I just got off the phone with a representative from a large US corporation who told me she was “more than happy to take care of that” for me.

The phrase, “more than happy” stuck in my mind. More than happy? What does it mean? Does it mean “happier” ? Or “ecstatic”? Is it some other state of mind that we haven’t defined? Why would she be more than happy to do the menial task I was asking her to do? Do other tasks make her less than happy? And what does all this have to do with branding?

It has a lot to do with branding because branding is all about the impressions your employees give to your customers. “More than happy” is a positive statement and maybe should be encouraged for employees of organizations that strive for a syrupy-sweet persona (think Disney).

On the other hand, “more than happy” also is about an 8.0 on the Richter Scale of phoniness. If you have an earnest, honest brand, you may want to encourage your employees to lay off the fake phrasing and get real. Be nice, but be yourself.

The more clear your brand is, the more you can guide your team into a relationship with your customer that’s satisfying on both ends. You’ll gain loyalty and your customers will gain a sense of connection with your organization.