(... continued Teck Cominco mines the Internet with BrandProtect )
He adds that BrandProtect is often also called upon to provide its input on the validity of new domain registrars, procedural do’s and don’ts, and appropriate negotiation techniques.
A critical part of BrandProtect’s value proposition is its ability to know the complex ins and outs of the Internet players. “It’s almost impossible to get in contact with the right people at the large service providers like Yahoo,” says Ruberg.
He cites an example where incorrect financial data had been published by another provider. Teck Cominco tried contacting them and sent letters, but never received any acknowledgement.
Once BrandProtect took it on however, they were able to get the message across and resolve it in a couple of days.
Public protection/public perception
Since working with BD-BrandProtect, Ruberg says there have been some exceptional occasions that have justified the investment. In one particular case a disgruntled employee was registering Teck Cominco-related domain names and posting defamatory comments at a faster rate than they could be shut down through standard written notification procedures. BD-BrandProtect was able to contact registrars immediately on registration to ensure that the domains were terminated before any damage could be done.
In another instance, BrandProtect unearthed a website that had posted hiking and off-road vehicle/bike trails that ran through a number of company properties. As with any mining companysafety is a priority issue and Teck Cominco takes every measure possible to ensure people are not at risk. Mining sites can be dangerous because they have steep slopes and/or there is a lot of reclamation work being done. The website owners were notified and the trails were removed.
The Internet is pervasive and businesses today have to deal with a lot more legal, investor relation and brand protection issues than they can handle in-house.
Proven ROI
As far as return on investment is concerned, Ruberg says BD-BrandProtect has shown its worth many times over. Just one single incident Teck Cominco dealt with prior to engaging them generated very expensive legal costs. With BD-BrandProtect it’s much more cost effective, because they know what they are doing, they take the time to do it and it’s their specialty. To build something that effective would be rebuilding what BD-BrandProtect already has. Why should we try to reinvent that?”
For Teck Cominco, BrandProtect’s real worth lies in its ability to cover several functions at once. Brand Protect has the tools to thoroughly scan the Internet in a cost-effective way. They can resolve issues in the process. And they have the industry connections to get the message across. Together, those three skills make a successful kind of service.
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Keeping pace with online activities relating to brand usage is of critical importance for mining operations such as Teck Cominco. In an industry that is strongly focused on protecting investor confidence, as well as health and safety, Teck Cominco found that the services of BD-BrandProtect could play an important role in tracking fraudulent sites, as well as enhancing their ability to keep track of public concerns and safety issues. |
