Common-Sense Communications

At a recent industry meeting several months back, I was asked to participate in a session about crisis management, and how PCOs and their employees should communicate to customers and the media in the face of embarrassing, negative or otherwise incriminating events. If any of you have heard a talk by Dr. Fred Whitford of Purdue University, then you know this session was quite informative and entertaining, to say the least.

Throughout the interactive presentation, attendees were asked how they would respond to customers when asked such questions as, “Are the products you use safe?” or “Is it OK for you to treat my home while my wife is pregnant?” And, needless to say, a few of the attendees were caught off-guard when Dr. Whitford, in no uncertain terms, told them and the rest of the group, that their responses were dead-wrong. Then he proceeded to recite an appropriate response. The questions became more and more difficult, until they involved the situation of a possible overuse of pesticide that made people and/or pets sick. More PCOs were stumped by Whitford’s line of questioning in these crises.

But what interested me most about the program was that so many PCOs still appeared to have a profound mistrust of the media. I learned this after being asked to role-play as a TV news reporter interviewing a pest control operator in a situation involving a chemical spill. Of course, a few PCOs were also asked to role-play and respond as they would if the situation happened to them.

It should have come as no surprise that, after the prior events of the presentation, when asked questions about the spill, practically all the PCOs had the same thing to say to the press: “No comment.” Considering all the embarrassment, or worse, they might otherwise have faced in responding, it’s no wonder so many PCOs took the easy way out to avoid saying anything that could be twisted around or used against them.

But I now wonder why more PCOs don’t feel comfortable stepping up to the plate in situations like this. Unfortunately, in some cases, the media can and do manipulate responses to make the interviewee look bad. But I would bet they’re more likely to do this when the answer is “no comment.” In most cases, they’re simply working to protect the interests of the community’s citizens; people like you and me who watch the news and want to know what’s going on around us. Therefore, a well-prepared, educated and forthcoming response is what the public deserves, especially when delivered by someone who has the fortitude to do it. Besides, in this industry of professionals, there is absolutely nothing to hide.

Also, this month don’t miss the event program for the PCT Dialogue ’98 Business & Technology Conference, which is inserted in this issue of PCT. In it you’ll find conference details and highlights for this premier event, to be held Feb. 1-4 in beautiful San Diego. In addition to a complete conference schedule, the program features information on Dialogue ’98 speakers, special events, travel and hotel accommodations, and registration. And if you have any questions, feel free to call PCT’s Fran Franzak or Jeff Fenner at 800/456-0707 for more details.