‘Coherence in the promise and delivery builds trust’

At the e4m Pitch Brand Talk 2024, the panel titled ‘Building Authentic Connections: Leveraging Tech To Foster Trust In Brand-Customer Relationships’ explored how brands can harness technological advancements to build deeper trust and engagement with their audiences.

Moderated by Avik Chattopadhyay, Co-founder & Partner at Expereal, the session featured industry leaders such as Kush Aggarwal, Head of Marketing at Bikano; Nikhil Gupta, Head of Marketing, Sustainability, Strategy, Government Affairs & CSR - Greater India at Signify; Rajeev Dhal, Chief Revenue Officer at Lemma; Sachin Vashishtha, Chief Marketing Officer at Paisabazaar.com; and Vidushi Goyal, Chief Marketing Officer at Swiss Beauty.

Chattopadhyay initiated the discussion by asking Kush Aggarwal how a brand like Bikano measures the concept of trust, particularly in the food industry.

Aggarwal responded, "We're a food company, and food is very well related to health. If a person doesn't trust the company, obviously, they will not consume the product." He elaborated on how trust for Bikano is rooted in consistency, explaining that consumers rely on the brand to deliver safe, healthy products.

He went on to describe the rigorous quality control processes in place to maintain trust, from raw material procurement to packaging, ensuring their products remain fresh even months after purchase.

"The process of making Kaju Barfi or sweets or bhujia involves packaging it safely, giving it a shelf life of three to six months, and making sure it reaches the consumer despite the weather conditions in India, such as dust, heat, and rain," Aggarwal explained. He highlighted how the brand meticulously monitors every step of the process, adding, "Until the time the consumer doesn't come back for the product, you just have to monitor everything, keep everything in check. And that's the only way that you can build trust."

Next, Chattopadhyay turned to Gupta asking how trust is built in an organisation with both B2B and B2C pillars, especially given the extensive legacy of his brand.

Gupta remarked, "I think that's where the answer is also—that we've been a market leader in this space for over 100 years, and that's the bedrock of trust for us." He echoed Aggarwal's focus on consistency, saying, "For us, trust is quality and, like Kush mentioned, it's consistency."

He elaborated on how this trust manifests in the company’s products, particularly in high-stakes scenarios like stadium lighting. "When a person instals our light in a stadium, he trusts that on the day of the match, this is something that he's not going to be worried about," he said. Gupta described how Signify’s unwavering commitment to quality is almost a “religion” within the company, with every product thoroughly tested to ensure reliability.

Chattopadhyay then posed a question to Vashishtha, highlighting the unique dynamic in the financial services space where, at times, companies need to trust their customers more than the other way around. He asked, “How does that work?”

Vashishtha responded, "That's half the truth. We are predominantly a B2C company, but in the background, we have banks and NBFCs who are our partners. So, in a way, they are also our consumers. We are in the middle; we serve them as well as we serve our consumers."

He explained that while loan seekers must be trusted, the company must equally gain the trust of its banking partners. "When it comes to a loan seeker, we need to trust them more than they need to trust us because we are giving them money. But on the other side, all these banks and NBFCs, they need to trust us more. Only then will they partner with us," he said.

Vashishtha also stressed the importance of coherence between a brand’s promise and its delivery. "Irrespective of an industry or a sector, I believe when you make a promise and if there is coherence in the promise and the delivery, the trust would be there automatically," he noted. He emphasised that repeat business and word-of-mouth are the strongest indicators of trust. "The biggest measure of trust is, like everyone reiterated, it's the repeat business and the word of mouth. I don't know if there is anything else that can measure trust as well as these two parameters."

Focusing on the unique nature of Swiss Beauty's products, Chattopadhyay asked Goyal, “Given the sensitivity and sensuousness of your product category, and the presence of a brand ambassador, where do you see the role of tech in balancing the R&D of your product with the beautiful world that your brand ambassador conjures up?”

Goyal answered, “For us, tech includes the data we gather from various platforms—whether digital or offline—and how we leverage that data in product development or to better reach our consumers. All these aspects combined make up the tech that helps us reach the consumer in the most efficient and effective manner.”

She explained the role of R&D in ensuring quality and consistency. "Launching products with great quality is one thing, but maintaining that consistency in terms of application, 12-hour stay, or shade accuracy is critical. We have a separate team that ensures each batch meets these quality standards," Goyal said.

Goyal also addressed the importance of selecting a brand ambassador who shares common values with the brand. "One of the essentials when associating with a brand ambassador is the commonalities in the origin stories or core values. For Swiss Beauty and Taapsee, the fit is seamless. Both are self-made, independent, and fiercely expressive," she explained, adding that both the brand and Taapsee reflect strong business principles and consumer orientation.

The session culminated with Dhal talking about the future of tech in building stronger relationships between brands and consumers.

“We’re a platform that gives access to consumers through emerging formats like digital out-of-home media and connected TV. We're always on our toes regarding new trends and directions. For example, in the next 10 years, we anticipate significant shifts in how people interact with technology. Devices will become more flexible, and there will be an increased focus on audio and video interfaces.”

He pointed out a shift in consumer behaviour, saying, “There used to be media dark pockets, but now people are stepping out of their homes more due to better infrastructure and better experiences outside. At the same time, people are spending more time at home for activities like shopping, which used to require stepping out.”

He noted that this dual behaviour is pushing investment in out-of-home media while ensuring brands stay relevant in an in-home environment. "One clear trend is that consumers will step out more for new experiences, and this will drive consumption," Dhal concluded.