Determined to be indifferent

In.dif.fer.ent: having no particular interest or sympathy; unconcerned.

The Commonwealth Bank becomes the most recent of the big corporates to make a mockery of their promises.

Perhaps we all misunderstood what they meant by “determined to be different” – if only riding roughshod over your customers on the back of massive profits were “being different.” Alas, it has become a continuing pattern in the banking sector.

In the wake of the recent .45% rate rise I suggest a subtle but appropriate change to their promise:

Determined to be Indifferent

I fully understand and appreciate that banks are for-profit businesses. However, when profits are seen as being a right, not a result, then a fundamental basis of business erodes to the detrement of the very people who are delivering those profits – the customer.

I think that when the CEO of any organisation has to make a public plea for customers to lay blame for decisions at his doorstep and not harrass the front line staff, then it is well past time for decisions to be scrutinised more closely for their long-term ramifications.

Each day lessons from big corporates become more and more divorced from the reality of small and medium enterprises. No SME could expect to behave in such a fashion and keep their customers.

The fact there is no meaningful banking competition for customers to move to only contributes to the arrogance and indifference that is steadily redefining the brands of all involved.

Every brand has limits with the boundaries clearly marked by the promises that are made. Not meeting the promise is one thing, flagrent disregard for them is quite something else, and deserves the drubbing the Commonwealth Bank have been receiving.

“Determined to be Indifferent” – now there is a promise they seem to be able to keep.

(With thanks to Dean Jones for suggesting the tagline tweak that inspired this blog.)

See you next week.

Michel Hogan is a Brand Advocate. Through her work with Brandology here in Australia and in the United States, she helps organisations recognise who they are and align that with what they do and say, to build more authentic and sustainable brands. She also publishes the Brand thought leadership blog – Brand Alignment.