FINANCIAL PUBLIC RELATIONS By Yushau A. Shuaib

Reputation Management

Home
Foreward by Prof. Jerry Gana
Preface by Senator J. M. Kuye
Introduction
Financial Environment
Public Finance
Financial Institutions
Public Relations Concepts
Financial Public Relations
Marketing Concepts
Advertising and Integrated Communication
In-House and Consultancy
Target Publics
Research in PR
Budgeting in PR
Planning in PR
Regulating Financial Information
Getting Started and PR Unit
Basic Functions
Requirement for Media Event
Annual Events
Publications
Social Responsibility
Information Technology
Reputation Management
Crises Management
Media of FPR
Corporate Identification
Building Brand
Membership of Professional Bodies
Conduct and Ethical Standards
Conclusion
Appendix NIPR Code
Appendix II: IPR Code
Appendix III: PRSA Code
Appendix IV: IPRA Code
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Contributions and Reviews

REPUTATION MANAGEMENT

 

Reputation management is a new slogan in the corporate imaging of private companies that pursue excellence in their drive to promote the uniqueness of their positions as leaders in their fields. Some have even designated Reputation Manager as the officer to be responsible for the promotion and protection of their image in the eyes of the public.

 

According to Ian Wright, President Institute of Public Relations (IPR), London, the reputation asset evolved over time as a result of consistent excellent performance of organisations. Reputation is a value judgment about company’s attributes involving esteem, credibility, loyalty and trust. Just like other basic principles of public relations, it is not addressing a new thing, but reinstating the success and positive contributions of staff, operations and services, which the firms offer to the society. Ian Wright listed the competitive edge of reputation to include its attempt to reduce barriers to competition, open new markets and  attract the best recruit, so as to supply the chain and business partners. It also enhances access to capital and investors, creates a premium value for products and services and also protects the business in times of crisis.     

 

No company strives to fail or lose out in business. All the attributes that negate the essence of prestige and eminence are curbed. From recruitment of competent staff to the retrenchment of redundant and in-effective ones, the organisation requires extensive and strategic image building. By this, a company maintains loyalty, security and trust. It tries never to betray public trust and confidence. It maintains and sustains strong cultures and good financial results. It also achieves production targets and boosts its corporate social responsibility.

 

Reputation management also involves all the ingredients of effective public relations campaigns. Further effort is made at projecting the stand and brand of the company at every business opportunity. It reinforces this by effective communication with the general public, more especially, the targeted stakeholders. It also creates dialogue to meet and exceed expectations by accurately reporting the activities and direction of the business strategy, so that confidence is built up and reputation is fostered and nurtured. A company reputation is a license of its market confidence. The involvement of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) and the First City Monument Bank in the Global System for Mobile Telecommunication (GSM) no doubt has the confidence of the public due to their established enviable reputation in financial management.

 

Four groups make up the target of the corporate reputation of a company. They are the Management, the Employees, the Brand and the Community.

 

Management

In a big organisation, which has a household reputation, its management, from the chief executive to the manager, should inculcate mature and cultured habit, which should be acceptable norms. In addition, being reputable, social and enlighten high-flyer in the business, their names and experiences can further enhanced the existing corporate profile. It is when there is confidence in the management that the investors are ever willing to contribute their fund. It may not be surprising that organisations seek for the best brains who have human relations with ability to represent and boost the organisation’s image in any event. The names alone, apart from accomplished career and enviable credentials of the top shot, the regulatory bodies are rest assured of the security and stability of the firm to stand on its own in the economy with full confidence.

 

Brand

Brand is the name or trademark used to identify a product by its makers. It is the output of a company’s initiatives, creativity and operation, which allows the company’s image to be judged by its services and products. The brand should be so attractive that it should receive the admiration of the potential customers, the shareholders and distributors. After all, it is the brand, which is the visible manifestation of the company that provides the wealth and profit on which the company survives in the competitive market. Brand building involves a lot of creativity, ingenuity in the packaging and the message that goes with such as its values, design and promotional jingles. It may not be simply produced, but it entails painstaking research, and the use of mass-communication through appropriate mass media for expected mass response, which results to its mass production to satisfy the mass of its consumers. Therefore, brand building should be sustained in such a way that it engenders more loyalty.

 

Employees Relations

Another important aspect of the corporate reputation is the way the firm carries its employees along.  As the ambassador of the company, the workforce’s disposition and perception may be judged by the public and rate the organisation accordingly. Some organisations earn public confidence not merely from their welfare packages and job security, but by the kind of orientation the employees receive in public and human relations. Some are even impressed by the mode of dressing; and how the employees carry themselves in public. Effective employee relations is desirable in projecting the image of the firm to the outside world. Training and retraining on ethical standard, code of conduct and professionalism for the employees are assets that pay a great dividend to the reputation of the firm in the public court. This is achievable by communicating directly with them through their supervisors and by providing incentives to make them have sense of belonging and feel as being members of the family. A firm that treats its employees shabbily would soon realise that its image is at stake, if they resort to blackmail and revolt against the firm. No matter the financial position, the employee should always be adequately informed on any development, which may have adverse effects. They may give their best and stand with the organisation once they are treated well. The benefits of employee relations include, among other things, an improved performance, improved safety, improved quality products and customer service, and efficiency at work.

 

It is when there is communication gap between the management and the employees that the latter express resentment, mistrust, as well as anger, and in extreme cases, revolt as seen in the face-off between one of the leading banks and the Nigeria Labour Congress, over the formers policy on unionism and recruitment exercise. The consequences of such misdemeanors by the management are usually industrial actions, which do not augur well for any firm. Certain method should be adopted, if the organisation intends to downsize. This could be by way of well-packaged and tempting severance gratuity, so that the agony of disengagements would not be seriously felt by the victims. A justifiable reason should be proffered for any action that may be otherwise detrimental to the employees.

 

Community Relations

To gain the community support, the operators in a given environment must contribute to the socio-economic development of their host community and/or communities otherwise called catchments area. The reputation of the company in the community is seen by the leaders on the number of people it employs among them. A number of community-based programmes can be undertaken in areas of education, health, training in skill acquisition, donations, construction and appreciation of their cultural norms and values. Construction of Classrooms, dispensaries and the sponsorship of indigent students of the community are now very popular as some forms of community relation’s projects undertaken by companies. Julius Berger Nig Plc, the construction giant, the Bank of the North, First Bank, Union Bank and major oil companies, are few examples noted for their contributions and sponsorship of programmes in their host communities.

 

Above all, communication is essential in effective community relations so that whenever there is any turn of events, the community leader will be willing to render support and defend the company that has been a good guest.

You may reach the author at yashuaib@yahoo.com or visit another related website: yashuaib.tripod.com/writing