RHetoric

BP’s PR problem isn’t a PR problem… it’s an unstoppable gushing well problem. However that hasn’t stopped some crisis PR “experts” from rushing to the media to offer their opinions on what BP should be doing differently to enhance its image. Hey, it’s good exposure for the PR experts, I’ll give them that.

But frankly the image problem is the effect; while the cause is the non-stop, gusher under the Gulf. Until that hole is plugged, no amount of PR advice can really plug BP’s PR nightmare.

PR professionals commenting on this crisis should first acknowledge this is the underlying cause of BP’s PR problem, then dispense advice in this context.  If they did, they would be doing a much needed service for the entire PR industry, which sometimes gets a bad rap for vacuous spin.

So now for the two-bit PR advice to BP.  First, plug the well - obviously.  But in the meantime, have a script.  Sending the CEO or chairman in front of the cameras in the middle of a crisis without a carefully prepared and vetted script is madness.  Had the CEO said, “I want my life back” in a media training session first, the comment would have never made it to prime time.  Likewise, BP’s chairman should have memorized a carefully crafted script before walking out of a White House meeting and talking to the press corps - a script that would not have referred to Gulf residents as “small.”

It’s a good lesson for anyone in corporate America.  When a crisis hits, it is absolutely critical to prepare before stepping in front of the camera.  A single unintentional comment can throw off all good intentions.  And all good intentions are meaningless if the underlying problem - in this case the blown well - are unresolved.

Twisted Pair Solutions - wiring you ask? Actually, maker of WAVE software - the industry's leading Radio-over-IP (RoIP) platform for integrating disparate radio systems and other communications technologies and applications into a single, manageable standards-based solution. What does this mean? Let me tell you.

When all of the world is dependent upon communications interoperability - unfortunately too much emphasis is placed on what you can "see" and "touch" - hardware!

And so disparate technologies have forced different cultures. Teams have settled to work within their own jurisdictions, operating on their own islands of operability.

But nine years after 911 and billions of dollars spent bridging the communications divide, how is it so that neighbors are still incapable of interoperating with each others' older, newer or different technology? The fact is three fold:

1. It's hard to teach an old dog, new tricks. New communications budgets are set - and decision makers grab a radio catalog and get to work. It's not fun to buy software. It's outside of a comfort zone. And, it doesn't pump up a work force the way a shiny new radio will. However, it is the future - it works in ways hardware can't.

2. There is a general lack of understanding - even education - about the software over hardware message. Put simply, regardless of how many new radios you add to your legacy arsenal - no matter how many upgrades you make, it won't all work together seamlessly. Software is the missing link. Software unifies communications.

3. No one likes to plan. Buyers get money - and it burns their leg. Pressure is put on them to address any litany of issues and disasters - through new products, upgrades etc. Money is spent instead on "what" people communicate with instead of "how" communications barriers are broken. The result is a big box of bandaids - instead of an investment in the advancement of better communication.

So keep this in mind, while you may not get warm fuzzies about software, it is peace of mind for those heading into a building when everyone's running out - that they are indeed receiving every message that matters. And, as new decision makers replace old - and digital natives replace digital immigrants, software will be an obvious choice (and hey may even BE the plan - after all, with software that unifies communications, you have to worry less about what hardware works together or doesn’t - right?).

So I ask you to follow us: @TalkwithWAVE, spread the word and until next time, stay tuned (like a Mobile Communicator for BlackBerry*)!

*Mobile Communicator for BlackBerry is Twisted Pair Solutions’ newest upgrade to WAVE - a first-of-its-kind carrier agnostic push-to-talk application that turns ordinary smartphones into two-way radios!

Last night I watched the State of the Union address and thought about how our firm has been impacted by the events of the past year.  Without going on any political tangents, I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised at how we fared this past year, and am optimistic that this year is shaping up to be a great one.

Our business has definitely benefited from the spending in Washington, mostly because our clients either sell to the government, or their markets are heavily influenced by government spending.  This is exemplified by two clients, Onvia and GCI. Both these businesses have positioned themselves to benefit from the stimulus bill (ARRA).  For Onvia, itlaunched recovery.org, a web site tracking the distribution of stimulus dollars.  For GCI, it applied for and won a grant/loan to build terrestrial broadband in rural Alaska.

So on this day I can report that the State of Our Business is strong and we are very optimistic for things to come.  We have new projects in the pipeline and are looking to bring on two new employees.

I am still have my fingers crossed that the recovery continues in its current path, while keeping an eye toward growth and success in 2010.