Commercial Construction & Renovation helps our subscribers design, build and maintain better commercial facilities by delivering content to meet the information needs of today's high-level executives.
Issue link: https://ccr-mag.epubxp.com/i/666154
60 COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION & RENOVATION — MARCH : APRIL 2016 INDUSTRY EVENTS SUMMIT COVERAGE • S ince branding is consis- tently a hot topic within the industry, Commercial Construction & Renovation asked Steve Pollard, managing director, Multi-Site Project and Development Services at JLL, to lead a panel discussion on Brand Transformation. Joining Pollard, were Bruce Allendorfer, regional director of construction for Wendy's; Paul Archambault, director of facilities & distribution for At Home Group; and Elaine Kleinschmidt, Vice President for Big Red Rooster, a JLL Company. Below is a high level summary of what the group talked about during the lively panel discussion:. What is branding? Branding is visual. It includes signage, but it's a whole lot more. It's really a collection of all the attributes that make up our perceptions about products, companies, and even people. It's the intangible sum of all of the perceptions and expectations held by consumers. Why is all of this important? The brand is a special intangible that in many businesses is the most valuable asset. People decide what products to buy, who they want to work for, and even where to invest their money – all based on branding. When and why should a brand change? If it isn't broken, should you break it? In order to sustain growth, companies are transforming their brand to achieve a better market position, an enhanced customer experience, new shopper engage- ment and real estate optimization. Brand transformation can take many forms Just like every brand is unique, every brand transformation is unique as well. The individuals on the panel were carefully selected to pro- vide their own unique experiences and viewpoints around branding. An updated logo and store design for Wendy's has greatly evolved the way people perceive the Wendy's brand, reinforcing its commitment to quality and customer service by re-energizing every touch point with its customers. "Being relevant and delivering the latest and greatest amenities – that's what our customers expect," Allendorfer said. "Our image activation program has had a positive increase on sales, customer counts and customer satisfaction. Sales are important, of course, but positive customer count increase is even more important because we want our customers to keep coming back." The At Home brand, formerly known as Garden Ridge, was born with the objective of better connecting and being more relevant with a broader audience. As part of the transformation, all of the Garden Ridge stores were renovated with the new branding. Panelist and At Home's director of facilities Paul Archambault said it is important to have At Home's CEO directly to ensure alignment with his vision, which included having a name that better refected the product we sell. Big Red Rooster, a JLL company, has helped some of the world's most recognized brands with their transformation efforts. Kleinschmidt said the brand experience frm looks at brands through its OmniExperience lens – viewing the totality of a company's brand experience through the eyes of the shopper. So, how do you get from here to there? When it comes to branding, you must get it done right – and program management is a great way to do that. "The team members I worked with at JLL, they've got ketchup in their veins," Allendorfer said. "They helped us avoid unnecessary costs by anticipating issues that could lead to delays in reopening a restaurant. A one day delay equals one day of sales lost, which is critical to any restaurant in the QSR industry." CCR If your brand isn't broken, should you break it? Roundtable Discussion with: Moderator: Steve Pollard, Managing Director, JLL Project Development and Services Panelists: Bruce Allendorfer, Regional Director of Construction, Wendy's Paul Archambault, Director of Facilities & Distribution, At Home Group Elaine Kleinschmidt, Vice President, Big Red Rooster, a JLL Company