1. Employee & Internal Branding for Organizational
Excellence
3rd
August 2008, Pune
Reema Sarin
AVP - Marketing and Corporate Communications
AppLabs

2. Organizational Excellence
The journey towards organizational excellence is critical for any
organization to tremendously to improve its competitiveness in an
ever changing marketplace.

3. Organizational Excellence
Employees are any organization’s MOST VALUABLE ASSETS
If External Communication is important to get new customers, then
Internal Communication is critical to communicate effectively to
service those customers

4. What is it?
The capability of an organization to drive business results is
based on:
» Leadership
» Strategic Planning
» Process Management
» Knowledge Management
» Working Collaboratively
» Benchmarking for Excellence
» Enhancing Brand Visibility

5. Leadership
Qualities needed:
» Vision
» Discipline
» Commitment
» Systematic Approach

6. Strategic Planning
Align the organization's hierarchy design, culture and people to its
business strategy, objectives and corporate values.

7. Process Management
Operate, Control, Evaluate and Improve the teamwork and
interconnected tasks with the goal of maximizing organizational
effectiveness and efficiency

8. Knowledge Management
Share, maintain and institutionalize the intellectual wealth and
capabilities of the employee base

9. Benchmark for Excellence
Measure, analyze and assess the performance of your employees
against the agreed objectives every Quarter.

10. Work Collaboratively
» Cooperate, collocate and synchronize work tasks with the
employee base globally, clearly articulating all facts and the end
objectives of all programs.

11. » All internal communication should focus
on effective ‘brand positioning’ amongst
employees and should clearly
communicate the organization’s
Corporate Values and USPs.
Employees globally and equally should
identify them selves with the
organization’s Brand Values.
Enhance Brand Visibility

12. Employee Branding
Organize formal and informal / fun employee programs
and create internal branding around it:
» Interaction with senior management - for e.g. ‘Coffee
with the CEO’ in batches where employees get an
opportunity to interact with the CEO informally over a
cup of coffee every month
» Employee Wellness Programs
» Collaborated with media and radio channels for on-
ground promotions and quizzes
» Group fitness, Aerobic classes for fitness freaks
»

13. Employee Branding
Organize employee family events every quarter”

14. Corporate Social Responsibility
Engaging employees in CSR programs is a very effective way to make
them identify with the corporate values the organization stands for. Ensure
that you take on CSR projects involving group volunteer work, for e.g.
» ‘Traffic Awareness programs; Blood Donation Camps; teaching at
Government schools, ‘Walk for a Cause’, amongst others.

15. CSR

16. Public Relations
Encourage and train employees at all levels to become media
spokespersons for your company

17. Internal Communication
Disseminate an internal monthly Newsletter to share
organizational and employee news and achievements

18. Internal Blogging
An ‘Employee Blog’ is a powerful way to hear and talk internally

19. Employee Branding
Company Online Store of branded goods of high visibility is a MUST!
» Mugs
» T-Shirts / Shirts
» Caps
» Backpack Bags

20. Employee Survey
Conduct annual Employee Survey to obtain feedback on what is working
and what is not in terms of employee engagement programs, CSR activities,
their brand perception, as well as to solicit new ideas and suggestions.
MAKE YOUR ASSETS WORK FOR YOU
LET YOUR EMPLOYEES DO THE THINKING!

21. Key Take-aways
MAKE YOUR ASSETS LIVE AND BREATHE THE BRAND FOR
ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELENCE
•Develop employees as ‘brand ambassadors’ of the organization
•Creating a sense of belonging within the employee community
•To help drive ownership and shared engagement
•Encourage knowledge sharing

22. Create AWARDS
Recognition is everything!
Create quarterly / annual Employee awards for programs they
participate in.
Raise their Profile in the organization and you
WILL RETAIN them.

23. Re-Branding!

24. Vision
The Vision of the company was to be the undisputed global leader
in independent software testing by 2010

25. Old Brand Image New Brand Image
The Company Re-Brands!

26. A new dawn in the software testing industry
The Company’s new dawn!

27. Thank You
Any Questions?

28. Successful Re-branding –
A Case Study

29. » Earlier known as AppLabs Technologies – one of the
independent testing companies in India, providing a range of
testing services across different verticals.
» Brand Associations:
» Bold, strong colours (purple & orange)
» A young company
» High volume testing
» Brand Imagery:
» Youthful energy as opposed to ‘Mature and as a Thought Leader’
The Old Branding

30. The company wanted a logo to represent Confidence
and Reassurance
Hence in May 2007 it launched its new ‘Brand identity’ or ‘Logo’,
based around the theme of a ‘Sunrise’
Why Sunrise?
The ‘Sun’ is synonymous with ‘life, growth and optimism – And
we can all be sure that the sun will rise every morning!
What Re-Brand?

31. » Logo color – ‘blue' symbolizes ‘trust and honesty’
and favoured by those whose advice is sought and highly valued
» Typeface (font)– Serif indicates ‘gravitas and substance’
» Strap-line ‘no doubt about it’ signifies ‘consistency,
reliability and confidence’, which summates the ultimate
promise of the company – a confident statement that
communicates the business benefit of the level of service and
quality that the company aims to provides to its customers and
partners
The New Branding

32. The new AppLabs

33. Thank you