Saturday morning. Spoiled lettuce. Reputation Management.
Gate to Plate originated to foster connections around the food plate. As much as I love agriculture, I become frustrated by our lack of empathy with those not in our business. I’ve enjoyed many conversations with Mark Gale about this and asked him to write this guest post. Mark is president of Charleston|Orwig, a 65-person strategic communications agency that works extensively in the ag and food industries. The company provides expertise in Reputation Management and Integrated Marketing. I’ve seen them care deeply about causes related to the agrifood business when no one was paying them to care. Mark is proud to be on the founding board of The AgChat Foundation – and I’m thankful to call him a friend of agriculture. ~Michele
Much of what anyone needs to know about reputation management was taught to me on a Saturday morning while I was still in high school. I was working in the produce section of a local grocery store when an irate customer came storming in brandishing a split head of iceberg lettuce with a decidedly brown core.
As she launched into an attack, I took a step back and stammered. Fortunately, my manager, Scotty, swooped in.
“Ma’am, I am so sorry,” he said, immediately disarming her. “We should never sell something that’s spoiled.”
He then gently took the lettuce from her and examined it as she continued her rant, but with decidedly less zeal.
“You’re right,” Scotty said looking her in the eyes and then responding to her complaint. “This is a terrible inconvenience. You shouldn’t have to come here twice to buy something.”
With that, he handed me the bad head and took her to the lettuce bin saying, “Let’s find you a new one right now.”
Scotty examined several heads, telling her how he chose perfect lettuce. Within seconds, she was helping him look. They agreed on a replacement, and then he exhibited another bit of customer-focused brilliance by picking a second to give her. She actually started to smile.
“Now are you done shopping?” he asked. “Because I’ll walk up to the checkout with you to pass these through.”
Wow, pretty darn good.
Of course many of those who criticize agriculture, farmers and food production brandish more than spoiled lettuce. Their full-on assaults are often backed with questionable facts, surreptitious videos and downright falsehoods.
Regardless, it is critical to remember that my “lettuce lady” represents the majority of consumers—frustrated people who have already assumed the worst.
Many Americans see and hear bad things about agriculture—animal welfare abuses, horror stories about genetically modified crops, exaggerated “facts” about herbicide or insecticide use and so on.
Industry responses are often predictable, factual answers, usually formulated well in advance.
Rarely, however, does the industry listen and acknowledge.
My advice on reputation management (crisis communications is different) is to take a page from Scotty the produce manager:
- Yes, I understand that (whatever the issue) is a very real concern. (Usual response, “You are wrong but don’t realize it.”)
- Let me look carefully at the points you raise. (Usual response, “We already know the answer.”)
- It is our responsibility to make certain you never have to worry about these things negatively affecting you, the environment or our world. (Usual response, “There is not a problem.”)
- Let’s discuss whatever might be concerning you. (Usual response, “Let me tell you—nicely—why you are wrong.”)
- I (the industry) accept responsibility for making it right. (Usual response, “This is an isolated incident or exaggerated concern.”)
If it’s not what we want to hear, we don’t listen. Then, we shake our heads and wonder why the public is so quick to believe those on the radical fringe. It’s time to engage in a genuine and heartfelt discussion with consumers.
~Guest Post by Mark Gale
9 Comments
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Great post and so very true!
Wonderful commentary on the issue of outreach and “pubic relations” from the personal standpoint. It’s interesting, in that farmers are now taking accountability for their own reputations. Because of that, it’s valuable to note how important dialogue like this is.
You can’t sit and tell a frustrated customer (consumer) how wrong they are, how mislead their fears are. Instead, positive engagement is key.
Great post, Michele!
Thanks, but the credit goes to Mark Gale. Thought he did a great job!
While it is true that farmers need to take responsibility for their own public relations and reputation management forays (something my business focuses on because there truly is lack of designated and organized people to do this for us – we don’t have specific departments like corporations do to take care of this for us), it also needs to go the other way: consumers need to be concerned, questioning and willing to learn. When 2% of the population produce food for the other 98% – the majority of whom are at least a few generations removed from the farm or even a rural lifestyle – it is easy to lose focus on what farming really is and how it’s done. I realize, of course, that US agriculture is very different from Canada, but no matter where, farmers produce what consumers are demanding. Brown lettuce aside (that was just a natural degradation process and no one’s fault really), the more consumers tell food processors and huge agri-food conglomerates that what they want is fresh, local food with minimal pesticides, hormones, etc AND accept the fact that this may mean a few scabs on apples, a few crooked carrots it will be win-win for everyone! Loved the analogy and real experience used in the post and I most certainly love the approach of Cause Matters; I’ve read just about everything on the site!
April M. Stewart, CPRS
Alba Nova Publications SENC – Montreal, Quebec
Hi April: Thanks for the comments. Believe it or not, my story is not an analogy. It really happened to me working for Kohl’s food store (then owned by Senator Herb Kohl (before he was elected), his father and brother) in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
I totally agree that consumers have a role to play here. Each side of this debate could benefit from doing a better job of listening.
Mark
Mark,
Nicely put, and relevant to non-food issues, too. The key is to be sincere; lacking sincerity, one can come across as paternal (or is it paternalistic?), which can fuel the flames.
Carrie
Carrie: Famous advertising guy (was it Leo Burnett?) is reported to have kept a card in his wallet that he looked at whenever a client disagreed. It said, “He might be right.” (They were all men back then.)
That doesn’t mean you always agree (or that the other party is right) but it is a good way to make sure one listen’s before responding.
Mark,
I wish more people would see this. At the end of the day, people don’t necessarily remember what they started griping to you about, but they remember how you handled it. Acknowledging the “customer” and their feelings has to be done almost immediately!
[…] Saturday Morning. Spoiled Lettuce. Reputation Management […]