

Managing brand contact cohesion

Brands need to understand that in order for them to gain positive perception, it has to start internally, happy employees make happy customers. Management has to constantly engage employees for them to understand what is expected of them. Besides being told, the leadership has to also live the brand. Thus, the campus rector in the Mthatha campus is always ready to get her hands dirty and be on the ground, she is even available to travel with the Marketing team to different schools for student recruitment. The culture of internal stakeholder engagements by the Vice-Chancellor raises brand awareness in employees to better understand how to communicate the brand purpose externally. When the employees see the leadership and management living the brand, it is easier for them to follow suit.

References

Hodak, B. (2021, November 26). Brittany Hodak. Retrieved from https://brittanyhodak.com/what-is-a-brand-touchpoint-and-why-are-they-important/#:~:text=A%20brand%20touchpoint%20is%20an,selling%20to%20email%20marketing%20messages.

www.wsu.ac.za