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Preface
Public relations can be defined as maintenance of positive press by
an organization from the internal and external public.
Barclays has its operation spread out throughout the world. Mostly
the head branch in Leeds handles its public relations. But opinions
are taken from the various PR departments in the world.
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Acknowledgement
Any accomplishment requires the effort of many people and this
work is no different. I would like to thank Prof. Gayatri Bhoir for
giving me an opportunity to make a project on PR department of a
company. I would also like to thank her for her guidance in
completion of the project.
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Index
1. Introduction…………………………….……...05
2. Corporate image……………………………….07
4. Employee relations…………………………….11
5. Consumer relation……………………………..14
7. Case Study……………………………………..25
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Introduction
Barclays is a UK-based financial services group, with a very large
international presence in Europe, USA, Africa and Asia. It is engaged
primarily in banking, investment banking and investment management. In
terms of market capitalisation, Barclays is one of the largest financial services
companies in the world.
Barclays has been involved in banking for over 300 years and operates in over
60 countries with more than 120,000 permanent employees (including 33,500
at Absa. For the year ended 31st December 2005, the group achieved a pre-tax
profit of £5,280 million, up fifteen per cent on 2004. In 2005 Barclays paid
approximately £3 billion in taxes.
1. UK Banking
2. Wealth Management
5
Businesses include:
6
Corporate Image
PR seeks to create an image and identity for the organization. It tries to
manage the reputation of the organization. Corporate image can be defined as
a set of beliefs, ideas and impressions that a person holds regarding an object
that is the organization.
The PR department aims at creating Barclays as a brand name. They want that
every individual in UK should know Barclays in such a way that whenever
they think about finance they associate it with Barclays.
They even changed the logo of the company from “fluent in finance” to “now
there’s a thought”. The reason behind this is that they want to indicate that all
the best financial solutions come from Barclays. In fact they are the initiators
of all brilliant ideas for finance.
The PR department feels that the best way to increase corporate image is
through the employees. They provide the employees with bags, stress balls,
pens key chains etc. With Barclays printed on them. In this way they not only
maintain good employee relations but also get themselves advertised.
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Social Responsibility
Barclays New Futures offers a range of awards from £500 to £20,000 for
projects that reflect the increasing focus on citizenship education. Schools and
their students have addressed a wide range of issues including:
1. Anti-bullying campaigns;
2. Improvement of basic skills through peer tutoring;
3. Student-friendly drugs education programmes; and
4. Delivering IT skills to unemployed parents.
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The teachers recognised that many pupils were depressed because of
disruption at home, which affected their academic work and the school's
atmosphere. They felt that many problems, such as low academic achievement
and youth crime, would be minimised if their home life could be improved.
Teachers and pupils have joined forces to tackle the problem with an initiative
named 'Changing Families'. Using role play, problem-solving and outdoors
activities, pupils work with each other to address their emotions about family
break-ups and the arrival of new step-parents and siblings.
Students use the issues that emerge in these sessions to create magazines with
fictional stories that encourage debate among readers. The students distribute
these magazines in doctor's surgeries, playgroups and schools.
Pupils have also developed there role-playing into powerful dramas that they
take on tour around local primary schools. They also use role-play in
workshops they run for younger children.
More radically, the students will be holding parenting classes for their parents
to try to help make them aware of the impact their actions have on them. They
are planning to create a website offering advice to parents, too.
Regional Projects
North East
East Midlands
9
Arts - Wingfield Arts
West Midlands
Disabilities - Mind
Wales
10
Employee Relations
Employee relations refers to maintenance of proper relations with employees
through proper and effective HR policies, providing proper wages and
salaries, providing good working conditions and proper working climate and
work culture in the organization.
1. Upward communication
2. Downward communication
Upward and downward communication decides how effectively information is
conveyed to the employees and feedback is taken from them.
• Skip meetings: the PR department has a skip meeting for the employee
once in every two months. A skip meeting is a meeting held between
the CEO or GM of Barclays and employee by skipping the level of their
immediate mangers. In this way if there are any grievances that the
employees have it can be conveyed to the higher authority. This makes
the employees feel valued.
• Employee survey: Barclays makes sure that each and every one of their
employees takes a survey every two months. This survey san online
survey. The employee needs to put in his staff number and rate the
company from 1-5, one being the lowest. The survey is then looked at
by the PR department and accordingly, they tackle the problems of the
employees. This survey contains 5 sections.
* The employees physical well being and if the necessary arrangements are
made to suit that of the employees.
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* The company policies and if they have particularly affected any employee in
any way.
* The team leaders and mangers performance and if they are capable leaders.
* The employees emotional well being and if he is content with the work
environment.
e.g.: in one of the branches, employees who were very discontent with the
management were creating problems. This went on to such an extent that the
employees stood outside the bank premises and started protesting. The PR
department immediately took control of this situation. The PR manager spoke
to the leader of this Cabal and promised him a position in the branch as long
as he stopped the protest.
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The PR department also has set up a volunteer today scheme, where the
employee can do some social work and get paid for every hour put in. all they
have to do is fill the form given below.
Consumer Relations
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Consumer relations can be defined as the process by which the company tries
to create, build and maintain customers over an extended period of time. It
involves all activities starting from providing quality goods or services to
building brand loyalty.
The PR department has set up 5 principles for the employees of Barclays to
follow while serving customers:
• Build pride and passion: The PR department aims at creating Barclays
as a brand name. They want their customer to feel proud that their
finances are managed by Barclays and their employees to be passionate
in the work they do.
• Understand the customers’ needs: The first thing to do to provide
excellent customer service is to understand the customer’s need and
provide the best solution.
• Deliver with speed and confidence: The PR department insists that the
service provided by Barclays is done with speed and confidence so that
they customers know that their money is in safe hands.
• Grow yourselves as well as the company’s image: By this principle the
PR department implies that while the employees are growing along
with the company, the responsibility to contribute to the growth of the
company’s image by treating the customer with kindness becomes more
important. This principle also means that the employees should
constantly enhance their knowledge so that their customers know they
are with the best in the field.
• Sow seeds of trust and reliability: The PR department believes that if
the customer trusts the bank they will spread the word as well come
back to the bank for any financial difficulties.
Besides this they also have various services for disabled customers:
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• Third party access: If the customer has a disability and would
like someone to act on his behalf to carry out day to day banking, then
Barclays offers Third Party Access facilities.
• Making life easier in-branch: The most important thing is being
able to get in the branch. Barclays currently provide wheelchair access,
lifts to upper floors and car parking in certain branches. And as part of
their commitment to continuous improvement, they have plans to
increase accessibility in more branches across the UK network.
For hearing aid users, all branches have a hearing induction loop fitted
at the counter. They also offer a portable induction loop system for
discussions that take place away from the counter or in an interview
room.
They have started catering for the needs of disabled customers in the extensive
branch refurbishment now taking place.
It's fast, secure and it's free - all the customer pays is the cost of the call
while they're online. They can look at their accounts and check their
balance anytime they like, they can pay their bills, transfer money between
their accounts, arrange an overdraft or a loan, and open an e-savings
account.
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And through Telephone Banking they can order printed statements, new
cheque books and paying-in books and get an up-to-date balance.
Whether they're partially sighted or blind, Barclays can help. Whether it's
brochures, the things relating to the customers personal accounts, such as
statements, PIN numbers and letters, or making it easier for them to sign
and pay for things. Customers can call free on 0800 400 100*, via
TextDirect if appropriate. Alternatively, they can order a brochure in
Braille, large print, audio or standard print now. They can use the online
form to order the information they require and they'll receive their item(s)
by post.
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Code of Professional Conduct
and Ethics
ETHICS
CODE OF CONDUCT
Barclays appreciates that the law and morality are not always the same. Their
decision to be involved in business is not solely based on compliance with the
law. They aim to take account of social, ethical and environmental aspects
when entering into customer and supplier relationships and in assessing
financial propositions, as well as in the treatment of our own workforce.
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we have a strict policy that we will not enter into business transactions
with any company that does not comply fully with all relevant Government
regulations and the terms of their licenses.
2. Defence Sector: The Barclays Group provides financial services to the
defence sector within a specific policy framework. We assess each
proposal on a case-by-case basis and legal compliance does not
automatically guarantee our support. The status of the exporter and the
importing/exporting country, the nature of the equipment, its likely use and
the potential for it to be on-sold are all considered as part of the assessment
process. The aim is to ensure that foreign authorities either to oppress their
own populations or to support unjustified external aggression do not use
defence exports financed by Barclays. We participate only in transactions,
which conform, as a minimum, to either the country of operation or the
UK. It is their policy not to finance trade in nuclear, chemical, biological
or other weapons of mass destruction. The policy also explicitly prohibits
financing trade in landmines or any equipment designed to be used as an
instrument of torture.
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19
Text of United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights
This Statement aims to achieve a consistent, complete and
recognizable approach to upholding human rights across the Group
that will:
1.0
Provide employees with guidance on the extent of our
Objectives responsibilities
and Contribute towards compliance with human rights
rationale legislation/standards
Support Barclay’s objective to be a leading company in terms of
corporate social responsibility.
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2.0
Where local legislation is more stringent, local requirements will
apply in addition to this Statement.
Scope of
application and Where local legislation may conflict with the Barclays policies and
intended practices contained in this Statement, we will comply with the law
audience but seek, within our spheres of influence, to raise awareness of
human rights and provide an example of good practice through our
own business conduct. Significant conflicts with this statement may
preclude certain relationships or transactions.
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impacts of the organisations, projects and activities we support.
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of complying with the spirit of human rights principles. If such a
barrier is identified it should be reported to the Brand and
Reputation Committee.
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Policies:
Our
responsibilities 1. Group Sourcing Policy
2. Group Policy on Bribery and Corruption
for purchasing
3. Group Policy on Gifts and Entertainment
and sourcing 4. Group Outsourcing Policy/Guidance
5. Group Security Policy
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We will not undertake any sourcing transaction which may conflict
with sanctions imposed by the United Nations, the European Union
or other legitimate regional bodies.
We will take the necessary steps to understand the impacts that our
business may have on the communities with which we interact,
3.5 including human rights impacts. Where there is potential for our
operations to cause human rights violations we will take whatever
action is necessary to avoid them.
Our
responsibilities We will promote civilised, stable and open society by upholding
to communities high standards of business conduct, including refraining from giving
or receiving bribes or any unauthorised payments.
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14. Raising Concerns (“Whistleblowing”) Policy
Case Study
What the PR department did to combat negative publicity?
A Barclays bank advert showing a man suffering a bad reaction to a bee sting
has been withdrawn for causing offence and distress to people with allergies.
The bank, which withdrew the advert following the complaints but before the
ASA ruling, said it was a light-hearted attempt to show people were more
likely to be arrested abroad than to change their bank account.
It showed a man's face swelling up after being stung by a bee in his drink can.
He ran to a lake to cool down, fell in the water and emerged covered in weeds
and howling in pain. As he ran to a restaurant, scaring diners with his
appearance, police shot him with a tranquiliser dart before arresting him.
More than 20 people complained they or someone they knew had nearly died
from an adverse reaction like the one shown.
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The ASA said it should not be screened again.
The industry watchdog said: "We noted that many people face the reality that
they might suffer a severe allergic reaction to a bee or wasp sting and
therefore, despite the farcical turn of events, the ad was offensive to them."
'Horrific'
Seven viewers said their children were scared by the commercial, while 12
described the advert as "horrific" and unsuitable for television without further
restrictions.
The bank donated money to the Anaphylaxis Campaign - which helps those
with life-threatening allergies - "as a gesture of goodwill".
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Barclays bee sting advert banned
A Barclays bank advert showing a
man suffering a bad reaction to a
bee sting has been withdrawn for
causing offence and distress to
people with allergies.
Nearly 100 complainants said they had been distressed because they or their
loved ones suffered from allergies.
The bank, which withdrew the advert following the complaints but before the
ASA ruling, said it was a light-hearted attempt to show people were more
likely to be arrested abroad than to change their bank account.
Despite the farcical turn of events,
It showed a man's face swelling up the ad was offensive to them
after being stung by a bee in his drink
can. ASA spokesman
He ran to a lake to cool down, fell in the water and emerged covered in weeds
and howling in pain. As he ran to a restaurant, scaring diners with his
appearance, police shot him with a tranquiliser dart before arresting him.
More than 20 people complained they or someone they knew had nearly died
from an adverse reaction like the one shown.
The industry watchdog said: "We noted that many people face the reality that
they might suffer a severe allergic reaction to a bee or wasp sting and
therefore, despite the farcical turn of events, the ad was offensive to them."
'Horrific'
28
allergy, the ASA found.
Seven viewers said their children were scared by the commercial, while 12
described the advert as "horrific" and unsuitable for television without further
restrictions.
The ASA did not uphold these complaints, or those of seven more viewers
who said the commercial reminded them of either "happy slapping" or
alleged soldier activity in the Iraq war.
The bank donated money to the Anaphylaxis Campaign - which helps those
with life-threatening allergies - "as a gesture of goodwill".
8am
The TV commercial for Barclays Bank horrified 293 viewers who found it offensive, including
91 people who said it distressed them because they knew people who had suffered a similar
attack.
Among those who complained were 23 viewers who said that they or people they knew had
died or nearly died from an adverse reaction to a bee or wasp sting.
Other viewers complained to the Advertising Standards Authority that the advert, which shows
a man's face swelling after he was stung, frightened children and was too terrifying to be
shown at all.
The commercial, made by Bartle Bogle Hegarty, one of Britain's top advertising agencies,
showed a bee stinging a man in the mouth after it had climbed into his can of drink.
The man ran to a lake to splash his face with water but fell in, later emerging covered in weeds
and mud and howling in pain. He staggered towards a nearby restaurant and collapsed after
police arrived and shot him with a dart.
"Statistically, you're more likely to be arrested than change your bank account," the voiceover
said.
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Bartle Bogle Hegarty said the advert was "exaggerated and hyperbolic" to dramatise the
statistic about being arrested.
It said the advert was "amusing and light-hearted" and exaggerated as much as possible to
avoid distressing people.
The Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre, which vets adverts at script stage, said it
reviewed seven separate versions of the preproduction script and considered at length both
the factual claims and the tone of the execution.
"The final film was whimsical in the treatment of a bee sting, farcical in tone and generally light-
hearted in its approach," the BACC said in its submission to the ASA.
The ASA accepted the agency and the bank did not intend to cause deliberate offence.
"Many people face the reality that they might suffer a severe allergic reaction to a bee or wasp
sting and therefore, despite the farcical turn of events, the ad was offensive to them," it said.
The ASA ruled the advert, which had been withdrawn by the bank, must not be shown again.
· A commercial for Shreddies cereal misled viewers because it was too reliant on quoting from
a study that claimed Shreddies boosted children's mental energy, the Advertising Standards
Authority found. It ruled the advert must not be shown again in its present form.
· To contact the MediaGuardian newsdesk emaileditor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020
7239 9857
· If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for
The advertising watchdog upheld almost 300 complaints about a TV ad for Barclays Bank which
viewers found offensive to allergy sufferers. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled on
Wednesday the ad should not be shown again.
The advert showed a man being stung in the mouth by a bee or a wasp in a drink. In visible pain and
with his face swollen, he then runs to a lake where he falls into the water. As he emerges covered in
weeds and mud, he is shot with a dart by a policeman as a voiceover says: "Statistically you are more
likely to be arrested than change your bank account."
Viewers complained the ad was offensive to allergy sufferers because it made fun
of a potentially fatal situation. The ASA added 91 people also said they felt personal distress because
they or someone they knew had allergies.
Another 23 viewers said they knew people who died or nearly died after a reaction similar to the one
shown in the advert. The makers of the ad, Bartle Bogle Hegarty part-owned by French group
Publicis, said it was meant to be light-hearted with an exaggerated sequence of events which led to
the man being mistaken for a "Swamp Thing".
They apologised, adding Barclays had already decided not to run the advert again.
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Case Study
Visit allmbastuff.blogspot.com for
more reports, notes etc.
31
Reward or Punishment
At noon one-day janardhan, a teller in local suburban bank, was
suddenly confronted by a man, pistol in hand, who demanded all
currency in the teller’s cabin. Mr. Janardhan complied and put all his
money in a bag. The bandit left unobtrusively through the front door,
jumped in a car, and drove away. Mr. Janardhan immediately sounded
the alarm, ran to his own car, and pursued the bandit. Driving at high
speed, he overtook the bandit, forced him to a stop and chased him on
foot until overtaking him. There ensued a struggle in which Janardhan
was shot in the leg, but he successfully detained the bandit until the local
police arrived.
The local press gave Mr. Janardhan a wide coverage for his heroism. He
also received recognition from various individuals and groups for his
bravery. The bank had a long-lasting policy that a teller, when
confronted with an attempt at robbery, was to comply completely with
the demands, so as to endanger employees and customers. Each teller
had been further instructed to give alarm only when it was safe to do so
and then to await action by police and insurance agents. Any bank
employee who failed to follow this procedure would be immediately
discharged.
The bank manager felt that Mr. Janardhan, by violating the policy,
should be discharged. The personnel officer argued that this bravery,
devotion to duty, and loyalty to the bank should mitigate his fraction of
policy. The public relations officer reminded the president that the public
might view Mr. Janardhan’s discharge from office with misgivings since
he, after all, saved their deposits. The training officer said that a
dangerous precedent would be established if any exception to the policy
were permitted.
Questions:
1. What is the problem as you see it? Elaborate.
2. What is your recommendation in this situation? Discuss.
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Solution:
After analyzing the case, I found that there is only one problem in
this case i.e. the company policy. As per the company policy, a
teller, when confronted with an attempt at robbery, was to comply
completely with the demands, so as to endanger employees and
customers. Each teller had been further instructed to give alarm only
when it was safe to do so and then to await action by police and
insurance agents. Any bank employee who failed to follow this
procedure would be immediately discharged. So, the bank manager
felt that Mr. Janardhan, by violating the policy, should be
discharged.
In spite of rewarding him for his bravery, the bank manager felt that
discharging should punish him because of the company’s rigid
policy. The public might view his discharge with misgivings since
he saved their deposits and it could have created the negative impact
in the customers’ minds.
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2. Recommendations in this situation:
Mr. Janardhan did his job extra ordinarily. He was instructed to give
alarm only when it was safe. But after giving the alarm he ran
behind the robbers and successfully caught them with the robbed
money. It shows his devotion to duty and loyalty to the bank. The
bank should reward him or give him incentives so that it motivates
him and creates a positive approach towards the bank.
The bank’s rigid policy should be changed for the betterment of the
bank.
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