Creating a Communication Strategy
When a commercial airliner disappears in mid-flight, the airline has difficulties trying to describe what transpired to the mainstream press, the general public, and the family members and companions of the travelers onboard. There is also a slew of conspiracy concepts about what occurred to the aircraft. At this point, no one knows what is appropriate to say or not say. Nevertheless, efficacious and timely information sharing is critical when such an event occurs. The purpose of this article is to examine a fictitious scenario in which World-Wide Airlines (WWA) Flight 979 mysteriously vanishes without formal communication to the general populace. The aircraft A380 had 598 travelers from more than 12 countries, and an airline steward. As the airline’s Vice President of Communication, I possess great accountability to notify the diversified individuals of the general public from various nations concerning the event and the activities that we, as an airline corporation, have put in place to guarantee their companions, members of the family, and business associates can be retrieved in a safe manner.
Briefly discuss your biggest responsibility and to whom. Why?
In such horrific situations, my objective is to maintain the victims’ family members and companions updated on the whereabouts of their dear ones. If there is no correspondence from the airline corporation, these groups would panic and begin to grieve, believing that the unthinkable has occurred to their people. In this role, I should communicate every reality we have concerning Flight 979 to the mainstream press via media updates and press meetings so that it can reach the general population all over the universe. The first impressions of individuals who are concerned about the whereabouts of their dear ones are essential. Maintaining them notified would enable them to breath a groan of respite and remain optimistic that everything would work out. Effectual general populace conversation has an implicit but positive influence on the firm’s public image. The corporation would not wish individuals who lost dear ones to direct their rage, anxiousness, and anguish at the company because of how the incident was managed.
What do you say to a global audience who is shocked and horrified by what is happening?
Speaking to the mainstream press, as well as relatives and companions of the assumed victims, is not routine. Increased sentimental strain and anxiety must be factored into the information exchange to ensure that everyone is satisfied with the report. As the firm’s executive director of communications, I comprehend that the corporation’s reputation must be preserved while the general populace acquires all essential data. As a consequence, I will notify the mainstream press and the general population that the corporation is undertaking every measure to discover the aircraft. I will guarantee the individuals that the firm have received no pessimistic updates thus far, and that it has deferred information exchange to guarantee that it has accurate answers for the rest of the universe. I will also inform them of every difficulty we may encounter in reestablishing connection with the aircraft, as well as what we are undertaking to overcome those difficulties. Lastly, it is critical to reassure the general public and the mainstream press that the firm will maintain a consistent flow of data until the problem is clearly settled.
Define three distinct and varied audiences and how you will choose what aspects to focus on with each.
- Corporate affiliates from New York
Several well-entrenched business joint ventures may have lost several of their staff members during the disaster. If these corporate affiliates were on a work trip to Singapore, those who remained in New York may have been cognizant of the firm’s strategies to settle the issue. If the corporate affiliates do not sustain the disaster, the corporation ‘s activities may face monetary and institutional consequences.
- Members of the family
When members of the family and friends of people expected to show up in Singapore from New York find that their dear ones have not arrived, they may be in a state of chaos and frustration. My obligation to such a collective is to inspire them to stay powerful and optimistic that nothing bad has occurred to them. I’ll inform them that the aircraft most likely made an emergency landing at another airbase and that it’ll only be a matter of days before we learn everybody is safe.
French acquaintances
Since the Airbus corporation is centered in France, companions of the victims and the wider populace want to understand what transpired to Flight 979, an Aircraft A380, since they frequently use related planes to make long journeys around the universe. I’d like to reassure you that Aircraft A380 remains one of the safest locations; the sole problem is that we haven’t been capable of communicating with Plane 979 for several hours.
State your overriding purpose for your ongoing outreach and the focus for each audience.
Passenger safety is critical in the aviation industrial sector because it affects revenues and public image (Cobb & Primo, 2004). In this scenario, I must perform outreach to safeguard our firm’s public image and revenue growth while also assisting family members, companions, and other individuals who have been explicitly or implicitly impacted by the aircraft tragedy. Federal government agencies and representatives remain to utilize air travel because they believe it is the safest means of transport.
Discuss how to create and maintain credibility based on your communication style and emotional intelligence.
To efficiently communicate, I will use interpersonal communication abilities such as paying attention to the general populace and mainstream press considerations and queries, as well as certainty through assuring nonverbal cues (Sinha & Sinha, 2007). The entire globe intends to see that the scenario does not yet overburden us and that we continue to wish for the best in the case of Flight 797. I will regulate my emotional responses while still demonstrating compassion and self-consciousness to guarantee that the family members and companions of Flight 979 victims know we are worried about their fate.
Explain the channels you will use to contact people.
TV newscasts, personal letters, and social networks will be the greatest efficacious means of reaching out to and informing individuals about the event. TV news broadcasts would bring individuals from all over the universe, irrespective of vocation, through “Breaking News” (Sharp et al., 2009). Broadcast television will be the greatest appropriate means for distributing data as the scenario progresses. Personal letters to the travelers would illustrate our collaborative efforts and concern. The use of formal channels on social networks will prevent the spread of counterfeit news about the event.
Conclusion
This paper examines a fictitious situation in which World-Wide Airlines (WWA) Flight 979 mysteriously vanishes with no formal communication to the general populace. As the vice president of communication in the airline, it is my responsibility to inform the general population regarding the incident and the measures the firm is undertaking to ensure the victims are safely retrieved. Some of the audiences involved in this report include family members, corporate affiliates, and French acquittances. In order to efficaciously communicate to these audiences, I will utilize effective interpersonal abilities such as responding to queries and paying attention to the public. Furthermore, TV newscasts, personal letters, and social networks channels will be effective in reaching the general population. This would assist in delivering the actual information as well as demonstrate that the airline has a great concern for the victims. Thus, selecting the appropriate audience and channel ensures effective information delivery.
References
International Air Transport Association. (2020). Crisis communication and reputation management in the digital age: A guide to best practice for the aviation industry.
Cobb, R. W., & Primo, D. M. (2004). The plain truth: Airline crashes, the media, and transportation policy. Brookings Institution Press.
Sharp, B., Beal, V., & Collins, M. (2009). Television: Back to the future. Journal of Advertising Research, 49(2), 211-219.
Sinha, S., & Sinha, D. (2007). Emotional intelligence and effective communication. Management Communication: Trends & Strategies, 450-460.
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