Behind the scenes with Takealot.

Cultivating consumer connections through brand contact and employee engagement. How does South Africa's leading e-commerce retailer shape its brand through internal marketing and employee engagement.

Takealot is an e-commerce brand that has captured the hearts of South Africans through its immaculate brand contact process and efficient marketing strategies. Through its effective and user-friendly online platform, Its super efficient delivery system and seamless consumer service, the company has been able to achieve remarkable success. With the brand's level of performance, it is evident that there are strong and productive systems embedded in the foundation of this organisation. In this blog we are going to explore how Takealot shapes its brand through internal marketing and employee engagement, highlighting the alignment of employee behaviour with brand values to deliver the brand's purpose and promise to its consumers.

First impressions last!

Takealot's brand contact process is a curated experience that is driven by consumer satisfaction which is one of the brand's values, its almost safe to say that the brand is a well-oiled machine. From the first contact point which is browsing the website to the quick deliveries of products, indicates that employee engagement plays a vital role in this efficiency. With employees incorporating the brand's customer-centric values at each touchpoint there is no doubt that the brand is geared for success. As a frequent consumer of the brand, I am continuously impressed by the brands efficiency and how the company thrives to always satisfy consumers. I placed an order on Sunday and by Tuesday my products were delivered.

How does Takealot shape its brand through Internal Marketing?

Takealot uses internal marketing strategies to shape its brand identity and promote employee engagement. One of the strategies is the incorporation of Keller's model of customer-based equity, these principles are presented through building clear brand resonance that results in having a strong brand identity, high brand performance, good imagery and judgements that communicate the brand's value. And when employees are aware and accept the authenticity of the brand values, this will results in high levels of consumer and employer loyalty (Gapp & Merrilees, 2006:164). For example, Takealot's consistent branding across its website, packaging, delivery services and all communication channels reinforces the brand's value and identity in the consumers mind.

The brand uses the stakeholder-centric approach for its internal branding to encourage employee engagement, this approach emphasises the alignment of employee behaviour with the brand's values and delivering the brand's promise (Klopper and North's, 2011:200). At its core the company prioritises each department equally and this can analysed by how the organisations invests in training programmes and communication channels. The brand's quest for efficiency is seen through the acquisition of Mr Delivery in January 2013 for the purpose of an in-house logistics department curated to cater to the consumer's needs. This further ensures that employees understand the brand's salience "customer's come first" and embody the brand's values.

How to achieve brand alignment through employees?

Takealot's emphasis on employee engagement in shaping the brand's perception is aligned with Klopper & North (2011:203) framework, which highlights the importance of internal marketing in building a strong brand culture. By empowering and engaging its workforce through employee recognition and rewarding systems, open communication channels and ongoing training programmes are some of the methods used by Takealot to ensure seamless brand alignment and overall boosting morale. This creates brand advocates within the organisation who are committed to enhancing consumer experience aligning with Takealot's customer-centric approach strategy.

This approach allows the brand to excel in ensuring consumer satisfaction across all touchpoints. The Takealot Delivery Team is a great example of how this brand is dedicated to adaptability and innovation. With focus on cutting edge technology solutions, this team offers an uninterrupted level of service both to consumers and suppliers. The dedication of the drivers who are the brand ambassadors by default, always represent the brand's values via the door delivery touchpoint service, the drivers are polite, the process is short and professional. This interaction takes less than 10 minutes.

The brand's focus on meeting consumer's needs and providing exceptional service contributes to building strong brand loyalty. By staying innovative and agile, the brand remains competitive in the e-commerce retailer industry and continues to retain and attract new consumers.There is always room for improvement and the brand can incorporate more waste and packaging management programmes. There has been an influx of complains through social media platforms of small products that are packaged in big boxes, this raises concerns in terms of the sustainability aspect of the brand. To limit waste and enhance consumer experience management can consider restructuring and incorporate new packing systems.

In conclusion, Takealot's success in the e-commerce industry can be attributed to its effective brand contact process and strong internal marketing on employee engagement. By aligning employee behaviour with brand values, the brand, creates a consistent brand experience that resonates with consumers and encourages loyalty. These consistent practices ensure Takealot's success, setting the brand apart as an e-commerce leader in South Africa.