Positioning for
progress
RABOBAND
7 International
House-style puts
clients first
Working on change
ISSUE 34/17 OCTOBER 1994
While the new house-style is
still cloaked in secrecy for the
outside world, staff have now
had the chance to see the new
logo. But what lies behind the
concept and how relevant is it
for Rabobank as a wholesale
bank?
At the kick-off meeting, Willem
Lageweg spoke at length about left
and right halves of the brain - the
left being clinical, analytical and
cold, the right encompassing a
more sensitive, caring approach. A
little esoterie, perhaps, for down-
to-earth bankers, but essentially
the appeal of any visual house-
style is subjective. 'In the past,' ex-
plains Lageweg, 'we used a logo
that breathed left brain thinking.
And the message it was sending
out was that we, as a bank, were
Lageweg
track.
- on the right
focused on ourselves. The bank
was the centre of our universe. We
have always put clients first. Now
we're going to express that. This is
where the new, more right brain
effect comes in. We want to teil
people they are the centre of our
world, and that is visualized by the
new symbol.'
The figure and its colours are de-
signed to evoke all kinds of as-
sociations in clients, but also in
staff. 'It consists of a person stand
ing on a sundial, or perhaps you
could see it as a time-piece,' Klim
Egger says. 'This element has to
do with time, with the future, with
being dynamic, modern, inno-
vative. And that is just as relevant
for us as a wholesale bank as it is
for the retail side. What we're talk-
ing about here is a set of qualities
we want to convey to everyone
concerned with the bank.'
Positioning appears to be the new buzz-word of the
1990s - what does it mean and how do you go about it?
Kim Egger of Marketing Service explains.
'There are a number of reasons why positioning is important.
It tells your target market who you are and what distinguishes
you from your competitors, what your strong points are, and
where your core strengths lie. But before you can get out
there and do it, you have to do your homework. First, you
have to analyse the market in the sense that you have to
identify specific types of clients. You have to find out what
their characteristics are and their attitude to banks, including
the criteria on which they select their banking relationships.
'The next step is to analyse your competitors - how do they
position? Because when you talk about positioning, it is al
ways in relation to the competition. You then have to develop
a distinguishing position for your bank - you don't want to
be the same as the competition, you have to show the mar
ket you have something else to offer.
'The third analysis is of your own strengths and weaknesses.
This is essential because you have got to be able to deliver
what you promise. Traditionally, our domestic positioning
has been strong on the retail market and in the small and
medium-sized business sector. So, our current image in the
Netherlands is coloured by that tradition. Now, we have to
teil clients that we are just as strong and just as good in the
corporate market.
'Communication is a tooi you can use to help, but the most
important instrument is the behaviour of the people in the
bank. There is no point in going to the market and saying
you're the best bank in the world, if the service you provide
doesn't match that claim. This is why our behaviour to clients
is so important. The best way to make clear your profession-
alism and strength is by proving it through working with
clients. If you do very good deals for them, you'11 get a lot of
word-of-mouth advertising.
'What clients today are looking for is a sparring partnership
with their bank. This means they want us to be proactive,
rather than sitting back waiting for them to teil us what they
want. The message we have to get across to clients is that CBS
is a strong, competent and innovative wholesale operation,
but if we don't act like -7hat, then we might as well all go
home.'
Out with the old, in with
the new.
A group of 30 staff members
from all levels in the organiz-
ation have been recruited to
form the so-called agents of
change team working on the
31 projects. Drawn from all
divisions, they have been
selected for their enthusiasm,
drive and commitment to
transforming CBS into a
unified whole.
Management can take decisions,
but these will rarely be effective if
the whole staff is not behind
them. This means personnel has
to know what is going on and feel
part of change. One aspect of the
'As good as the best' drive includes
stimulating people within CBS to
approach their work in a dif
ferent, more client-oriented way.
But unless real action is taken to
involve staff, then slogans of this
kind remain no more than
slogans. For this reason, a team
of agents of change has been set
up to guide the 31 projects and to
ensure they are implemented in
every division by everyone in
that division.
'We're not just talking about
managers here,' says Edwin Pre-
voo of marketing services, who
is responsible for coordination.
'Each project has around five
members drawn from the agents
of change team and their job is to
make sure the results of the pro
jects are passed on to and imple
mented by their own co-workers.
They also have to make people
enthusiastic for change. That is
why we have a very broad-based
mix of people from all levels in
the organization. It's a new ap
proach for Rabobank, but we be-
lieve these people are so com-
mitted, it will work.'
International
Information service
If you want more information on the kick-
off meeting or any of the projects, please
contact: Edwin Prevoo, Marketing Services
Telephone: +31 (0)30 902331.
This CBS special edition of Raboband
International was produced by:
Editorial staff
Kim Egger, Anne Lavelle and Stan Polman
with the assistance of numerous staff
members, both in Utrecht and in the
foreign offices.
Editorial address
Rabobank Nederland,
Caroline Renette, editorial assistant,
UC-R 514,P.O. Box 17100,
NL 3500 HG Utrecht.
Telephone: +31 (0)30 902083;
Telefax: +31 (0)30 901904.
Designed and printed by
Hoonte-Holland, Utrecht.