Strategic Marketing Management for the Fire Protection Industry

1. Strategic Marketing Management for the Fire Protection Industry Growing Relationships for Brand Development Fire Apparatus Manufacturers Association Ben May benjaymay@gmail.com

2. Purpose To create a clear understanding of how FAMA and its members can grow relationships for brand development.

3. Mission To contribute significantly to the fire and safety services by bringing an understanding and awareness of its purposes, actions and results to the citizens and the institutions it protects as they support the fire service. This mission has everything to do with organizational change, marketing, communication and personal leadership if the fire service is to survive and thrive.

4. IDEASSTORIESBRANDRELATIONSHIPSACTIONCHANGE

5. Key Discussion Points • The unique challenges of the fire service environment. • The growth and development of relationship management for competitive advantage. • Growing the business through brand equity. • Growing the strength and brand of FAMA. • Creating a “Blue Ocean Strategy.” • FAMA’s broader contribution to the fire service.

6. FAMA The Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA), is the association of choice most committed to enhancing the quality of the emergency service community through the manufacture and sale of safe, efficient emergency response vehicles and equipment. To improve business conditions and to advance and protect the interests of the fire and emergency services industry through the use of effective, open communication.

7. Key Considerations • Organizational Structure • Membership • Branding • Relationship Management • Political Action • Statistical Analysis • Technical Committee Contribution • Marketing Management • Globalization • Education

8. Challenges • Economic constraints: municipal and government funding. • Ability to respond to rapidly changing role of fire departments: convergence • EMS and ambulance membership for FAMA. • Organizational growth of FAMA.

9. What Business are We in?

10. Expansion of the Fire and Life Safety Product Life Safety Terrorism Disaster Prep HAZMAT EMS Fire Prevention Generic Product Fire Suppression Expected Product Augmented Product Expanded Product Potential Product

11. The Fire’s Service’s Expanded Mission • Expansion: prevention • Expansion: public education • Expansion: EMS/Transport • Expansion: Preventative health • Expansion: HAZMAT • Expansion: Terrorism • Non-Emergency Transportation

12. Forces of Change • Decreased Resources • Jurisdictional Competition: Municipal vs. State • Increased Dollar Competition • Public Sophistication and Interest • Increased Service Demand • Internal Customers • History and culture of “suppression”

13. Forces of Change • Cultural biases: apathy and technology • Population increases: strains on services • Cultural diversity • Growth of science and technology • Wildland urban interface

14. The Fire Problem in the United States

15. Key Points of Consideration for FAMA’s Relationship with the Fire Service • The mission of the Fire Service • Who is the Fire Service? • How Does the Public Perceive the Fire Service?

16. Key Points of Consideration for FAMA’s Relationship with the Fire Service • How Does the Fire Service View FAMA? • How does FAMA and its separate members relate to the Fire Service? • How Does the Fire Service View Private Enterprise Relationships?

17. Developing a World Class Brand Who are We? How are We Perceived? Positioning: “The Battle for Your Mind” Trout & Rei

18. Relationship Management Fire/EMS Service Institutions / Trade Government Agencies The Public Media = Points Of “Purchase”

19. The Loyalty Profit Chain • Internal Service Quality • Employee Satisfaction • Employee Retention • Employee Productivity and Performance • External Service Quality

20. The Loyalty Profit Chain • Customer Satisfaction • Superior Customer Value • Customer Loyalty • Revenue Growth and Profitability • Shareholder Value

21. RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT: THE “DNA” of MARKETING A healthy relationship requires a conscious and constant fight against the forces of entropy.It becomes important for the seller regularly and seriously to ask: “How are we doing?” “Is the relationship improving or deteriorating?” “How do we stand vis-à-vis our competitors in the relationship?” Consider the good things that might be done and the bad things that are done to affect relationships with buyers.

22. RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT IS A PROCESS OF MANAGING EXPECTATIONS • CLIENTS PURCHASE EXPECTATIONS. • THE ART AND SCIENCE OF RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT MINIMIZES THE NEED TO SELL. • MANAGING THE RELATIONSHIP IS A CRITICAL PART OF MARKETING MANAGEMENT. • RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT IS THE “DNA” OF GROWING AND MAINTAINNG THE ORGANIZATION.

23. SELLING VS RELATING The SellerThe Buyer Objective Achieved Judgment Postponed, applies test of time Selling Stops Shopping Continues Focus Goes Elsewhere Focus on Purchase, wants affirmation of expectations Tension Released Tension Increased Relationship Reduced Relationship Intensified, or Ended commitment made

24. THINGS AFFECTING THE RELATIONSHIP Good ThingsBad Things Initiate positive phone calls Make only callbacksMake recommendations Make justificationsCandor in language Accommodative languageUse phone Too much e:mailShow appreciation Wait for misunderstandingsMake service suggestions Wait for service requestsUse “we” problem-solving Use “owe-us” legal language

25. THINGS AFFECTING THE RELATIONSHIP Good ThingsBad Things Get to problems Only respond to problemsUse jargon/shorthand Use long-winded communicationsPersonality problems aired Personality problems hiddenTalk of “our future together” Talk about making good on the pastMake responses routine Fire drill/emergency responsivenessAccept responsibility Shift blamePlan the future Rehash the past

26. The Brand “FD”:The Fire Service’s Growing Understanding of the Benefits of Public Service Marketing

27. A Worthy Mission “I wish my wife, my mother, everyone who has ever asked me why I do what I do could see the humanity, the sympathy, the sadness of these eyes, because in them is the reason I continue to be a firefighter.” -Report from Engine Co. 82 by Dennis Smith

28. Whom Do You Trust?

29. The Composition of the Fire Service in the United States: 38,000 Fire Departments with 1.6 Million Fire Fighters

30. The Communications “Market”for the Public and Private Sector • 3,000 commercial messages daily. • Intrusive and offensive commercial communication vehicles. • Proliferation of new products and services. • Skeptical public. • Shorter and shorter product life cycles. • Shorter and shorter “marketing” cycles.

31. The Fire Service Understands the Importance of Marketing “If the Fire Service is to grow, or even survive in a changing economy, it must adopt a marketing strategy.” Chief Ron Coleman (Ret’d)

32. Maintenance and Growth of Public’s Respect and Admiration for the Fire Service • Public Awareness First Responders • Financial Support for Local Jurisdictions • Department of Homeland Security • Congressional Support • Community Support • The Media

33. Our Single Most Important Contribution to the Fire Service SUPPORT THE FIRE SERVICE’S EFFORTS, PLANNNG AND ACTION TO CONSISTENTLY MAKE THE PUBLIC AWARE OF THE SERVICE IT PROVIDES WHILE PROTECTING THE PUBLIC IT SERVES.

34. Planning for Success and Effectiveness • Strategic Plan • Marketing Plan • Alliance Plan • Customer Service Plan • Measuring for Effectiveness

35. ROI What is the value of the Fire Service and how do you measure it? What is FAMA’s contribution to that measurement?

36. Measuring Your Value…”According to Who and What?” • Fire protection 10 • Fire suppression 23 • Fire prevention 63 • Training 11 • Dispatch/communications 11 • Vehicle/equip.Operations 13 • EMS 18 • Emergency management 18

37. Marketing Departmental Effectiveness Through Measurements Proactive • Property Value Saved Per Incident • Property value Saved /Total Value • Target Hazards/Incidents • Operating Costs/Capita • Comparative jurisdictions • Prevention expenditures/fire reduction • Accreditation • Quality Improvement

38. Key Issues to Consider for FAMA’s Growth • Defining the value and need of new apparatus. • Demonstrating the on-going value of the apparatus and service through your relationship with the fire service. • Influencing the standards for a safer fire service and the public it serves.

39. Key Issues to Consider for FAMA’s Growth • Defining the differentiating factors of your brand and the promise it delivers. • Growing FAMA’s brand through the value of its contribution to the fire service. • Defining FAMA as a public service safety organization dedicated to the highest standards of apparatus effectiveness for the changing needs of the global fire and EMS service.

40. The Reason Why “I have no ambition in this world but one and that is to be a fireman. The position may, in the eyes of some appear to be a lowly one. But we who know the work that the fireman has to do consider it to be a noble calling. Our proudest moment is to save lives. Under the impulse of such thoughts, the nobility of the occupation thrills us and stimulates us to deeds of daring, even of supreme sacrifice.” Ed Croaker, Chief of Department, FDNY

41. SUGSTED REAING Suggested Reading • Blue Ocean Strategy , Kim and Mabourgne • Authenticity, Gilmore and Pine • Making Sense of Strategy, Tony Manning • Fire Service Marketing Management, FH, May • Creating an Effective Fire Department Marketing Plan, FH May • Customer Care for the Fire and Emergency Services, FH May • Exceeding Customer Expectations: Quality Concepts for the Fire Service, Randy Bruegman