Communications as Ikor

Y2k의 PR적인 문제접근  < ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

기업을 둘러싼 문제라는 게 어디 간단한게 있겠습니까 마는 이 Y2k문제 처럼 복잡한게 없을 것 같습니다. 전형적인 위기관리 프로그램이 요구되는 문제이면서도 또 거의 예측되다시피한 위기 아닌 위기에 무감각해진 기업은 미처 PR적인 대책은 세우지 않는 경우가 참 많습니다.

 

위기가 발생하건 안하건 우리는 Y2K에 대하여 우리 기업 주변의 공중들과 이야기를 나누어야 합니다. 어떠한 메세지를 준비중이십니까?

 

오늘의 글은 미국 캘리포니아에서 Y2K관련 PR서비스를 제공하는 한 에이젼시의 부사장님이 쓰신 글이랍니다. 전문가이시겠지요..

 

사회 전체가 얽히고 설키며, 복잡 다단한 문제(위기)가 동시다발적으로 일어난다면, 모든 관련 기업들이 “침묵”을 지키고 “복지부동”하는 것이 그러한 위기시의 “손자병법”이 될수 있을겁니다. 괜히 튀는 기업이 총맞는 사례가 생길수 있으니까..

 

그러나, Y2K의 또 다른 두려움은 법적인 문제입니다. 만약 미디어나 관련 공중들에게 우리 기업(IT서비스)이 Y2K에 관련하여 문제 투성이인 “괴수”로 새해 첫날 낙인이 찍혔을때..(원하건 원하지 안컨 간에..) 그 이후에 벌어지는 관련 업체들의 법적 소송과 사회적 지탄을 감당할수있는 기업은 태평할 수 있겠지요.

 

많이들 겪어 보셨겠지만, 사회적 지탄의 방향과 대상은 한 순간에 결정됩니다.

삼풍이 무너졌을 때, 수많은 손가락들이 서로를 향했고, 곧 대부분의 손가락이 삼풍 회장에게 몰린것을 기억하시지요. 초기 대응이 중요하지요..

 

많은 인력들이 올해의 마지막 저녁에 사무실에서 뜬눈으로 밤을 지새운다고 합니다. 이 Y2K때문에..그러나 아마 그 인력의 대부분은 IT인력일 껍니다. 만약 그 “외골수”들이신 IT인력들께서 기자의 인터뷰 요청을 받는다고 생각해 보십시오. 아마 새해 아침 신문들이 화려해 질껍니다. 많은 “따옴표”들이 등장 하겠지요.. 이런 상황을 막기 위해서는 IT인력들에 비례한 적정한 인원의 언론관계 담당자들이 같이 밤새움을 하는 것이 좋을 껍니다.

 

일단 현재 문건으로나, 깊이 발전된 Y2K계획이 없으신 기업분들은 아래에서 추천하는 것과 같이 모든 상황에 대한 예상 시나리오를 머리에다 그리시고, 그와 관련된 목표 공중 집단을 파악 해내십시오.. 그후 그들에게 전달할 적절한 메세지를 “KEY CONCEPT”이라도 좋으니 개발해 놓으시기 바랍니다.

 

좀더 능동적이고 적극적인 PR적 대응을 도모하기 위해 올해의 마지막 날들을 불살라버립시다. (사실 저도 개인적으로 새해 첫날을 사무실에서 대기하며 지새워야 하는 입장에 있답니다..같이 밤샙시다.. 들!!)

 

아무튼 Y2K를 논하고 기업을 걱정하며 나아가서는 우리의 목표 공중들을 생각하는 우리가 바로 애국시민이 아닌가 하는 생각이 갑자기 드네요..이상하게..

 

아무튼 모두가 새해를 즐겁게 맞았으면 좋겠습니다.

오늘도 홍보!!

———————————————————————

Y2K Poses PR Problems As Well As Legal, Technical Problems

 

Will the bite of the Millennium bug be lethal to your business or will it just itch a little? There are those who believe the built-in computer glitch coming at the century’s close will create relatively benign problems like perfume ads running on football games or Nintendo games that don’t work. Others warn of planes falling out of the sky, worldwide financial collapse and other calamities.

 

The experts can’t help you. Some computer geeks are terrified, like the consultant so certain the bug will bring down the U.S. government that he’s moved to Mexico. Others are far more sanguine, like the group that ran a test simulation of the January 1, 2000 environment and found to its relief that operations were unaffected;until the researchers tried to leave and discovered that their confused computer had locked them in their offices.

 

Given this uncertainty and the fear of the unknown it can inspire, it’s not surprising that most companies who are doing anything about Year 2000 (“Y2K”) issues are focusing on technology, spending huge amounts of money to get “in compliance,” which is Y2K-speak for fixing the problem. Others, perhaps too dazed by the whole bewildering subject, are doing nothing.

 

At most companies, there are no plans, no strategies, no talking points, no Q&As to take credit or provide explanations when the clock turns to “OO.”

 

No matter what happens when the bug bites, sooner or later every company is going to have to answer to their customers, their partners, their vendors and the media about what they are or are not doing  and afterwards, what they did or did not do  in response to the problem.

 

Responsible journalists keep raising the Y2K issue, with major American newspapers such as the New York Times, Seattle Times and Washington Post already devoting considerable time and energy to covering the story. Others, in print and electronic media, are jumping on the bandwagon with regularity. And the media heat is only now beginning to boil. By late 1999, it will be scalding.

 

So what is business doing to address the inevitable Y2K questions? Nothing.

 

At many companies, there are no communications plans, no strategies, no talking points, no Q&As. Even some of the companies most determined to beat the bug don’t have communications plans in place to take credit or provide explanations when the clock turns to “OO.”

 

So what should an effective Y2K communication plan look like? Here’s a formula:

 

Step One: Comply.

 

Address the Y2K problem. It will not go away. When the millennial dust settles, you want to be in a position to take credit or at least be able to say you did all you could. Your first communications action should be to understand where your company is in the Y2K process and how your industry and your specific business objectives may be impacted: Audit your company; Audit your clients or customers; Audit your vendors or suppliers.

 

Step Two: Who Are Your Audiences and When Should You Talk to Them?

 

Determine who needs to know what your actions are regarding Y2K, internally and externally. Some may be more important to communicate to before the end of the century (customers, for example) and some after (analysts, perhaps): directors; shareholders; managers; employees; customers; suppliers; vendors; wholesalers; retailers; analysts; government officials; consultants; data processing services.

 

Step Three: Be Prepared

 

Another communications concern is preparing for the eventuality of a crisis. Analyze and draft communications responses (talking points, Q&As, authorized spokespeople, etc.) in case the guy who moved to Mexico is right, and you must confront: Damaged reputation; lost sales; strained business relationships; bruised public image.

 

You might also encounter legal liability in a variety of ways and you must have a communications response. Legal wrangling may take the form of: lawsuits between users of software and companies hired to correct the Y2K problem; lawsuits involving insurance coverage for costs resulting from Y2K problems; a variety of derivative suits in connection with disclosure and performance issues relating to Y2K problems; lawsuits over responsibility for data-related problems between companies that have addressed the Y2K problem and those that have not.

 

How a business or institution handles Y2K issues has the potential of serving as a representative example of how it handles major issues in general. That’s a good news/bad news message: if you pass the Y2K test with flying colors, you have much to be justifiably vocal about. If you don’t, you had better be prepared to explain why or your reputation could be severely tarnished.

 

They say an astounding $600 billion is being spent worldwide to beat the bug because so many companies know that the cost of doing nothing could be incalculable. The same is true for strategic communications.

 

Editorial writers may be forgiven for not being able to predict the effect of the Y2K bug on the post-Millennium world. But it doesn’t take a crystal ball to know that these writers will not forgive major companies and government agencies that did not do an adequate job of informing their constituents and customers of essential information.

 

And where blistering coverage blazes a path of blame, the lawyers are never far behind.