Public relations is mainly about relationship building and image building. Last time during the classes i always remember lecturers saying:" when PR person go out for an event, we represent the company..."
In fact, what we do, say, behave is really crucial when a normal human being named Leven (my name) suddenly turn to become a PR person in Alpha Platform PR agency.
I experienced it by myself through an incident happened recently.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was a fine morning when all the juniors and interns are assign to update our media list. All interns are supervised by their juniors and works will be divided by them to us. I had a short conversation with my leader Ms A and i got to know i am doing updating for lifestyle magazine, newspaper lifestyle section and lifestyle tv program.
When i about to start, the whole group leader at large (leader of the update project) Ms N suddenly call every interns to the meeting room. In her speech she taught us when to call journalist and how to acquire the information we want, for instance we should not call after 12pm because all the journalists will be busy then bla bla bla...
so we got out from the room with an impression to call journalist....
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The next day, we start updating. I did my calling according the list. From Cosmopolitan Malaysia to FHM to Marie Claire, it was smooth and nice. Most of the journalist or front desk person actually entertain me with a pleasant voice. I thought i am safe...
Suddenly i reach this magazine called Mdm Chair. It is a magazine under government-affiliated media groups. The whole group of them is inside one building and they produced like 3 newspaper and 20+ magazines. My list shown me the contact person named Mr Hisham.So I just called like normal to the front desk and asked to reconfirm the chief editor whether is Mr Hisham.
The front desk doesn't get to know what i want clearly so they keep on transferring the line to some newsroom.
"Hello, is it front desk, can i confirm with you some information regarding magazine Mdn Chair?"
"Hello, is it Mdn Chair? May i know is Mr Hisham still there in the office?"
"Hello, is the journalist of Mdn Chair? Is Hisham...?"
"Hello, So can u help me answering the question whether Mr Hisham is still...?"
I repeated "Mr Hisham" for at least 3,4 times. I noticed the ladyboss' face of my company suddenly turn black. She looked at me with a fierce glance...
After i got off that call, she ordered all the intern to stop everything we do and go to her office.
She asked us with a serious tone
"WHO in the earth that ask your guys to call?"
We were like "what... is Ms N"
"Ok, even if you have to call. Can you please use some logic to perform the update. Who in the earth will call to Airasia and ask whether the CEO is Tonny Fernandes?"
"But" i said. "I thought we just read the names out from the list."
"Ok. eventhough you are saying it out from the list. But the way you guys say it is so unprofessional. Just now i heard what leven said, he called a person and asked 'Is hisham still the chief editor in your company?' What is that? its like you are asking whether the person has got fired!!"
"And do you know who is Hisham? He is the chief editor for the whole NST group (the government-link media company name). If he knows Alpha Platform PR calls to him and asks such question, he will call us and scold at our boss right away!"
I was seriously has no idea who is Hisham although i read newspaper everyday. But when she mentioned its the NST group boss, i shocked and realised how serious mistake i did.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The next day we all are stopped from calling outside anymore, only the juniors now can do it.
And only by then the juniors told us- Now the government is in transition. The current PM is going out soon and new PM will swear in. By that time he is defitely going to change all the man of top position in NST group according to his favorite. So now those chief editor in NST group will be worry whether he will got replaced soon.
If we now calling them, and even speak to them asking whether they are still in the position. First, it's impolite. Second, they will doubt if we know somehting that they dont. These will cause the our company a lot of troubles..
We are numbed. As we know sometimes a simple thing can makes all the people fury.
Especially PR is the agent between peoples, this seems to be even crucial of what we say.
Image needed for a company forever, so does PR company.
I learnt from my mistake.
No comments:
Post a Comment