Archive for June, 2010

We talk a lot about good employee advocacy as a discernible benefit of effective internal communication. Whether its BP employees fielding questions about the oil spill, Google staff explaining Street View or bankers justifying their annual bonus, communicators want to ensure people receive the information they need to back the official line. But how well is the average employee equipped to handle more basic questions about the latest price plan, special offer or new product? Two recent experiences suggest ‘not very’.

First, one organisation I know will shortly ask the vast majority of its employees to leave their desks for the day, head out to the streets, cafes and shopping centres and interact directly with prospective customers. The case for doing so is compelling: the company has recently changed its name and has introduced some exciting, potentially game-changing new products that it wants to shout about. Many of its staff have never had any direct contact with a customer so what better time to bring employees and the customers who pay their wages closer together. The trouble is, a high percentage of those employees are very worried that they don’t understand the products well enough to make the most of the opportunity. Advocates yes, but salespeople, probably not.

Second, a chance conversation with a local teacher suggested that parents at his school know rather more about that schools stance on several key issues than the majority of staff. As a teacher, his role is in the classroom but as a member of the local community he is expected to know the school’s view on a wide range of issues. His honest assessment though is that he does not.   Willing advocate certainly but genuine salesman? Again, probably not.

It’s a fair assumption (though by no means a given) that product information is generally provided to those who most need it. But could and should organisations be doing more to equip all staff with the information they need to become genuine salespeople? After all, every employee comes in to contact with dozens of potential customers every week but I’d be prepared to bet that a majority of these people, however willing, would be more than a little uncomfortable about actively selling to them. Time perhaps to look more closely at what we really mean by advocacy.