AT&T Missing "You"
AT&T customer communication about Hurricane Ian is missing the customer—particularly “you.” Students could rewrite these bad-news (and persuasive) messages to address customers directly. The “you attitude,” or focus on the audience, would convey more empathy, give residents more confidence in the company, and make reading easier.
AT&T’s Hurricane Ian webpage is odd. The beginning doesn’t have a defined audience, so it’s likely written for anyone who might be interested in the company’s work to restore power. Most sentences start with “we,” “our,” or “FirstNet.” Company leaders also seem proud of their vehicles: four photos in the middle of the page include a link to “download” each.
The next section, with black text on a blue background, is titled, “Supporting Our Customers.” Updates include fees waived and other customer benefits. But students can easily revise paragraphs like this one to make them more audience-focused:
As Hurricane Ian moves through additional states, we are assisting our wireless customers who may be impacted by the storm. To do this, we’re waiving talk, text and data overage charges for AT&T Postpaid & PREPAID customers with billing addresses in zip codes* across areas in Georgia and South Carolina from September 29, 2022 through October 8, 2022.
Recalibrating Our Personal vs. Professional Lives
Two opinion articles provide opposing arguments about how much of our personal life we should share in professional settings. I encourage some vulnerability and authenticity, including revealing personal information about ourselves at work—within reason. Most employees want coworkers to share more, and authenticity correlates positively with “job satisfaction, in-role performance, and work engagement.” At the same time, people need to decide how much and when to share, considering the context, for example, the work environment and their coworkers.
Here are the two recent articles as examples, and students will find more on the subject:
NY Times opinion, ”Do Not Bring Your ‘Whole Self’ to Work”
WSJ opinion, “Returning to the Office? Let’s Keep the Line Between Work and Home Blurry”
Overreliance on Annual Performance Reviews
Before and during the pandemic, several companies stopped doing annual employee reviews, but many have brought back the practice. Reports show that slowed hiring and increased layoffs are causing more pressure for employees to perform; managers want more ways to track and document performance. Without reviews, managers could appear to have lax standards, failing to hold employees accountable for outcomes.
The annual documentation, meeting, and goal-setting are not the real problems. Managers are uncomfortable giving feedback and rely only on once-a-year conversations. Employees need to know, ongoing, how their performance measures up to expectations so they have a chance to improve. When done well, annual reviews are a summary of what employees already know about where they stand. Ongoing feedback encourages self-accountability, holding oneself accountable without relying on external approval.
A Bloomberg Businessweek article (with simplistic, nonparallel charts) offers alternatives to the annual review, which could supplement the annual meeting. The recommendations are in line with good business communication: check in regularly, encourage the employee to reflect, focus on the future instead of the past, collect multiple opinions, etc.
Victoria's Secret Admits "Toxic Culture"
A song has challenged Victoria’s Secret in a way I haven’t seen since “United Breaks Guitars.” Already struggling because of changing customer preferences, a Hulu documentary, and leadership ties to Jeffrey Epstein, the brand responded to try to repair its reputation.
Jax wrote the song for the girl she babysits, and now it’s 50 on Billboard’s Hot 100 songs. Viewed more than 30 million times, “Victoria’s Secret” speaks to young people about unrealistic body images. Jax demonstrates vulnerability by talking about her own struggles, including how she “stopped eating.” She wrote lyrics the company couldn’t ignore: “I know Victoria's secret / And girl, you wouldn't believe / She's an old man who lives in Ohio / Making money off of girls like me.”
The company responded with two statements. The first, an Instagram post, is a clever handwritten note from the CEO, complimenting the song and promising to do better. The second, below, is a spokesperson’s statement, which illustrates a classic crisis communication strategy: distancing yourself from the issue. Referring to the past, the writer remind us how far Victoria’s Secret has come. In my view, the company demonstrates some accountability but could offer more compassion.
For her part, Jax demonstrates integrity in her video response. She focuses on her intent, which wasn’t to “take down a brand,” and she invites others to share their stories.
We’ll see how Victoria’s Secret fares in the end. Some believe the brand hasn’t changed enough or took too long to be more inclusive of different body types. Regardless, the situation and response are good crisis communication and character examples.
At Victoria's Secret, we make no excuses for the past. We know the old VS lost touch with many people, projected a damaging standard of beauty, and perpetuated a toxic culture.
Today, we are proud to be a different company, with a new leadership team and mission to welcome, celebrate, and champion all women. We have made much progress, but recognize this transformation is a journey, and our work continues to become the Victoria’s Secret our customers and associates deserve — where everyone feels seen, respected, and valued.
We’re always open to engage with those looking to share feedback as we continue our transformation.
Should Students Change Their Names for the Job Search?
A new working paper confirms and expands what we know about discrimination in the job search. Applicants with names that are difficult to pronounce are less likely to be called for interviews and may suffer career loss down the road. The researchers describe related studies about racial bias: within minority groups, which already face discrimination, those with less “fluent or familiar-sounding names” are 50% less likely than those with “white” names to get called for an interview.
Students make difficult decisions about whether to change their names or “whiten” their resumes in other ways. In Chapter 13 of Business Communication and Character (11e), we explore the advantages, such as more callbacks for jobs, and the disadvantages. Understandably, students may want to keep their given name, which they feel is an important part of their identity. They also may resist because of moral reasons or because of concerns that, even if they get the job, they might not feel as tough they belong. Chalice Randazzo’s Business and Professional Communication Quarterly article, “A Framework for Résumé Decisions: Comparing Applicants’ and Employers’ Reasons,” offers useful guidance for all resume decisions.
Of course, the real onus is on employers to reduce bias by changing attitudes and hiring practices, for example, with blind hiring. In the meantime, students bear the brunt of a discriminatory system.
Uber's Response to Hack
What sounds like a major security breach is getting minimal response from Uber so far. A hacker, possibly 18 years old, apparently posed as a colleague to get IT access through an employee. An embarrassment to the company, the breach could include “full access to the cloud-based systems where Uber stores sensitive customer and financial data.” But Uber communications are trying to minimize the impact.
Three days after the breach, the only message I can find is a “Security Update,” copied below, on Uber’s Newsroom page. Company leaders are likely scrambling to lock down and protect information, but more communication is important. Criticism is harsh because of how easily the hacker appears to have duped an employee through social engineering and because of the unfortunate timing: Uber’s former chief security officer is currently on trial for paying hackers $100,000 to avoid disclosing a breach back in 2016.
The communication and situation are challenging, but people are watching and waiting, as we see in these tweets. This situation raises issues of several character dimensions, for example, accountability, humility, integrity, and courage. With more transparency, the company might be less vulnerable now, not more, as the leaders might fear.
September 16, 10:30am PT
While our investigation and response efforts are ongoing, here is a further update on yesterday’s incident:
We have no evidence that the incident involved access to sensitive user data (like trip history).
All of our services including Uber, Uber Eats, Uber Freight, and the Uber Driver app are operational.
As we shared yesterday, we have notified law enforcement.
Internal software tools that we took down as a precaution yesterday are coming back online this morning.
September 15, 6:25pm PT
We are currently responding to a cybersecurity incident. We are in touch with law enforcement and will post additional updates here as they become available.
Patagonia Letter with Indirect Structure
Using an indirect structure, Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard wrote an open letter to explain his decision to transfer company ownership to two trusts. One trust is controlled by the family and another, which will have 98% of the stock, is controlled by Holdfast Collective, an organization dedicated to the environment. With these entities, Yvon Chouinard maintains control of the company but donates all profits not reinvested in the company.
Chouinard’s letter illustrates a positive message and demonstrates character, particularly compassion, humility, and integrity. Although the move could be viewed as a marketing ploy, Patagonia’s leadership has a history of taking ethical stances despite the impact on profits; for example, the company has donated 1% of all sales and 100% of sales on Black Friday.
The letter does not follow typical business communication principles, particularly, putting main points up front. Chouinard starts with his personal view, explains options he considered, and then describes the new ownership arrangement. Business communication students can analyze whether this structure works, given the purpose and audience. My view is that it generally works. The letter is short and emphasizes emotional appeal rather than logical argument. If this were written to employees, they might read the beginning and worry about their future. But the audience is the public, who probably already heard the news, so the letter serves more as an explanation than an announcement.
Columbia’s Ranking, Data, and Communication Issues
The news of Columbia University’s tumble in college rankings from 2 to 18 offers business communication lessons for reporting data—and for persuasive arguments. In February 2022, Professor of Mathematics Michael Thaddeus identified discrepancies in how the Columbia reported data for U.S. News’s annual list. His analysis resulted in a persuasive argument with the following main points summarized in the introduction:
In sections 2 through 5, we examine some of the numerical data on students and faculty reported by Columbia to U.S. News—undergraduate class size, percentage of faculty with terminal degrees, percentage of faculty who are full-time, and student-faculty ratio—and compare them with figures computed by other means, drawing on information made public by Columbia elsewhere. In each case, we find discrepancies, sometimes quite large, and always in Columbia’s favor, between the two sets of figures.
In section 6, we consider the financial data underpinning the U.S. News Financial Resources subscore. It is largely based on instructional expenditures, but, as we show, Columbia’s stated instructional expenditures are implausibly large and include a substantial portion of the $1.2 billion that its medical center spends annually on patient care.
Finally, in section 7, we turn to graduation rates and the other “outcome measures” which account for more than one-third of the overall U.S. News ranking. We show that Columbia’s performance on some, perhaps even most, of these measures would plunge if its many transfer students were included.
New reports about Columbia’s fall credit Thaddeus’s analysis. The argument serves as an excellent example for our students, who might also explore their own views about the college rankings. In addition to data integrity, Thaddeus questions the value of these rankings and the influence they have on students’ college choice.
Students can also analyze the university’s response. In a statement posted on September 9, Provost Mary Boyce admitted, “we had previously relied on outdated and/or incorrect methodologies.” She also expressed “regret”:
The Columbia undergraduate experience is and always has been centered around small classes taught by highly accomplished faculty. That fact is unchanged. But anything less than complete accuracy in the data that we report—regardless of the size or the reason—is inconsistent with the standards of excellence to which Columbia holds itself. We deeply regret the deficiencies in our prior reporting and are committed to doing better.
The statement is more about future plans, for example, participating in the Common Data Set initiative, than about acknowledging wrongdoing. A fuller apology, including the impact of the inaccuracies and posted earlier than just days before rankings were published, would have demonstrated more humility and integrity.
New McKinsey Report with Charts
Business Communication and Character always includes a McKinsey report as a positive example, and the latest report about attrition and hiring doesn’t disappoint. Posted on the website without a fee, the report starts with a clear heading:
People keep quitting at record levels, yet companies are still trying to attract and retain them the same old ways. New research identifies five types of workers that employers can reach to fill jobs.
Main points are interspersed throughout the report in blue text, and descriptive headings with background images provide clear section divisions. The report is logical and easy to read, starting with the reasons for “The Great Renegotiation” or “The Great Attrition” (renamed from the “The Great Resignation” in previous news reports). Next, readers learn about “five personas”—types of workers and how to target each for employment.
As I always enjoy in McKinsey reports, the charts are clear, visually appealing, and varied. This report uses a simple color scheme and charts as they should be used: to interpret data and provide a lot of information at-a-glance.
Overall, this is a good example for our business communication students to follow.
The King's Speech
Although not a business presentation, King Charles III’s first address after Queen Elizabeth’s passing teaches communication lessons. His objectives are to pay deep respects to his mother, while reassuring the British citizens (and the world) by establishing his leadership.
Although, news reports show people “shocked” by the Queen’s death, this time was inevitable, and The King had plenty of time to prepare. He tackles difficult subjects, for example, the family split, in expected fashion—by alluding to them without addressing them directly. Another example is the extraordinary inflation that Britain has suffered. He mentioned “charities and issues for which I care so deeply” that will now be taken up by the new Prince of Wales.
The Guardian identifies a few examples of “expressions of open emotion.” One was “I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas.” The couple’s leaving royal life after experiencing racist comments from the family has been painful and a public scandal. Other examples follow, as The Guardian reports:
“I count on the loving help of my darling wife, Camilla” and finished with an emotional sign off to his “darling Mama” when he wished: “May ‘flights of angels sing thee to thy rest’,” a quote from the ending of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
From an American perspective—and other cultures—the speech may be considered flat. He is sitting and reading from a script, and his pace is slow and deliberate. But the speech is certainly appropriate for the difficult situation that the King faces, just one day after a new Prime Minister shook hands with the beloved Queen.
Bed Bath & Beyond Statement About CFO Suicide
A leader’s death by suicide is particularly difficult to communicate. Bed Bath & Beyond, with an interim CEO and already suffering from declining sales, profits, and stock price (despite a temporary run-up by Reddit), faced news of the CFO’s dramatic death. Sadly, Gustavo Arnal jumped from his apartment building in Manhattan two days after an investor presentation about the company’s strategy to further cut jobs and close stores. Hired two years ago, Arnal was recently accused, with another executive, of artificially inflating the stock price before selling about $1.4 million worth of shares, which was pre-planned.
What is appropriate to say in such a situation? News articles took one sentence from the company’s statement: “The entire Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. organization is profoundly saddened by this shocking loss.” The entire statement is below and does what it needs to do: express condolences and respect to his family and recognize his career and his value to the company.
As a bad-news message, the main point is right up front. Appropriately, the writers demonstrate compassion and integrity: the statement does not mention the cause of death or the pending litigation.
UPDATE: A Wall Street Journal article describes the incredible stress that Arnal was under, working 18-hour days. Before the long weekend, he had requested a break, which was in discussion.
Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. Mourns the Loss of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Gustavo Arnal
UNION, N.J., Sept. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBY) today announced that Gustavo Arnal, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, passed away on September 2, 2022. The entire Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. organization is profoundly saddened by this shocking loss.
"I wish to extend our sincerest condolences to Gustavo's family. Gustavo will be remembered by all he worked with for his leadership, talent and stewardship of our Company. I am proud to have been his colleague, and he will be truly missed by all of us at Bed Bath & Beyond and everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him," said Harriet Edelman, Independent Chair of the Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. Board of Directors. "Our focus is on supporting his family and his team and our thoughts are with them during this sad and difficult time. Please join us in respecting the family's privacy."
Mr. Arnal joined Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. in May 2020 following a distinguished global career in finance at Avon, Walgreens Boots Alliance, and Procter & Gamble. At Bed Bath & Beyond Inc., Mr. Arnal was instrumental in guiding the organization throughout the coronavirus pandemic, transforming the Company's financial foundation and building a strong and talented team. He was also an esteemed colleague in the financial community.
U.S. DOT Airline Dashboard
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) created what it calls a “dashboard” for passengers to know what to expect when their flight is delayed or cancelled. This work results from ongoing debate about airlines’ responsibility, particularly given the many issues travelers have experienced since the pandemic. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has pushed the airlines to offer at least free meals for 3-hour or longer delays and free hotel stays when passengers need to wait at an airport.
Although some airlines say they already offered these accommodations, DOT Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg said this is about enforcement: “Now that it’s in the customer service plans, it’s not something in discretion. It’s something we can enforce. And I think this dashboard is really going to kind of raise the state-of-the-art for consumers.”
As a visual, the dashboard works well. Looking across the rows, we see clearly what to expect from each of the airlines. Categorizing the actions by cancellations (shown here) and delays makes sense from the passenger’s perspective. However, the graphic is skewed right on the page because of the left-side column.
In addition, when I hear “dashboard,” I think of a more complex, interactive spreadsheet. The only functionality seems kind-of silly. The dropdown menu at top doesn’t add value because we can just as easily scan across to see what any airline provides. Also, I’m not sure why anyone would want the ability to “keep only” or “exclude” specific items—or to see repetitive text when they mouseover the markings. Finally, I chose “view data” and got the following in a pop-up window, which communicates nothing relevant.
I would call the visual a table, matrix, or grid. But I don’t want to disregard the good news: airlines are communicating what customers can expect, can be held accountable and, in some cases, are providing better service.
RadioShack Takes Risks in New Ad Campaign
RadioShack launched a new advertising campaign that includes sexual and other questionable references. The situation is an interesting example of persuasive communication—catchy and potentially offensive.
A Wall Street Journal article describes franchisees’ mixed reactions to the approach as well as the company’s new cryptocurrency exchange platform. As the majority franchisee, Bob Wilke, president of HobbyTown Unlimited complained, “This is so damaging to their integrity, and the reputation of the brand. We just do not want to be associated with that type of marketing.”
The company follows a sad story line, with 8,000 at its prime in 1999, filing for bankruptcy in 2015 and 2017, getting acquired, and limping along with 110 stores today. Looking at RadioShack’s history, we do see a different picture from the current marketing. This Business Insider article chronicles ads from the company’s inception in 1921, when products were sold primarily through catalogs.
Abel Czupor, the new marketing head, responded to the controversy: “Every company that has lovers also has haters, but that just means that marketing is working. And I would rather have lovers and haters than not having anyone that knows about the brand.” Edgy marketing attracts attention, but it’s not always positive. Business communication students can analyze the company’s roots and progression to decide whether the current strategy might work or only drag the brand further down.
Tip Menus Increase Tips
A Stanford Business researcher found that tip menus in NYC taxi cabs increase the amount people tipped unless the suggestions are too high. Percentages offer options without having to calculate the dollar amount, which seemed to appeal to riders.
In his working paper, Kwabena Baah Donkor theorizes that “the cost of deviating from the norm tip and opting out of the default tip menu are both high relative to the taxi fare.” Typically, people choose conforming and will take the easier path. Both are reasons to select a given tip percentage, assumed to be what others do in a similar situation.
Of course, this research is useful for other tipped workers. Students might consider other applications: in what other contexts could a menu of options simplify decision making and ultimately increase revenue or further business goals?
New Text Management Tools
Finally, we’ll soon be able to mark iPhone text messages as unread in addition to pinning them to the top of the heap. Android users can mark texts as important and organize them into categories based on sender and type.
These features recognize that texts are pervasive and useful—and becoming as overwhelming as email. Businesses do provide timely, relevant information, and people are more likely to open texts than emails, often within 15 minutes, so the appeal is clear.
My concern is whether texts are replacing email as a more efficient way of communicating—or whether they are simply piling on, causing us to spend more screen time.
UPDATE: A Wall Street Journal writer suggests additional tools and, as I suggest, ways to set limits.
Arguments About Student Loan Forgiveness
Students might be interested to analyze persuasive messages about the new U.S. student loan forgiveness program. Political pundits, economists, journalists, my sister—everyone has an opinion on the plan, which the government frames as “The Biden-Harris Administration's Student Debt Relief Plan.”
Today’s Wall Street Journal editorial board op-ed argues that the plan will benefit universities, giving them permission to raise tuition further.
In a New York Times op-ed, Paul Krugman takes a broader view and considers the impact on the economy.
Students can find additional arguments—and will have their own ideas. As for all arguments, identifying logical arguments, emotional appeals, and credibility illustrates an author’s persuasive communication strategy. Students also will identify rhetorical devices, organizational approaches, and logical fallacies. For example, the WSJ article refers to “Ivory Tower progressives,” and Krugman uses questions throughout his article.
This Week’s Charts
A Wall Street Journal article includes a few simple data slides about people losing and finding jobs. The first line chart, shown here, is a good example of an at-a-glance picture of the employment rebound. The second chart, below, takes a bit longer to digest but provides more information. Both do what graphics should do: illustrate relationships of data to provide insights.
This Bloomberg image about SoftBank’s “epic losses” made me smile. I used the bank’s vague, data-less graphics as examples in Chapter 9 of Business Communication and Character. But in those SoftBank slides, one of which is below, the arrows pointed up, showing the bank’s overly optimistic view of WeWork.
Nuclear Preparedness Video Fail
A New York City video about what to do during a nuclear disaster is criticized as unhelpful and lacking context. Mayor Eric Adams approved the PSA, part of a series about how to handle emergencies, such as extreme heat and flooding. Those videos received a few hundred views, while this one garnered more than 800,000, so officials consider it a success, but the reaction is mocking.
The video narrative says, “So there’s been a nuclear attack. Don’t ask me how or why; just know that the big one has hit.” Critics say that these types of service commercials typically start with some public announcement telling us what has or could happen. Mayor Adams said that the video was planned ”after the attacks in the Ukraine, and O.E.M. took a very proactive step to say, let’s be prepared,” and he “thought it was a great idea.” But we have no introduction. We’re left to worry: is the Ukraine facility an imminent danger?
Video presentation and quality count. Oddly, the YouTube post starts with an ad for a survival food kit. Then, the 1.5-minute video offers simplistic suggestions: get inside, stay inside, and stay tuned. Experts also question the advice. As one says, “get inside” isn’t practical when your house is gone, which will be the more likely case.
This situation may be the result, as the New York Times article suggests, of using a small, inexperienced production company. I wonder whether more context and more research, including focus groups, would have helped. Regardless, this is a communication failure.
Google Employee Petition
Google employees are petitioning for the company to stop collecting abortion-related data. The concern comes after Roe v. Wade was overturned, which could put women who search for abortion services in jeopardy.
Launched in January 2021, Alphabet Workers' Union is driving the petition, now signed by more than 650 employees. The group is asking Google to refrain from turning data about searches and illegal abortions over to authorities, as Facebook did; to omit “misleading ‘pregnancy crisis centers’” in search results, including maps, which often lead to anti-abortion centers; to stop donations and lobbying entirely; and more.
As tech employee activism becomes more prevalent, employees feel more empowered to demonstrate courage. I don’t see the entire petition, but I wonder whether employees are asking for too much, particularly an end to all lobbying and political donations. A more focused, realistic request of actions that show the company’s leadership among tech companies could be more effective.
Although the petition was sent to CEO Sundar Pichai and other executives on Monday, the group hadn’t received a response by Thursday. Company leaders are called on to demonstrate integrity—transparency in communication and consistency with company principles. This is also an opportunity to lead with humility and to show a willingness to be vulnerable because this is a highly sensitive issue with no clear answers. Although a difficult situation to address, leaders must respond, particularly before the story becomes about the lack of response.
New CEO Announcement
Foot Locker announced a new president and CEO. Mary N. Dillon, an external hire, will replace Richard A. Johnson, who is retiring after about seven years in the position.
The statement is typical for a positive-news message. First is a quote from Johnson expressing his gratitude and touting the new leader:
We are confident that Mary is the ideal person to serve as Foot Locker's next CEO and lead the Company forward. Mary has established a remarkable track record in the retail industry, and she brings an incredible mix of talent, experience and commitment to take Foot Locker to the next level.
Then, a quote from Dillon shows her enthusiasm:
I am thrilled to be joining Foot Locker, an iconic company that possesses a strong set of values and focus on the customer experience as well as tremendous growth opportunities. It is clear how Foot Locker sits at the heart of the global sport and sneaker community, and I am excited to become part of the Company's team. I look forward to working closely with Dick to ensure a smooth transition, and to partnering with the Board, leadership team and nearly 50,000 team members around the world to build on Foot Locker's strong foundation and help shape the Company's future.
Next comes a quote from the new nonexecutive board chairman, Dona Young, who had been an independent director.
The statement is a bit odd in that the title and subtitle are mismatched, and the subtitle could be misread.
Regardless, the news is good: although the company doesn’t explicitly say so, Foot Locker will be one of very few public companies that have women in both top roles. Dillon will be one of about 30 women who lead S&P 500 companies.