looking from a different perspective

1. Public Relations (PR) A client perspective

2. Public Relations in an organisation Public Relations comes to the fore whenever An organisation feels the need for an interface With its ‘Publics” i.e. Target Audience

3. When does an organisation hire a PR Agency When the client organisation lacks the resources in terms of competence, resources etc Does not have adequate understanding of the functioning of the media When they feel they need a neutral and an objective view

4. When does an organisation hire a PR Agency To maintain objectivity To meet and face crunch situations and deadlines To undertake image correction exercise

5. What role a PR Agency is expected to perform A mouthpiece Someone to take-over the ‘Hot Seat’ Becoming the ‘fall’ guy for the client to the media and to the internal audience of the organisation To work as a so-called ‘Spin-Doctor’

6. Issues uppermost in a client’s mind about its PR Agency Cost.. always.. however low you quote Credibility of the PR Agency.. even after appointing them after several rounds of grueling interviews and ‘pitch’ Like blame it on “Rio”, in corporate ethos, blame it on the ‘Agency’ for any guff-up in Communications

7. What the PR Agency does Always prepare a complex plan for a simple communications solution Work with the organisation like an outsider and treat the client with disdain suspecting the clients ability to understand the issues and advising the client sitting at a perch Always fighting with the client on ‘non-issues’ as simply put the Agency always fails to understand the real issue

8. What makes the Agency tick Travelling Business Class Submitting the bill at beginning of the month and receiving the payment with in a week Turning down most of the client –ideas as non-executable Populating end of the month plan review with ‘missed opportunities’ because of lack of client cooperation

9. It takes two to tango Despite all such follies clients still appoints PR Agencies because it takes two to tango * made in lighter vain