Communicative: Seeing How Public Relations Works in Crisis Situations
There are times when a company goes through a crisis with skewed coverage. All cases that affect the company’s image will certainly give rise to a certain crisis. In this crisis situation, Public Relations work is very important to save the good name of the company.
In a series of Communikita discussion events hosted by Nadia Wasta Utami, Lecturer in Communication Sciences at the Islamic University of Indonesia, this time (@ November 1, 2020) presented Dr. Ayu Cornelia, a founder of the PR and Marketing Communication Agency, one of the Yogyakarta Cultural Council.
In an effort to save the company’s image, PR does not only act in times of crisis. The task of PR, said Ayu Cornelia, was previously Marketing Communication at the Hyatt Hotel, not only during a crisis. “Homework is not a firefighter,” said Cornelia.
She statedd that PR must also establish relationships with many parties. All jobs in all lines of the company he should know. He also has to establish relationships with journalists and even the head of journalists. Apart from having to maintain weekly and monthly activities or events to maintain positive company news, PT must also maintain media relations. “Not only in times of crisis, but in every event. Even just saying Eid, Easter, or Christmas,” said Cornelia, who since graduating from her doctorate, has started an agency under her name Cornelia and Co.
“During my 7 years at Hyatt there were 5 to 6 crises. Alhamdulillah, the name Hyatt was not always written in the newspapers, at most it was written as ‘five star hotel in North Jogja’,” said Cornelia.
PR is about how to build a relationship with all parties. So a PR is required to have a low profile but high content. “PR is about maintaining relationships, not just contacting relationships if we need to knock!” said Cornelia.
When a crisis occurs, keep only one voice out of the company. A maximum of two people can talk to the CEO and PR, “we have to communicate with all internally, ‘guys, if there are questions from journalists, only the leader and I can answer them.’ Don’t have mysticism between us,” Ayu explained.
