RECAP Example -- Case 3.3

Ima Jayhawk
RECAP ­ Case 3.3
September 13, 2005

What research was used to identify problems, opportunities, solutions, and values?

Research conducted by SBC and Fleishman-Hillard showed the dramatic scope of SBC's challenge, both in terms of customer loss and employee awareness. SBC had lost more than 1 million phone lines in the Midwest. An employee survey showed that more than one-third didn't fully understand the threat of customer loss. Almost half the employees didn't know about new, competitively priced SBC services, and more than one-third didn't know what they could do to help the company succeed in the increasingly competitive business environment.

After the campaign, Fleishman-Hillard and SBC conducted survey research to see if the campaign had met its objectives.

Did research identify key publics? Did the research identify each public's stake?

  Primary publics:

SBC Midwestern region employees ­ Fleishman-Hillard's research showed that a lack of awareness among SBC employees constituted a threat to the company's continued success. Rather than treat employees as one uniform group, however, Fleishman-Hillard divided them into three groups, based on the resources each group could contribute to solving the problem:

• senior leaders, who could deliver messages and lead by example,
• front-line supervisors, who could coach employees who dealt directly with customers
• network technicians, who had 30,000 daily contacts with customers ­ but who previously had not engaged in sales efforts

Ultimately, every employee in SBC's Midwestern region was part of the target public for this campaign.

Did the plan clearly articulate desired outcomes?

The goal of the plan was to retain and attract customers by turning SBC Midwestern employees into ambassadors. The plan had three objectives, with varying degrees of measurability:

• reverse the trend of customer losses by the end of 2002 by improving customer service

• increase awareness of SBC's new competitive environment to more than 75 percent of SBC employees

• motivate employees to increase SBC's customer base

SBC's plan ­ titled "Take a Stand" ­ had three phases, and each phase had a name that articulated the key message for that portion of the campaign. Phase One was "Take a Stand: Our Future Is on the Line." Phase Two was "Take a Stand: Deliver Infinite Service." And Phase Three was "Take a Stand: Supervisor Workshops." Phase Three was designed to show supervisors how to continue the successes that, ideally, Phase One and Phase Two would achieve.

In essence, the clear messages of the SBC campaign were, first, to describe the nature and scope of the problem; second, to explain the solutions; and, third, to integrate the new solutions into SBC's corporate culture.

During communication, were appropriate media and tactics used?

Phase One tactics: Employees received individual mailings about SBC's new services and why, given the new economic realities, those services had to succeed. The company delivered the same information through its intranet and through meetings with supervisors. Employees received laminated cards with the new services as well as handouts they could give to potential customers. The variety of tactics with the same message seemed appropriate, particularly in light of the later results.

Phase Two tactics: Senior SBC leaders held large rallies for employees. Smaller pep talks, led by supervisors, followed the rallies. SBC also created a toll-free number that employees could call for solutions to any delays in delivering customer service. As noted below, Chapter Three specifies the importance of face-to-face communication with employees.

Phase Three tactics: SBC continued the toll-free number and sponsored continuing workshops for supervisors to help them make permanent the Take a Stand philosophy and to help them brainstorm ways to keep employees informed and motivated. SBC management required unit leaders to submit regular reports detailed their own Take a Stand plans and progress. Again, the face-to-face meetings seemed appropriate, as did the regular reports, which helped integrate the program into routine management procedures.

Were campaign actions and messages consistent with previously identified values?

Many of SBC's tactics relied on face-to-face meetings with supervisors and leaders, which Chapter Three (p. 36) notes is a favored tactic among employees. Also, by speaking to employees with unprecedented candor about the financial future of SBC, the company's leaders no doubt appealed to the traditional employee values of continued employment and financial security. Perhaps such candor also communicated respect for employees and faith in their ability to help turn the company around.

The tactics also appealed to a key value of the company's leadership: They wanted SBC employees to understand the magnitude of the threat and the employees' role in helping to turn the tide of customer losses.

To what degree was the campaign successful?

Survey research showed that the number of employees who gained understanding of the economic threat rose to 79 percent, exceeding the 75 percent objective. The number of employees who understood SBC's new services jumped to 83 percent. Employees extensively used the toll-free number, particularly after the large rallies, and almost two-thirds reported discussing SBC's new offerings with friends and family members. Nearly half said they had referred new or returning customers to the marketing department for potential additional services.

SBC's evaluation research did show that some aspects of the campaign could have been implemented with greater efficiency and effectiveness. One supervisor said she needed more time to communicate with unit managers to involve them to a greater extent.

However, the SBC / Fleishman-Hillard campaign was so successful that it won a Silver Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America.

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Updated May 25, 2005