When is an apology not an apology?
When it comes from Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, apparently. The company that pioneered mail-order DVD rentals outraged customers when rates nearly doubled for many without warning. The company lost a million subscribers, and its stock took a nose dive.
To make up for the gaff, Hastings sent an email out to members explaining that the situation was handled poorly. Oh, and by the way, he added, we'll be splitting the company in two. While Netflix would continue to offer streaming movies, a new company--the rather '90s sounding Qwikster--would be launched to handle the DVD portion of the business.
So now customers will have two accounts, two bills and two rental queues. And this was an apology? Fortunately for Hastings, Facebook came to the rescue and committed its own faux pas to help shift the focus away from Netflix's communication fail.
Big companies make big waves
Days after the Netflix apology, Facebook members logged into their accounts to find that not only had their news feeds changed, status updates were now stories, friends were now broken down into lists and a new ticker was installed to let users view their friends' every move.
The changes were intended to help Facebook fend off a challenge from Google's social networking platform, Google+. However, Facebook wasn't feeling the love from many of its users who were more than a little creeped out by the stalker-ish feel to the new ticker. Meanwhile, a whole slew of captioned photos and memes made the rounds mocking the update.
It's not what you say, it's how you say it
In the case of both Netflix and Facebook, a little bit of marketing finesse may have gone a long way to eliminating some of the public backlash against the changes. While Facebook will likely have to only be concerned with angry users and obnoxious photos, analysts argue Netflix may feel the effects of its poor communication on the bottom line. But in both instances, a little extra care from public relations experts may have helped.
Marketing and public relations specialists are the ones businesses rely upon to make sure their companies don't end up on the wrong side of consumer outrage. These professionals are responsible for creating and implementing a brand message and ensuring communications from and about the company remain positive. Overall, public relations and marketing staff members play a key role in assuring businesses are able to remain competitive. In recognition of their importance, these employees are often paid handsomely for their work.
Becoming a public relations professional
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for marketing managers and public relations specialists are on the rise. However, the money-making potential in this field means lots of competition for open positions. The BLS reports those with the right combination of education and experience will have the best shot at one of these hot jobs.
Public relations specialists may have a degree in communications or a related field such as journalism or marketing. Those planning to pursue management positions may want to consider a degree in business administration. A bachelor's degree may be sufficient for public relations specialists, but managers may have master's degrees in marketing or business. Many colleges will also arrange for internship opportunities to help business and communications majors gain real-world experience before graduation.
The BLS estimates demand for public relations specialists to jump 24 percent from 2008-2018. Meanwhile, public relations manager positions are projected to see slower growth at 13 percent during those years. However, both public relations positions should increase at rates faster than the average growth for all occupations.
In terms of income, the BLS found public relations specialists earned mean annual wages of $59,150 in 2010. Marketing managers earned mean annual wages of $122,720, and public relations managers saw average incomes of $104,390 during that same year.
PR professionals earn those big bucks, as public miscues such as those by Netflix and Facebook show. But if you're ready to be in the hot seat--and know how to apologize--a public relations career offers plenty of opportunities. After all, as long as businesses keep making blunders, public relations specialists will be needed to fix them.
When it comes from Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, apparently. The company that pioneered mail-order DVD rentals outraged customers when rates nearly doubled for many without warning. The company lost a million subscribers, and its stock took a nose dive.
To make up for the gaff, Hastings sent an email out to members explaining that the situation was handled poorly. Oh, and by the way, he added, we'll be splitting the company in two. While Netflix would continue to offer streaming movies, a new company--the rather '90s sounding Qwikster--would be launched to handle the DVD portion of the business.
So now customers will have two accounts, two bills and two rental queues. And this was an apology? Fortunately for Hastings, Facebook came to the rescue and committed its own faux pas to help shift the focus away from Netflix's communication fail.
Big companies make big waves
Days after the Netflix apology, Facebook members logged into their accounts to find that not only had their news feeds changed, status updates were now stories, friends were now broken down into lists and a new ticker was installed to let users view their friends' every move.
The changes were intended to help Facebook fend off a challenge from Google's social networking platform, Google+. However, Facebook wasn't feeling the love from many of its users who were more than a little creeped out by the stalker-ish feel to the new ticker. Meanwhile, a whole slew of captioned photos and memes made the rounds mocking the update.
It's not what you say, it's how you say it
In the case of both Netflix and Facebook, a little bit of marketing finesse may have gone a long way to eliminating some of the public backlash against the changes. While Facebook will likely have to only be concerned with angry users and obnoxious photos, analysts argue Netflix may feel the effects of its poor communication on the bottom line. But in both instances, a little extra care from public relations experts may have helped.
Marketing and public relations specialists are the ones businesses rely upon to make sure their companies don't end up on the wrong side of consumer outrage. These professionals are responsible for creating and implementing a brand message and ensuring communications from and about the company remain positive. Overall, public relations and marketing staff members play a key role in assuring businesses are able to remain competitive. In recognition of their importance, these employees are often paid handsomely for their work.
Becoming a public relations professional
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for marketing managers and public relations specialists are on the rise. However, the money-making potential in this field means lots of competition for open positions. The BLS reports those with the right combination of education and experience will have the best shot at one of these hot jobs.
Public relations specialists may have a degree in communications or a related field such as journalism or marketing. Those planning to pursue management positions may want to consider a degree in business administration. A bachelor's degree may be sufficient for public relations specialists, but managers may have master's degrees in marketing or business. Many colleges will also arrange for internship opportunities to help business and communications majors gain real-world experience before graduation.
The BLS estimates demand for public relations specialists to jump 24 percent from 2008-2018. Meanwhile, public relations manager positions are projected to see slower growth at 13 percent during those years. However, both public relations positions should increase at rates faster than the average growth for all occupations.
In terms of income, the BLS found public relations specialists earned mean annual wages of $59,150 in 2010. Marketing managers earned mean annual wages of $122,720, and public relations managers saw average incomes of $104,390 during that same year.
PR professionals earn those big bucks, as public miscues such as those by Netflix and Facebook show. But if you're ready to be in the hot seat--and know how to apologize--a public relations career offers plenty of opportunities. After all, as long as businesses keep making blunders, public relations specialists will be needed to fix them.
No comments:
Post a Comment