Don’t let “Can I speak to a manager?” get lost in translation
by Megan Power (@Power_Report) Suggesting that only Karens call for the manager focuses attention on the complainant, instead of the unjust policy or service failing. The timing couldn’t have been worse. Soon after South Africa’s covid-19 lockdown started to bite, a...
It’s ok not to have all the answers #CoronavirusSA
by Megan Power (@Power_Report) “I don’t know.” Pretty innocuous words. Yet three words which, if we’re honest with ourselves, most of us would prefer not to say — or hear too often. It’s human nature to want to sound knowledgeable; to be in control and, if we can’t,...
#CoronavirusSA: Corporate SA’s duty in a time of #covid19
by Megan Power (@Power_Report) Game-changing, world-class and cutting-edge. Data-driven, innovative and disruptive. They go the extra mile, they move the needle, they’re here to help. If corporate South Africa’s marketing and positioning statements are to be believed,...
THE POWER REPORT: Please Retail SA, stop going all pseudo on us
by Megan Power (@Power_Report) I’ve always hated made-up names for children, and for good reason. It’s similar to how I feel about brands, especially those in the beauty and food industries, that try to impress by using inane descriptors to market their products. With...
The Power Report: Remember who pays your salary
by Megan Power (@Power_Report) The concept of being accountable to the people that pay you isn’t lost only on uncooperative civil servants — dismissal of the very people who keep things afloat is as prevalent in business as in government. Just ask anyone...
The Power Report: 12 tips I learnt from listening to consumers
by Megan Power (@Power_Report) Listicles. I’m not a fan. And it’s not just the annoying word blend that in my mind, at least, conjures up a mix of popsicles, stalagmites and at least one unmentionable. No, it’s the whiff of clickbait that’s always sparked unease....
The Power Report: Beware what you bury
by Megan Power (@Power_Report) Organisations that choose to ‘hide’ will pay the price. Disrespected consumers don’t respond like benevolent grandmothers. Buried my supper When I was 10, I buried my supper. Literally. I loathed the tinned viennas and baked beans so...
The Power Report: Of context, cages, cats & curiosity
by Megan Power (@Power_Report) As a young newspaper reporter, I never grew tired of seeing my words in print. That is, until the day I saw them damp and dirty, lining a bird cage. It was a humbling moment — but an invaluable one. You soon learn in print...
The Power Report: Brand promises are risky if you’re not crisis-ready
by Megan Power (@Power_Report) Brand promises. I like them bold and unwavering, honest and no-nonsense. But, most of all, I like them kept — and, in an ideal world, that’s not too hard. But, for most businesses today, the environment is unpredictable, the...
The Power Report: Marketing, plain language & the law
by Megan Power (@Power_Report) It’s no accident that South Africa’s consumer protection legislation insists on the use of plain language. Communication lacking it is neither smart, nor fair. We communicate to share, guide, help; if one party doesn’t...