As I was driving to work the other day, I was surprised by a statement in big letters across the back of a truck in front of me. It stated, “An ISO 9001 Certified Transportation Company”. There was nothing else except for a logo, and as such, this particular company is missing out on a great opportunity to communicate its brand on the back of the truck.
Perhaps the company was sensitive about certification and forgot to mention how it uniquely addresses the needs of its customers. I am reminded of Seth Godin’s blog post entitled “Self Promotion.” He points out how companies tend to promote themselves in a way that doesn’t address the needs and desires of customers. The promotion is “me-centric,” or company-centric, rather than “you-centric.”
I understand that the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certification is important to communicate to the target audiences because it provides credibility. The question is how to use that important information more effectively. It should not have been placed solely with the logo on the back of the truck. The statement is not a substitute for brand positioning.
The ISO certification does not guarantee the quality of end products and services, and it does not communicate a competitive advantage. In fact, a competitor’s website states the following about itself:
“In addition to the fundamental ISO 9001 quality-management certification, the company holds:
> ISO 14001 certificate for environmental issues
> OHSAS 18001 certificate for occupational health and safety
> Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA) security attestations
> U.S. Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) certificate”
The ISO 9001 on its own clearly does not help a company to differentiate itself in the marketplace. By using only the ISO statement on the back of the truck, the company is missing out on a great opportunity to communicate who it is and why someone should care. The company should consider developing a brand strategy that considers its strengths and weaknesses, its competitors, the needs and wants of its customers and trends in the category.
