Branding of an Internet telephony leader

When Avaya was spun off from Lucent Technology in 2000, it was debt-ridden, held a seemingly unpromising product portfolio and was in the unenviable position of having to build a name for itself from scratch.

But thanks to its bet on telephony systems based on Internet protocol (IP), the company quickly transformed from a provider of voice communication systems to a dominant player in the growing IP-based enterprise communication market. During the process, the company managed to establish a new brand through "hefty but wise" branding and marketing efforts such as sponsoring the FIFA World Cup.

Jocelyne Attal, Avaya's chief marketing officer, talks with China Daily's Wang Xu about the company's branding and marketing strategies.

Q: Avaya is quite an interesting word. How did you create the name after the spin-off?

A: When Lucent spun off Avaya, it wanted this new company to be completely independent. So we tried to find a word without specific connection with our legacy, which is Lucent and AT&T.

The name was required to fit into a new tech company and help create a whole new image. So we created this word. For one thing, it's a word you can say in the same way in all languages. Moreover, it always comes up first in any bunch of company names listed in alphabetical order.

Q: What kind of a brand image did you want to establish for the new company?

A: After the spin-off, the company got a totally different personality. The spin-off happened because Lucent at that time didn't believe enterprise communication was the greatest business in the world.

So chapter one for us was redefining Avaya as a company focusing on enterprise business with communication hardware and software services. In the following years, we tried to convey the message that Avaya has transformed from digital time to IP time and is a leader in IP telephony. At this stage we just tried to take Avaya out of Lucent's legacy.

Then we tried to establish the company as a global business rich in heritage but very entrepreneurial and innovative. Now we speak more about innovation, about how our customers are using Avaya to build more customer loyalty, competitive edge and productivity. Now we use more customer references - real success stories - in marketing since we have established our brand.

Q: Could you give us an example of the one-to-one marketing strategy?

A: In China, we communicate with customers on a regular basis electronically, telling them what the latest trends in the industry are and how we can help them. We pick a topic every month and then provide our solutions. In the process, we go through our customer database and find the specific solution that appeals to a customer.

Q: As a multinational, do you have to design different market strategies for different geographical locations?

A: Our company is about communication software for enterprises. What we do is provide reliable infrastructure to enhance productivity. Most of our clients are multinationals as well and demand the best practices. So our marketing message in every country is the same. The difference lies in execution. For example, we have a huge customer base in the US because of the Lucent and AT&T legacy. So our focus is not acquiring new customers in the US but constantly satisfying their needs. In some countries, the entire strategy is geared toward getting new customers.

Q: As for China, is your cooperation with the Dalian government part of your efforts to gain new customers here?

A: Major things are happening in China. Companies here are keen to improve their customer services. So Avaya is here to tell them how we can help increase customer services and satisfaction.

We have a memorandum of understanding with the Dalian government. The MOU allows Avaya to help enterprises there gain from the experience we have already earned in other countries.

(China Daily 10/16/2007 page15)