I had the opportunity to have dinner this past week with John Zogby, pollster and CEO of Zogby International. As a company with public opinion measuring operations across the globe, it could be argued that he perhaps has the greatest insight into our perception abroad. At the very least, his opinion is worth listening to.
Perception is reality. I tell people all the time that Saxum Strategic Communications is in the perception business. We care about reality, but it does not have as much importance as what people believe to be true. In many cases, it is our job to help change that perception.
In general, I support the U.S. policy around the globe. The ideals and freedoms we have in America are surely transferable to every human being, no matter their nationality, ethnicity, or religious background. Logistically speaking, I know it is a challenge to implement a form of democracy in a place where people may not want it. Enter the current Iraq situation.
Zogby explained that there have been a few key issues that have hampered our success in Iraq, namely America’s very poor reputation among nearly everyone (positives under 5%). You heard me – the liberators are not popular. It’s hard for me to believe too. Zogby talked about the devastating effect that the Abu Gharib prison scandal had on our reputation. No longer part of the solution, we somehow became the problem along the way. A quagmire, indeed.
Since everyone else is weighing in on how to improve U.S. – world relations, I’ll take my spin on the wheel.
Increase (not the troops) diplomats worldwide. Whatever number we have, let’s double it. Train them in the realities of our worldwide perception and then implement strategies to communicate to regular people. A delegation led by Karen Hughes to Israel, Iraq, and over to Afghanistan over a few weeks does not reach the masses.
Confirm an acceptable U.N. ambassador. If John Bolton is not the guy, then let’s find the right fit. He or she must have strong ideological beliefs. We cannot miss on this appointment and we cannot afford to waste any more time.
Publicize ‘good news’ abroad regarding U.S. economic opportunities with partner nations. Just because our public policy isn’t winning Nobel Peace Prize’s doesn’t mean we can’t toot our own horn on the economic front. The Dow Jones is at an all-time high for goodness sakes. Businessmen in China and Europe should be praising U.S. economic policy. Since they have all our cash, I guess they’ll just keep cashing the checks.
In the public relations world, a professional must be an excellent communicator, which translates into being a terrific writer. Writing skills are handy in email, issue briefs, written argument and more. Understanding the meaning of the words one writes is paramount.
The conservative columnist, George Will, wrote a column last week that caught my eye. It seems that the newly elected senator, Jim Webb of Virginia, had penned an opinion editorial in a recent Wall Street Journal discussing America’s many problems. Will’s columns can sometimes be a bore, ripping a social healthcare program here and our educational system’s shortcomings there. A bore, however, this column was not. The line that caught my attention in paragraph one was, ‘Webb…has become a pompous poseur and an abuser of the English language before actually becoming a senator’. Ouch!
Will, with his high brow wit, looked down his nose at Webb for the ultimate sin in English class – not knowing the meaning of the words he was communicating. Will cites several examples in his editorial, but one sticks out above all.
“The most important – and unfortunately the least debated – issue in politics today is our society’s steady drift toward a class-based system…America’s top tier has grown infinitely richer and more removed over the past 25 years. It is not unfair to say that they are literally living in a different county.”
Literally, huh? Will goes on to teach Mr. Webb about how to use words. He says, “Earth to Webb: Words have meanings that not even senators can alter…When I use a word it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less.”
PR pros should take note of this good advice. Whether you are a spin doctor or savvy wordsmith, words do have meaning that must be respected.
Anyone who argues that customer service in the commodity market is not the most crucial factor in the decision making process should think twice. In my opinion, it’s the only binding force that builds brand loyalty. See my recent experience below:
November 10, 2006
Mr. Gary Kelly
President and CEO
Southwest Airlines
P.O. Box 36647 - 1CR
Dallas, Texas 75235-1647
Dear Mr. Kelly,
I love Southwest Airlines.
I’ve always considered the airline industry as a commoditized product. Customer loyalty is nearly non-existent, price drives decisions, and customer service is a joke. Not so with Southwest Airlines, as I found out recently.
This past week I traveled to Chicago on business for U.S. Cellular aboard United Airlines. United offers attractive non-stop service from OKC to ORD, but the fare of $244 round-trip is why I ultimately chose United for our client service team of three. You see, I am the CEO of Oklahoma’s largest public relations firm and US Cellular is a client of ours. Our trip was an annual meeting of their 12 PR firms. During our two day conference, the US Cellular marketing department presented a case study on Southwest Airlines and how you attract and retain customers. They also shared your well documented financial success and how you differentiate from your competitors. US Cellular, the nation’s 6th largest cell carrier also competing in a commodity market, aims to ‘put customers first’ before all else. They study your success.
Back to my story.
Concluding our conference, we packed up our belongings and logged on to check the status of our United flight back to OKC. With clouds threatening rain, I was concerned that O’Hare might be backed up. My suspicions proved correct when I found our flight had been delayed nearly 2 hours. Fast forward and we were in stopped traffic heading towards the airport when my cell phone rang. United’s auto-caller informed me that our flight had been cancelled and we were re-booked for 26 hours later!
With a growing business that requires me to travel for my clients, I cherish my weekend time with my family. To be told at 6:00 p.m. on a Friday that my weekend was about to disappear, we were not happy.
Immediately, we called United’s 800 line. The first call was answered by a real person in India 20 minutes after sitting on hold. He explained that O’Hare was shut down, all their flights were overbooked, and no other airline could get to Oklahoma City that night. Frustrated, we quizzed our representative about all options. Turns out, the only option was to route through Denver the next day at 10 a.m. or wait until 7:55 p.m. the following evening for a direct flight. While discussing, our representative’s computer shut down. Instead of offering to pass us on to one of his colleagues, he asked if we could ‘call back’. Now, we were offended and asked to speak to his superior. At that point, the phone was supposed to be put on hold, yet it was hung up. We were left to call again. A long wait later, we reluctantly re-booked for the following day.
After checking in to the hotel, one of my colleagues (a former call center employee of Southwest Airlines), said we should look into flying Southwest out of Midway. Rob has two small children and wanted to get home to see them. We called the Southwest 800 number and had a live person on the phone within seconds. Since we are from Oklahoma City, we knew this person was possibly a fellow Oklahoman working at your call center there.
The time was 6:35 now. Our Southwest representative immediately found two flights leaving Midway that evening. The first flight was scheduled to leave at 6:30 p.m. and the second at 7:50 p.m. The rep said that the 6:30 flight was delayed until 8:30 p.m. and had 12 remaining seats. He encouraged us to try to make it. Since we were calling after the flight was supposed to have left, he booked us on the later flight and then shared how to talk to the gate agent to stand-by for the 6:30 flight.
One crazy hour long cab ride later, we made it to Midway airport. Our gate agent was a cheerful young lady named Brittany Spears (no kidding). When we told her what we were doing, she immediately did exactly what our call center rep said she’d do and re-booked us on the earlier flight which was now delayed until after 9:00 p.m.. I fly about twice a month and these gate people are never helpful. I’m 6’9 and they look at me like I’m crazy for requesting an exit row (but this is an entire other story all-together – please re-consider allowing tall people pre-board).
Brittany went above and beyond by ensuring we wouldn’t be stopped at security for purchasing a one way ticket just an hour earlier. Furthermore, she said that she was working on ‘down-grading’ our ticket to reduce our cost. My colleague said she’d know what price Southwest’s stock closed at that day. I asked. She knew. Our jaws were on the floor.
I could go on, but I’ll conclude with this.
It’s not often you can observe competing customer service tactics in a tight timeframe two of the market’s major players. Not surprising, one player has profitable quarters stacked on top of each other and the other is in bankruptcy. To illustrate this point, I’m cc’ing Mr. Tilton from United Airlines on this letter. They are having a tough time and I hope comments like these can help them turn it around. If experience is any indicator, I will hear from you and not him.
Congratulations for leading a company that doesn’t forget it’s most important asset – its customer. A few hours after hearing the Southwest story at our business conference, I experienced it. Keep it up.
Best,
C. Renzi Stone
President and CEO
Saxum Strategic Communications
CC: Mr. Glenn Tilton
And now, my letter to Mr. Glenn Tilton from United Airlines:
November 10, 2006
Mr. Glenn F. Tilton
President and CEO
United Airlines
P.O. Box 66100
Chicago, IL 60666
Dear Mr. Tilton,
As a frequent flyer on a monthly if not bi-weekly basis, both for personal and business reasons, I was very disappointed in my recent experience with your airline. I know United is going through some tough times and I will be the first to encourage you to keep working at cutting costs and improving service. However, the customer experience that I recently had with United and then Southwest Airlines in the same day shows why they have been so successful and United continues to struggle.
I write you this letter, and copy you on the attached letter to Mr. Gary Kelly at Southwest Airlines, to highlight the gap between your two carriers. Hopefully, this is an example you can use with your employees for improvement purposes.
Best,
C. Renzi Stone
President and CEO
Saxum Strategic Communications
This week I had the opportunity to meet with the Secretary of Defense of the United States of America, Mr. Donald Rumsfeld. I was invited to the Pentagon for our role in hosting the first annual Freedom Walk on September 11 this past year (see my blog on Walking for Freedom, Sept. 11) in Oklahoma City. Secretary Rumsfeld, a staid figure in American policy and politics the past 40 years praised the efforts of communities across America who chose to host their own Freedom Walks. Our Walk in Oklahoma City was one of the biggest with nearly 3,800 participants. Our military thanked us for this important event. I appreciated it.
Sitting in the conference room of the Secretary of Defense within days of the 2006 mid-term elections, known by all to be a referendum on President Bush and his policies, was an exciting moment. The Pentagon did little to prepare us for our trip besides asking us to come and share lessons learned from our individual Freedom Walks. I had no idea what to expect. Not someone who is overly impressed by individuals, it was hard not to be impressed when we were surprised by an extended visit with Secretary Rumsfeld. First impressions included the fact that his presence was unmistakable and his optimism was unshakeable.
In a time when his job is globally being called for (see my bandwagon blog The Integrity of Politics, October 16), Secretary Rumsfeld projected confidence. In fact, the man oozed it. Three powerful things I saw during our hour with him.
He believes in the mission. With the troubles in the world, it is apparent that the Secretary is not a politico anymore. He believes in the mission he is chairing around the world. In fact, he spoke calmly and in measured tones, without the typical political rhetoric we see from so many of our leaders.
He is proud of our soldiers. I had the opportunity to ask a question. I queried, “What is the best part of your day”. The answer was a surprise and told me a lot about him as a person. He said that if he ever questions the mission or our progress, he visits Walter Reed Medical Center. There, a seemingly somber place to walk among our injured, he said he finds strength. To a soldier they all express a willingness to serve again. He said it confirmed his beliefs in the mission. He also spoke of the nature of our current all volunteer army. Unlike previous wars, our soldiers want to be there. Nearly 97% of U.S. soldiers have graduated from High School. That percentage is significantly higher than the nation as a whole. He excitedly said that they are not ‘dumb’, referring to a certain Senator’s previous characterization of our troops.
He loves his wife. One of the neatest parts of the afternoon was meeting Joyce Rumsfeld, the Secretary’s wife of many years (I only picked up that they’d known each other since they were 14 years old). The Secretary said that when he wakes up every morning at 5:00 a.m., she looks at him and says, ‘Our men and women are out there fighting. Get your butt out of bed and go make a difference’. The support, encouragement, and love that Mrs. Rumsfeld shows her husband must validate the heavy daily burden he faces.
Secretary Rumsfeld may not be the most effective leader for our country, right now, in this continuing time of strife for protection from the terrorists who would inflict harm on our families. The Secretary believes in his mission, cares about his family, and is unwavering in his role as leader of our military men and women. I salute him.
A lot has been written about what makes a company or organization ‘great’. What makes a political candidate ‘good’ versus ‘great’?
Churchill argued that ‘great’ and ‘good’ were seldom the same man. America votes next week on the next generation of elected leaders. If popular belief holds true, Republicans lose – and lose big. Are Democrats ready to be ‘great’? I think not. Should Republicans be allowed to continue their style of governing which has plummeted the country into unprecedented debt and uncertainty in global affairs? Absolutely not. So, which party will have the chance to be great?
As a Republican, I refuse to tote the party line on issues that require compromise and serious thought. As a voter, I think there are three things each of us should look for when casting a ballot this Nov. 7th:
Depth. Do they understand the issues? Are they toting party lines? Do they have original ideas? Do they use the same sound bites as the guy next to them? Are they well read? Does that come out when you listen to them speak? Great leaders understand the issues from both sides and can argue persuasively for their beliefs.
Simplicity. This is not an oxymoron. How can you require depth and then request simplicity? Easy. The best politicians understand the issues and can communicate them at an entry level. America is not stupid, but we are not paying attention. Speaking simply is difficult and only the best politicians do it well. Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Bill Clinton, and Ronald Reagan come to mind. Remember, the great ones say it simply.
Track Record. Being an elected official should not be a pre-cursor to getting elected to the next office. These guys who have been in politics since they were right out of college do not necessarily have the most ‘experience’. In fact, our founding fathers had it right when they envisioned legislators who would serve for a period of time and then go back to their ‘real’ jobs. In today’s world, I’m not under the auspices that our elected officials can effectively contribute in other jobs, but I do expect ‘qualified’ candidates to have a broad knowledge of the world outside politics. If America had more businessmen, entrepreneurs, doctors, and even social workers running for office, then our country would be better off. The greatness of America has always been our diverse society.
As the days wind down towards November 7th, discover if your candidates qualify with my three characteristics. If they don’t – don’t vote for them. Being good is easy. Being great is not. In these trying times we need to search for the latter.
The attitude towards President Bush and Republicans has evolved. It actually has gone from bad to worse. These guys just can’t catch a break – not that they deserve one.
As a conservative Republican, I have been a staunch supporter of President Bush and his politics combating the war on terror. I’ve stood by our troops when they have been accused of atrocities. I’ve nodded in agreement with reducing Federal earmarks. I’m staunchly against cutting and running from the problems that the world faces. Now, I’m running out of support.
Unfortunately for me in these days before an election, I still believe the ‘moral majority’ is right and the arguments that Liberals tote around and call policy are wrong. Who do I vote for? Do I vote for the party that has let record setting spending and deficits accumulate? Or do I vote for the party that elects Howard Dean as its chairperson and chief cheerleader. It’s a tough choice.
Three things that Republicans could do to communicate more effectively between now and November 7th, include:
Let the heads roll. Loyalty aside, Hastert and Rumsfeld resigning will show the undecided (and typically Republican) voter that the status quo is not acceptable.
Admit culpability from the top. President Bush is believable, but he needs to show a kinder, gentler compassionate version of the guy we saw after Sept. 11.
Find Bin Laden. Ok…I don’t have all the answers.
In the meantime, I’ll keep looking for someone to believe in.
Corporate reputation used to be measured in terms of stock price and new product lines. Not anymore. Titans of business and industry have always been generous. You don’t have to look back far to see the effects of large foundations started by men with the last name Ford, Carnegie, or Rockefeller. For every dollar these men gave publicly, many of them also gave huge amounts anonymously.
In the post-Enron world, corporate reputation is now measured by those who publicly give back to the communities, countries, and world where they operate. Companies don’t have to be Bill Gates or Warren Buffet to join in the action. Getting credit for one’s charitable contributions is not something to be ashamed of and more and more companies are getting with the program.
Figuring out how to start is as easy as talking to people in your office about what is important to them. Someone or their spouse may be a cancer survivor. In that case, the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer research foundation may be a charity of choice. Someone’s child may have learning disabilities. You may have an office full of pet lovers. There are foundations and organizations for everything.
As a young company, this is the first year we have decided to get involved with a charity as a group. We have selected the United Way of Central Oklahoma. Although it is the largest charity organization in our market, we found it was a good starting point. Our non-profit client work has always been something we help through heavily discounted services, but not necessarily with our individual finances. The United Way of Central Oklahoma makes it easy to contribute with a few dollars coming out of each paycheck. As we see the success of our actions, we’ll make a decision on whether to specialize our gifts next year.
What reputation does your business have for supporting the non-profit community?
How do some companies keep momentum (and keep making money) during a surge in growth while others seem to falter, fizzle, and ultimately, fail? Whether you are the CEO in a public relations firm, a veteran sales manager, or a sole proprietorship, you need to watch out for the killer P’s. Should you ignore them, pretend they don’t exist, or make up excuses for uncompleted work your business or organization will inch closer to its demise.
What are the killer P’s? Is it poor cash positioning? Feeling the effects of debt in a pinch? Paltry hiring strategy? Potential client discontent? Well – those are all valid reasons to see a company fail during growth, but the killer P’s are: Planning and Priorities. Without great planning and careful examination of priorities, no one can survive a rush forward in growth.
Planning takes time. As an organization, the senior leadership team needs to spend time planning big goals at least quarterly and perhaps as much as monthly. Daily and weekly tasks take preparation as well. Planning one’s day can take as little as 15 minutes and can make a huge difference.
Prioritizing time is a discipline that the uber successful know well. On a grand scale, it is important to evaluate the direction that a company or organization is headed in. If you find yourself in wormholes, your prioritizing abilities need to be evaluated. On a monthly basis ask yourself where your time and resources are being allocated. On a daily basis, ask yourself the following question, ‘Is this the very best use of my time given the current set of circumstances I’m in?’ Chances are the question will answer itself.
Watch out for the killer P’s. They are deadly if not discovered and addressed. See them. Use them to your advantage. Grow on, young grasshopper.
All Oklahomans remember exactly what they were doing the morning of April 19, 1995. I was in French class when our teacher interrupted her lesson to share that the Murrah federal building in Oklahoma City had been destroyed by a terrorist bomb. I remember every second of that day.
Similarly, we can recall the exact moment we learned of events unfolding on live TV on Sept. 11, 2001. By chance, I tuned in that morning just in time to watch the second tower get hit. I remember praying for the innocent victims. With my father on the phone, terror struck again at the Pentagon within five miles of his Alexandria, Va., home.
Where were you on Sept. 11? More importantly, where will you be this year, on the fifth anniversary of that day that so dramatically altered the world we live in?
Agree or disagree with the reasoning for specific tactics in the war on terror, you must agree that freedom — the essence of our democracy — is under fire around the world. A lot can be said about how Oklahoma City responded to being attacked and about our message of “hope” to the world. As Americans, we should look for ways to show the world that freedom isn’t something we take for granted. The Oklahoma City Freedom Walk is our chance to illustrate that point.
Today, thousands of Oklahomans will take a convenient reprieve from daily life and walk for arguably our most important American value — freedom. Led by Gov. Brad Henry, former Gov. Frank Keating and their families, Oklahomans will walk this evening as part of the 2006 Oklahoma City Freedom Walk, beginning with a ceremony on the grounds of our Oklahoma City National Memorial.
We walk to remember the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks on the Pentagon, the Twin Towers and Flight 93 over Pennsylvania with a promise to “never forget.”
We walk to reflect on the tragedy of that day and the events that unfolded from it. We walk to recommit to the ideals of freedom that epitomize our nation.
And we walk out of respect and support for the many American men and women in uniform, past and present, who protect the freedoms the walk celebrates.
Join us for Oklahoma’s inaugural Freedom Walk — potentially the largest Freedom Walk in the country today. Bring your family. Encourage a friend to join. Unite with your fellow Oklahoma neighbors in walking for freedom. If not for our freedom, we have nothing.
Stone is president and CEO of Saxum Strategic Communications in Oklahoma City. The Freedom Walk begins at 5:30 p.m. today at the Oklahoma City National Memorial.
NBC’s ‘The Office’ can teach communications professionals a lot about the absurdity of white collar office politics and positioning. The players mimic characteristics of every office in America and that fact is probably why the series has been nominated for multiple Emmy awards. We know these characters all too well because we work with them everyday. No one is exempt from the hilarious nature of our ‘work behavior’.
Without saying, as the leader of a public relations firm, I believe it is my duty to communicate effectively with our firm’s clients. Often overlooked, and perhaps most important, is communicating effectively internally. I learned internal communication while playing basketball growing up. From time to time, a teammate would do something silly that would cause an individual or an entire team to put that person on ‘freeze out’, also known as not passing the ball to a certain person because of conflict from an unrelated incident. The result of these shenanigans was never positive. Usually we lost games (think Shaq v. Kobe). In professional life, just like basketball, there is no room for ‘professional freeze-outs’ due to personality conflicts, perceived slights, or lack of courtesy.
A few tips to communications professionals who need to look in the mirror before doling out advice to the client base:
Reward teamwork. When a group collaborates well, be sure to make a big deal of it.
Remove cancer. If bad blood surfaces, find it and cut it out. Fast.
Be open. If there are issues, they are best handled by addressing them and not allowing them to fester.
Compromise. It’s the essence of life.
