Jamie Hanton

Doing some course reading (Grunig & Grunig, 1992) and found that there is actually an historical basis for the depiction of PR and Comms practitioners as emergents of the dark side.

Edward L. Bernays, pioneering PR man and nephew of Sigmund Freud believed “that humans were manipulable, as evidenced by the success of Nazi propagandists at the time of World War II” (Grunig and Grunig, 1992). But, never fear, Bernays had his head on a swivel, he knew that there was manipluation for good and manipulation for evil. Selling, as history has made abundantly clear, fell into Bernay’s ‘good’ basket.

Tags: PR, The Dark Side

Sigh. I’m having conniptions about flux. Well, not really but I’d like to be. It doesn’t throw me into a spinning torrent of rage or anger. In reality, I’d like flux to be a bit more like conniption really. Nuanced, complex, multi-syllabic. Perhaps they could change definitions for the day. Just to see how it goes.

Flux is an intriguing concept and its package is fascinating-guttural. But perhaps it is a force too blunt for such an elegant term. If it borrowed conniption’s definition it would make such an angry word, “I’m in such a FLUX right now!”

The example from the dictionary,

“The casting choice gave the writers a conniption.” Wow. Those are some strung-out, pent-up writers. But let’s play substitute.

“The writers had an awful flux with the casting choice.” Now the writers sound angry AND thoughtful.

Something to ponder anyway.

Tags: Conniption, Flux, Language Lust

“Our plan was to make things easier for you but it didn’t quite go to plan. So, we have made some changes.”

Thus goes the beginning of Vodafone’s letter of apology in regard to their online billing scheme. Really, the plan fell flat because Vodafone weren’t actually trying to make things easier for the customer, nor were they trying to help the environment as they claimed in their initial letter to customers explaining the move away from paper statements to online statements. It was of course a cost-cutting exercise. And everybody knows what happens when you cut costs for your own ends. The customer loses.

The first month seemed to go well enough; I received my text bill, and the money slipped out of my account without any hitches. However, in the middle of the second month I found that my bank account was $200 worse off. Why? My Vodafone bill. No text, no paper statement, nothing. Just some awful now-you-see-it-now-you-don’t magic trick. Vodafone have a contractual obligation to inform their customers of their upcoming bill in case there is a dispute. A courtesy which I didn’t receive.

Now Vodafone are offering three different billing options including the original paper statement jobby, a PDF attachment to an email and the current online billing nightmare. They are even promising to call everyone to discuss which options works best for the customer. Now how about that! Thinking about the customer, way to go Vodafone. How bout that two-way communication. Mr Grunig would be proud.

I’ll leave you with the last words of the letter from David Gutteridge of Vodafone’s Consumer Marketing dept,

“Finally, we would like to say sorry for any trouble this may have caused you.”

If only there was ONE worthy telecoms company. Sigh.

Tags: Apology, Customer Service, Vodafone