The creation of awareness about the company and the reinforcement of the popularity among workers and a better relation with the media and community are the objectives of the strategic plan.
Having a Strategic Plan for the Company
Before the company starts dealing with the media, the community and the workers, it must go through a strategic plan which comprises of 8 steps. Firstly, Kitchen on Wheels will need to establish a small public relation committee comprising of two or three members. Then it will proceed with the close networkingf after consulting the data collected concerning the company. The company will then try to proceed with the plan by having a community outreach approach as well as forming relations in the media for more coverage. By the end of the first six months the company should join a union and it should a huge media event. Finally, Kitchen on Wheels will end the year with the little things and facilities that mainly the members of the company will have to perform.
Kitchen on Wheels – Public Relation Committee
The Committee will comprise of the Public Relation Officer, the Personal Manager and a staff of the accounting department. Their job will consist mnainly to collect the data from the polls that have been taken from the public, the workers and the other companies in the business.
They will convert those into the program and have an evaluation by the end of the year by having the same types of poll.
Turn the data into a public relations plan
The committee should use the outcome of the research material, they can use for example the equivalent of the National Food and Beverage Public Relations Association (NFBPRA). They may even cehck the respective ministry to see if there is any help that can be given to the growing companies in terms of public relations program funding. The committee will use all the readings from previous records on the company as well as that of other companies. They will also collect the dat from other companies by visting them and discussing with the other public relations officers. This will help the company in the community’s concerns and about which strategies will it employ to show the community that its priorities are being addressed.Lastly, it will show the techniques that can be used to counter common misconceptions.
Networking
The first stategy of the company will be to make its networking more influential. Networks are not easy to set up, but over time, they can reap big results in the form of broad community support and fresh ideas.
Religious Leaders
To cultivate a relationship with neighborhood religious leaders will prove to be a very good move as the people in West Allis are very religious and spiritual. That way the company will be attaining a large amount of audience most of them working in the industry as well those in the community at large through the religious leaders. The company will be getting to the community by targeting its leader. This will of course have a “domino effect” where most of the people will be happy with the company if their leader is.
Business Partners
The company will use the grant that is given to growing companies from the ministry of labour, concerning enhancing the public relations of companies. The governement also offers officers that are trainers for companies that want to establish a public relation plan.
Concerning the finance, the governement offers a sum of $ 50 000 that is refundable on a period of 10 years without interest.
Coalitions.
The company will set up a coalition of community agencies such as the League of Women, the Food and Beverage Retailers Association, the union board, and city government. Use this advisory council to involve other agencies that are concerned with equitable company finance and reform, as well as other community issues like services for seniors, affordable housing, or commercial development.
Existing resources
Making use of the people that are already here and helping the company in one way or another. The community groups that use the warehouse for sports and other activities during the off season, as well as, those who have received finance from the company are the prime targets in this category. They are already beneficiating from the company, it is now time to make it known by making them become the examples of the companies’ interest in the community.
Outreach
Frank communications
The committee will instigate a team that will create a newsletter that will come out every week starting from the third month. The newsletter will talk mainly about the successes of the company in its field. So that to assure the employees that their jobs are secured. The newsletter will give details about what the company is doing in the community in which they live with their families.
Home Visits and Welcome Baby
The company will be instigating visits to different homes of the employees, especially the low-income earnings ones, to help in anyway affordable by the company.
The Public Realtions Officer will make it a must to send a bouquet or visit any new parent working on the company. It has to be noted that 35% of the employed staff at Kitchen on Wheels is female.
Media
Companies like Kitchen on Wheels can make use all types of media: newspapers, magazines, newsletters, radio, television, and the Internet to target various groups in the community.
Press releases
According to the ministry, the public wants more substance from food and beverage retailers, including more reports about how health oriented they are, how they are innovating and where they can get the best deal with the least amount spent. Therefore it is great time at the fifth month for the committee to start giving a closer look to the relationship of the media and the company.
After having targeted the right press, and the right programs and papers, and the right journalists, the committee will start sending them, press releases and telling them about the different performances of the company in the business but more important, towards the community.
Paid Advertisement
Advertisement in the Food and Beverage Industry is a major part of the business. With a friendly relation with the press, the committee will be easily to get good places in the papers or the other medias. The negotiation of prices will also be easily done.
The Advertisement will bring a new image to the company and give a boost to its popularity.
E-mail and a Web-site
The company needs to keep with its time, thus the committee will create a web-site , on which people will know about the company. They will also have subscription of people in the community for small games, winning lunch from Kitchen on Wheels. The use of the internet is also a way of targeting the future of the company, as the internet is mainly used by youngsters.
Any complaints or appreciation can also be mailed to the site. The e-mail will provide useful information or reminders to employees and other business collaborators.
Radio
The Radio being the most popular as well as the most accessible form of media, Kitchen on Wheels will have to make use of this instrument. The committee will look for an advertising company to create an audio advert.
Proactive communications
The public relation officer will that the head of thecompany add the media to their "must call" list in case of a crisis. The media will find out anyway; let them hear your side of the story before they draw any conclusions. Another public relations professional recommends being forthright even when you have misunderstood or erred. When times are good, establish and nurture two-way communications with news media. Then, if and when a crisis strikes, a relationship of trust already exists.
Union
By the end of the first sixth month the company is now ready to join a union and make the best publicity out of it. This will be one of the big boost of the company towards gaining. It is true that with the union comes also a lot of difficulties for the management, however if the relationship is kept as a proactive one, it can prove to be a very positive.
By keeping the employees happy, the efficiency of the work rises.
The committee will organize a press conference and this will be the first time that Mr. Work Hard will address the press. The signing with the union will be done in front of the press. That day every worker will receive a gift from the company as well as the press reporters.
Little things and Facilities
The company will keep on with the year by offering different things and facilities. Mr Logoti Work Hard will offer a scholarship to the best male and female child of employees.
The employees will be provided with a canteen and there will be at least two to three sport competitions till the end of the year. The competitions will be firstly within the company, then amongst other Food and Beverage retailers.
Evaluation
Public relations is a function that companies cannot afford to ignore. No longer is the "back fence" the primary source of news for people. For companies to get out their message, they must make a coordinated, concerted effort to counteract other sources of information people receive that may be untrue or unfair. And they must provide people with the services and information they desire.
In the sense of attracting community support Kitchen on Wheels’ public relations is less about transmitting information, and more about listening and responding to the expectations and concerns of all citizens. The goal of Kitchen On Wheels public relations should be a community of citizens that believes the motto, "Kitchen on Wheels …there is no better place to eat." When that happens, food and beverage companies will have the resources and community support they'll need in the always-changing service environment.