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Lenox Lizwi Mhlanga

As a thought leader in public relations, the most common question that I have to address at this time of the year is, “What should we watch for in 2019?”

I must admit that it does put me in a spot somewhat. Why? Because I am expected to be a prophet of sorts and look into a crystal ball. In our fast changing world in which the news cycle is now 24/7, that becomes a tall order, but I can try!

Recently, I wrote an article on why it is important for company executives to have a certain degree of ‘emotional intelligence’ to guide the way they make decisions.

It was related to the emotional impact the sudden hiking of prices of basic commodities on ordinary consumers in Zimbabwe.

Such moves might make economic sense, though I felt it was rather knee-jerk. Yet it was bound to have a devastating effect on customer loyalty and trust. We are still picking up some pieces of reputations shattered during that ‘moment of madness.’ Shockingly, some pharmacies don’t seem to relent!

For any organisation planning for the New Year, the importance of media relations cannot be overemphasised.

The media has over the past year grown in influence as regards customer sentiment. The coming in of social media has made that area of public relations, even more difficult to manage. It’s become a different ball game out there.

Social media is now a tool in the hands of the customer to call out shoddy service or sub-standard goods. Not only is it immediate and ‘in-your-face,’ it’s also contagiously viral.

However, with all the threats that this new and growing phenomenon embodies, earned media continues to hold the sway, particularly when fake news and unverified stories can contaminate the pond.

I agree that trust in media is at an all-time low because, among others, of polarisation and political influence. The credibility of the traditional media has always relied on its being a platform for third-party endorsement of what could easily have been marketing speaking about products and services companies produce.

For any business, it is the potential of direct attacks via social media they should be prepared for in 2019. Why? Because my feeling is that public scrutiny of corporate behaviour will be relentless. There are two things to watch out for here; the accessibility to more and precise information by consumers and, the anticipated entrance of new, tried and tested players in the local economy.

It’s already happening, and very fast. A number of local companies are being ‘reconfigured’ after the removal of indigenisation restrictions. The Government is also commercialising and selling off State enterprises and parastatals that are seen as excess baggage.

A lot of foreign suitors are showing interest, spelling an end to the extended protectionist honeymoon local entities have been enjoying.

The dumping of Statutory Instrument 122 of 2017 that restricted the import of certain goods is another case in point.

That is sure to whet our appetite for imported goods in 2019, opening the gates for highly competitive goods. That leaves local offerings to shape up or go the way of the Dodo.

Corporate arrogance, a direct consequence of unrestrained monopolies, will hopefully be put to rest. We have noted how big corporates have more or less ignored the glare of social media on their wayward conduct. Well, that attention will not go away any time soon and our cries for sanity may be rewarded.

This is the time for organisations to prepare for any eventuality. They say that defence is the best offence. Pro-actively protecting one’s reputation and image by doing the right thing is advisable.

“Having clear policies about what your company’s brand and image should be is a proven way of ensuring that all public communication about your company remains genuine, reliable and consistent,” advises Jeremy Sutter, formerly at Adobe Inc.

As part of corporate culture, having a formal social media policy in place for employees covering what they can and can’t post publicly about their work and the company. This should also cover the kind of behaviour expected of them on those platforms.

Secondly, constantly monitoring what your customers are saying about your company and actively responding to their complaints and enquiries is key. Social listening allows an organisation to follow sentiment.

This is in addition to actively having a conversation via engaging feedback shows.The greatest threat to an organisation’s reputation is a customer who is left hanging high and dry.

Trust and goodwill towards your brand is the result of genuinely empathetic engagement with customers. It might sound frivolous or even tedious, yet it’s worth a great deal of investment infinancial and human resources.

The upside of soliciting and harvesting reviews from happy customers is turning round your blunders into victories worth sharing.

Last but certainly not least, make sure that companies should ensure compliance. Quite a number are going for quality standards certification of their products, services and processes. This is a sure way of earning the confidence of customers in an increasingly competitive market. Ensuring that the organisation is in full compliance with all Government, municipal and environmental regulations, is a proven way of avoiding costly revelations and lawsuits.

When it comes to protecting the reputation and image of an organisation, you can’t be said to be too prepared.

By proactively taking charge of a company’s standing, one can ensure that they are never caught by surprise, and that they are the ones in control. Added to that, it engenders trust and goodwill from the people who matter for survival, those are, employees and the customers.