Effectiveness of Communication - Essay Example

Introduction This paper is dealing with a case study analysis in which the effectiveness of communication is analyzed. This paper includes the impactof communication to the intended public. This paper also shows how information could be more effectively communicated to the public. The different communication tools that were be used to motivate and influence the public in this case study have been discussed. These are clearly elaborated in this paper. The benefits and the risks of using these tools are also discussed in this paper. It also gives the alternatives that could have been used in this case. It shows the use of technology in organizational communication. Communication Communication is a very important tool in any set up. It is even more important in the business world. For a business organization to be successful, the manager has to use very effective communication strategies. This is in relation to every person in the organization. The business environment calls for a high level of effectiveness in the communication. 1 When communication is rightly used in an organization it can motivate the employees. However when it is wrongly used it will always demoralize the workers. This is the internal communication. Organizations also need to communicate to the public. This is referred to external communication. Through this it can create a positive or a negative public image. Effectiveness of communication When this case study is evaluated, there was some effective communication to the public. This is shown when the plant was open to the media. Analysis shows that the quality assurance manager was also available to the press. What Madeira did in this case was very effective. The public affairs department that was appointed was very effective. This is because in this department there were specialists who responded to the media inquiries. They provided regular updates of facts and developments that were going on. There was effective communication through video news releases because they educated the public. The use of audiotapes and press releases was very effective in this case. Customers could easily access information by use of charts, and the diagrams provided by the Pepsi public affairs department. The photos that were internally and externally distributed were effective in giving the visual aid of the production process. Very effective communication was done through the use of the 24-hour toll hotlines. Through this the public questions were answered. This really helped in getting the public’s comment on the issue. Through this the monitoring of the public was effectively done. The legal department also helped in effective communication to the public. There was also communication to the public by the manufacturing experts. This was effective communication because the general public was able to understand the processes that are carried out in the organization. This included the filling line process of the Pepsi Company. 2 Identification of different publics involved There are different publics that are involved in this case study. There are the customers of the Pepsi drink. They are the ones that bought the drinks and also brought in complain to the Pepsi Company. This complains involved finding foreign bodies in the drinks. The foreign bodies included needle syringes. The other public is the employees in the Pepsi Company. They include the quality assurance manager, those in charge of the public affairs department and also in the consumer relations department. There is the Pepsi Company Vice President of the Public affairs Becky Madeira who played a big role in the problem solving process. The other employees are the manufacturing experts and the sales and marketing personnel. There is the news media that is used in this case study. This includes the local television station KIRO, Seattle times and the national broadcast media. The Milwaukee journal among others were used in this case study. The other public is the local Pepsi –Cola bottlers. Impact of the communication on the intended public Communication by the FDA concerning pouring the drink into glasses first helped the public not to consume the drink in case they had foreign material. Initially Pepsi Company was not explaining how the foreign matter got in the drinks. This really had an impact on the customer loyalty. Many customers shunned from buying the soft drinks. This is because many customers assumed that the problem was with the manufacturing process of the drink. With time there was effective explanation of the problem and this led to customers regaining their loyalty on the product. 3 Better communication techniques Since the situation was very widespread Pepsi Company should have used the Television media to explain the situation and the alleged problems. The communication tools that they used on reached a small audience. There could have been effective communication if the television media was used in the initial stages to explain and also to seek public help since this was not an internal problem but external. PR Communication tools that were used Local television station In this case study a local television station called KIRO aired a report of this incident. This really influenced the customers in such a way that many of them shunned away from buying the Pepsi drink. National broadcasting media was also used as a communication tool. Newspapers The Seattle times was used to show the reports of the public finding needles and syringes in the Pepsi drinking. This also influenced the customers negatively that they changed their loyalty to other competitor products. The Los Angeles Times was used to give reports on needles found in the cans. This was a negative influence on the customers. 4 Interviews In this case study interviews were carried out between the public and the Company’s employee. This helped in motivating the customers to be loyal to the product. Journal The Milwaukee journal was used as a communication tool. This really influenced the customers negatively since the reporter said that she found needle in Pepsi can. The Wall Street Journal showed the Weatherup interview. The interview explained that no evidence was found that the foreign bodies were put in the manufacturing process. This helped the customers gain some confidence in the company. Report There were reports of customers finding foreign bodies like needles in Pepsi cans. This influenced the public negatively. Video, audio tapes, press releases, charts and photos The public affairs department in Pepsi Company used these. They really helped in educating and informing the public about the company and the processes therein. Telephone This was used by the public to communicate to the consumer relations in the Company and vice versa. This helped in motivating the customers. Other tools that I could use In this case study, Pepsi as a company did not make use of the television as a media. The Television stations really aired the public complains against this company. I would have also used this media to explain the situation to the public. This would have restored the public confidence faster than what happened because it would reach a wider audience. I would also have made use of the Internet by opening giving the public the company’s website. The customers could easily access the website and get first hand information. 5 How new technology would impact New technology if it was used in the initial stages it would have helped in solving the problem very fast than what happened. The use of the Internet would have helped a lot. Customers would give information and also the company could respond by mailing and hence fast problem solving. The in store surveillance camera could have been used at the initial stages in cooperation to other new technologies both externally and internally. (Armour, 2000) Conclusion In this case study I must give credit where it is due by commending Pepsi Company and its employees. The communication tools that were used really helped a lot. This company however was not so efficient on its timing in the problem solving. The incorporation of new technology in the initial stages of the conflict would have helped a great deal. References Allweyer, T. (1998): Modell basiertes Wissens management. IM Information Management; 13(1):37-45 Armour, P. (2000): The case for a new business model; Communications of the ACM; 43(8):19-22 Read More