A daily challenge we face as an advertising agency is providing marketing and advertising solutions for businesses wishing to project an impressive image. However image is based on perception. The reality is the tangible experiences a customer enjoys from the moment they step into your showroom or dial your number.

That is why I’m fascinated with the news that an Indian Call Centre has opened in a maximum security jail near Hyderabad. Men serving life sentences for murder now answer phones and serve up all the features of the ACME mobile phone network. Morally, this is fine as everybody deserves the opportunity for gainful employment. However, practically speaking, this could undermine a business owner’s desire to create brand champions out of every single person who represents your brand, whether they sit behind a phone or behind a counter. If companies want to keep spending money building their brands, or generating leads, they have to make sure every aspect of the business is supporting it accordingly. And logistically speaking, a jail cell in Hyderabad may prove a little too tricky.

But here’s food for thought. Next time a client complains that the latest promotional campaign didn’t generate sales despite a healthy number of leads, I now may know the reason why.