Patches Enterprises Considers a Name Change
This critical incident concerns the owner of a small used car company with two dealership locations in Michigan that was considering a name change in order to attract more customers. The controversy revolves around whether switching from a long-term, but less than ideal name, “Patches Enterprises,” to a new, but more appropriate name would be worth the time, cost, and effort to implement the name change. There was a potential for confusion because the firm uses a corporate name (Patches Enterprises, Ltd.), two dealership location names (Patches, and Warner Auto Sales II), and a website name (ezfastfinance.com), all of which were different. Would a common brand name be beneficial? In addition, the firm needs to assess the potential benefits of the name change and consider the reactions of their current customers and suppliers.
- Analyze the potential impact of a firm’s brand name on its operations.
- Assess the risks and rewards of changing an entity’s brand name.
- Evaluate the impact of a brand’s name change on the company.
- Propose a plan of action for the decision maker struggling with the issue of a name change.