However, Charles Schwab is often cited as an example of a financial services institution that repositioned its business to better accommodate customer needs. Based on extensive surveys and interviews, Charles Schwab gathered customer intelligence and responded to their needs with an array of innovative products and services. Through redesigned processes and products, the company positioned itself between mutual fund providers and the customer, becoming the customer's primary point of contact and creating an opportunity to sell additional products. They eliminated many customer annoyances such as call backs to verify trades, complicated procedures to change funds, and multiple statements, and they introduced innovations such as "high touch" branches to give new clients more personal con-tact. Even if service companies do face a more difficult challenge in defining and tracking a positive customer experience, Charles Schwab was able to get a real grip on a less tangible commodity, suggesting that other service companies can do the same.

The brand pros
All of us can think of companies whose brand earns kudos for not only products and services but also that je ne sais quoi special quality that puts it above its competitors. Certainly Disney, with its fun and entertainment suffused with family values, comes to mind. Joining the ranks of Star-bucks and Nike among the winning branding pros are Victoria’s Secret with its sensuality and glam-our, McDonalds with its consistency and appeal to all age groups, Ritz Carlton with its impeccable service and upscale surroundings, Nordstroms with its renowned and innovative customer ser-vice, and Sloan Kettering with its reputation as a "center of excellence" in the application of health care expertise.

In addition to high quality products, what these brands have in common is an ability to engage our senses and emotions in a positive customer experience that stands the test of time. Over and over, these companies deliver on their promises. They consistently meet or exceed customer expectations.

• Calling the 1-800 service line to change a mailing address or correct a billing mistake only to reach a person on the other end who can’t resolve the issue or who adopts an attitude that it's all your fault
   
• Changing long distance companies, sorting through confusing calling plan options, or asking for an explanation of the numerous coded fees appearing on your phone bill
   
• Flying the "friendly skies" of delayed or cancelled flights, missed connections, or lost baggage.

The above experiences result in not only frustration and resentment but also cynicism toward a company promising a positive interaction but in-stead delivering a headache. The customer is more likely to dread or avoid future contact than to seek out the company and extol its virtues. If, as in the case of certain utility companies, the customer has no option but to continue with the company, then he may vent frustration by bad-mouthing the organization at every opportunity.

Occasional lapses in company performance are sometimes unavoidable, but when the brand consistently fails to deliver its promise, something is sorely amiss.

What goes wrong
In general, senior management staffs use a thorough process to research the marketplace, analyze the competition, and carefully consider options. Through this work emerges a brand concept. Companies then spend millions of dollars on brand messaging and advertising, proclaiming the positive experience that customers will have with the company.

So what can explain the fact that, after allocating so much money to branding activities, the company fails to deliver on its promise? The disconnect between what is promised and what is delivered usually occurs with two business components: (1) the company infrastructure and (2) the company behavior.

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