Organizational Clarity: RePackaging brands

As we all know organizations constantly repackage their products, the idea to rebuilt, retool, and reorganize is not only a foundational “brick” to building a successful organization. Most repackaging of products are successful, but there are some examples that most of us have lived through that have left us scratching our head. These organizations realized their mistakes and undid the repackaging process to get back to what their customers what they wanted.

For example, the new Coke is a very good example at not only repackaging but an entirely new product if you asked Coke customers, later the company would come out with Coke Classic and run that with the “new” Coke until there was only one left standing. Just recently Kylie Jenner repackaged her line of beauty products only with new packaging and a higher price, with the same old products inside. Being a “celebrity” and her product line not as globally used by a broad base of consumers can escape such scrutiny.

Although I have not used her products, it is still smart marketing as most people do not realize what they are paying for until it is too late. The smart part is that her company realized that their consumer base is paying for the “name” that goes with it, not the product as she rises in popularity so should her prices, or as reasoned by their actions. It is until it is too late will there be changes made to the new Coke formula will an organization retool their product from repackaged back to its original state, but only then.

Here is the article regarding Jenner’s repackaging error:

https://uk.style.yahoo.com/people-accusing-kylie-jenner-repackaging-103434739.html

Chipotle, an organization in need of Organizational Change.

With a bunch of E-coli breakouts and sanitary problems at their stores where does the blame lie? With the employees? Store management? Corporate? Obviously, there are standards in place but not being adhered to. The issue has become an even bigger problem for Chipotle and is affecting its bottom line, as per the article (below) customers are staying away in droves.

I know I have seen some disgusting things at various locations like:

• Customers leaning over the sneeze guard pointing at the items they want to workers on the other side
• Workers spit talking into their gloves as they consort with other coworkers and personal visitors.
• I’ve also seen employees wipe the food prep area clean with their gloves/hands and then make the following customer’s (in line) food

I give these examples as reasons why I did not back to any of Chipotle’s locations because they are legitimate instances that maybe at one time we would have:

• Downplayed in some manner (just one time or one bad apple employee)
• Ignored as if we “did not see that” (disbelief)
• Or simply did not catch as loyal customers to our favorite lunch spot.

But with all the bad press Chipotle is receiving you add onto these types of experiences and you wonder does it really matter where the blame lies? Obviously, there is a clear need for an examination of the training and hiring practices that are currently in existence. But from an Organization Development (OD) standpoint, there needs to be an implementation of better coaching practices by the Chipotle management at the local and corporate levels. But what else can be done?

One possibility is that there be a lack of mystery shoppers for the organization, something we never hear Chipotle publicly admitting as other fast food chains do. This could be the leading factor to why there is missing data of these issues or why this problem “blew up” into this major catastrophe as it did. This data would have clearly given Chipotle a clear point of view regarding the chain’s hygiene and other assorted practices from the customers at a ground level.

Maybe the issue lies within the typical corporate culture that many organizations are guilty of and Chipotle is simply ignoring or whitewashing the truth about its stores for its investors and the generic public. In either case, how does Chipotle right its ship and gain its faltering customer base back? Free burritos? Chorizo? Maybe the organization needs to do something more drastic either way it would be an incredible challenge for the average OD professional but where would you start?

You can read more about Chipotle’s issues by clicking on this hyperlink:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/chipotle-customers-arent-coming-back-131351251.html

Looking for Sources of inspiration for E-Learning design

I joined the articulate community as part of a school project but all the information as it pertains to E-learning is fantastic but it also confirms thing you may have thought of or did not realize that it was part of a thought process like Organizational Development (OD) or you even thought that you need a college degree to come up with some of the solutions OD professionals create!

In this article “10 Overlooked Sources for E-Learning Design Inspiration” by Trina Rimmer she discusses ten places you may thought of, but did not seriously consider for building block or inspiration for your designing from museums to games to movies, this article briefly discusses where you can see for yourself e-learning examples at work. Some of the suggestions this author mentions you can get a test ride and see for yourself.

For example, my favorite suggestion from this list, video games nowadays with massive multiplayer online environments you can foster teamwork, gain rewards and gain socialization skills earned by interacting with others from different locations than yourself. In the workplace environment, these are skills that any organization wanting a global reach would want to foster overcoming a lack of cultural intelligence and divisions between departments and sites.

If you are stumped for ideas when crafting a e-learning design that will be user-friendly and maintains your audience’s attention I would suggest reading the article I aforementioned at the link below:

https://community.articulate.com/articles/10-overlooked-sources-for-e-learning-design-inspiration

When Responding to Consumer Complaints through an Organizational Development perspective

There is a way to respond to customer's complaints and one way to blaming the customer on social media, especially when it is well documented that there are problems with aspects of the organization. When you are offering a service or product it is up to the business to calmly correct the issue that the customer is having either if the item is out of stock or long wait times when calling in to reach a representative.

One such example is with Kylie Cosmetics, it has recently made the news due to the business receiving a "F" grade on the Better Business Bureau site, being the face of the company Kylie Jenner (yes of Kardashian fame) responded is what gave it more attention. Now before chuckling yourself to the point you pee on yourself, please note she is only 18 and therefore does not have the experience nor degree to run a business efficiently.

As shown by her response, "people coming for my business.." shows a lack of business acumen that her age belies, she is obviously not in charge of the company and most likely those around helped put the company together for her (Lodi, 2016). So saying she is responsible for the "F" grade is entirely is unwarranted, even I cannot believe I am saying it, but the blame lies on those around her and running the daily operations. They should have been the ones giving her a script or prepping her response to the failing grade with the BBB.

However, we have seen others who have been in business longer, who are so called "wiser" and way older than Ms. Jenner, do similar type mistakes. Take for example Microsoft's push of the Windows 10 operating system, Bill Gate's company is steadily pushing out the OP regardless of the fact that many businesses and private owners of PCs worldwide do not want the system in this case, the message is clear and worse than anything Ms. Jenner could say about "people coming" for her business. The average Microsoft OP like Windows 7 or Windows 8 is constantly alerting the operator to upgrade to Windows 10, is in some cases even sneaking in the upload in their update alerts (Williams, 2016).

Meaning that the business knows that its customers do not want the new OP, as many have sounded off on the web about it, and it needs to use shady tactics to push its product upon those who do not submit. As one of these customers I have thought about moving all my files to an Apple device plus I am keeping my old PCs that run Windows 7 and Vista as a result. I do not plan to update to Windows 10 not because the OP is not as user-friendly as I would like but because of Microsoft's response. That response to its customers like myself is that they do not care to make a product that I am comfortable using they want me to merely submit to compliance something that as a consumer and a student of Organization Development is not acceptable.

Please note that I actually did buy and returned it to the manufacturer Hewlett Packard it was because there were issues with the sound so I contacted the manufacturer and they said it was the operating system and to contact Microsoft. I contacted Microsoft and they stated it was the manufacturer however a google search shows that Microsoft knows about the issue and has solutions to fix the problem on its site. Therefore, yes it is a problem with Windows 10 again there was a way to respond yet the company totally sent me off. Now you add this to Microsoft's continuous push of Windows 10 there is obviously a better way to respond to its customers wishes to maintain their loyalty and even cultivate their business for the future.

In both instances, these responses do not endear either company to its customers nor its "haters" and could be an additional reason for any loss in its business that may occur. All organizations must be wary of how they respond to customer issues and complaints otherwise not only will their business will suffer their reputation will as well, which is worse? Only time will tell.

Lodi, Marie (2016)  "Kylie Jenner has responded to her business’ failing grade" Hello Giggles July 7, 2016

https://www.yahoo.com/style/kylie-jenner-responded-her-business-200747149.html

Williams, Wayne (2016) "Microsoft hits a new low -- sneaks Windows 10 advertising into an Internet Explorer security patch" Betanews.com March 3, 2016 http://betanews.com/2016/03/09/windows-10-advertising-in-ie-security-patch/