Kimberly-Clark's Depend brand, Consumer Services team
take stress out of first-time incontinence product
purchases
Feelings of embarrassment and anxiety still exist for people
with incontinence. By the time consumers decide to make the
transition to incontinence products they have already experienced
many different emotions. Since this is unfamiliar territory, many
consumers go through a trial-and-error process to determine the
best product for their needs, which often proves overwhelming,
frustrating and expensive.
Enter Kimberly-Clark's Depend brand whose primary goal is make
life easier for millions of adults who experience incontinence.
Easing this frustration creates an opportunity to increase the
number of new users by engaging new category entrants. The Depend
brand partnered with the company's Consumer Services team to
provide the human touch needed to guide consumers in their search
for the best solutions.
Commercial program establishes Depend brand as a trusted
ally with new users
It is estimated that 80 percent of first-time users of incontinence
products are not sure which product to buy and that women on
average spend around US$135 trying to find the right product. The
Depend brand team created no-cost and low-cost sample kits for men
and women that included various products, an information booklet
and coupons to alleviate the frustration and expense with
purchasing incontinence products. These were promoted online, via
free-standing inserts and at select retailers.
The other critical part of this program was to ensure that these
consumers had a live person they could contact for guidance during
this sensitive process, which is where Consumer Services stepped
in. Based on helping the brand achieve its goal of reaching out to
new category entrants, the Consumer Services team's strategy was to
make information more accessible via the consumers' preferred
channels to guide new users and provide personalized and optimal
experiences.
Increased accessibility equals increased
conversations
"The first thing we did was dedicate a team of representatives to
the Depend brand," said LouAnn Doolittle, Consumer Services sector
lead for the Depend program. "Each advisor received in-depth
training on the brand objective, strategy and tools available to
assist the new category entrants."
The hours of availability to speak with a live person were
extended from 40 hours to 84 hours and encompassed seven days a
week. Live Chat was added to the Depend website to increase
accessibility. Unique, toll-free phone numbers were provided for
key retailers to offer differentiated support and allow customized
conversations. Toll-free phone numbers, which connected consumers
to a caring, supportive advisor, also were included on the
free-standing inserts and national ads promoting the sample
kits.
Another key element that Consumers Services provided the Depend
brand was the ability to reconnect with consumers once they
received the samples. More than 90 percent agreed to be contacted
after receiving the sample, and when they were surveyed, 95 percent
confirmed that personal interaction is influential and necessary to
make the right choice when it comes to purchasing incontinence
products.
"Partnering with the Depend brand team and having direct
involvement in this commercial program provided our team with the
tools to engage with those new to the category in a meaningful
way," Doolittle said. "Our Depend advisors have found it very
rewarding to help guide individuals who are searching for the right
products to maintain their active lifestyle while coping with
incontinence."
Connecting on an emotional level with consumers critical
to increased share
Connecting on an emotional level with consumers is paying off.
Conversations have increased by 107 percent vs. 2010. More than
25,000 sample requests have been processed and the top two
conversations center on sample requests and product usage. When
surveyed, 71 percent of consumers said they will purchase Depend
brand products after trying the sample and 87 percent confirmed
that having multiple sizes to try from was useful.
"The Consumer Services team has been invaluable at establishing
the Depend brand as a trusted ally and has helped us remove
obstacles by providing information, support and guidance which is
critical in a brand that consumers have such an emotional
connection with," said Jaime Hirsch, Depend associate brand
manager. "By eliminating these barriers and personalizing the
experience, we are achieving record new user numbers and share
numbers."
The Depend new category entrant program was recently recognized
by the Word of Mouth Marketing Association, one of the marketing
industry's most prestigious professional associations. The Consumer
Services team was presented with a bronze award in the Customer
Relationship Management category putting it in the same category as
many of the world's top consumer companies.
