summary
There have never been more options available to
communicate with employees: phone, cell phone, pager, fax, voice mail, mail, overnight
mail and e-mail. The problems are that people are inundated with these messages, the media
are best suited to short sound bites, and retention of information can be limited.
Similarly, there are many ways to deliver information or training: personal coaching,
in-person seminars, videotape, videoconferencing, interactive satellite video, CBT on
CD-ROM and the Internet. These options are better suited to complex messages, but require
people to take time away from the job to use them. Most people don’t bother.
Overlooked in this rush of technology is the venerable audio cassette. Audiotape provides
many advantages in communicating with and training employees:
Audiotape is the first preference of employees
Keeps on working –
listened to more than once
Makes use of unproductive
windshield or “down” time
Short cycle time for idea to
delivery in less than a week
Lowest cost to prepare and
distribute
This is why audiotape should still play a significant part
in communicating with employees, partners and customers.
the challenge of communications
In the last five years, CooperComm has tabulated over
20,000 “Quality Climate” and “Effective Leadership” surveys filled out
by employees from various industries.
In nearly every organization surveyed, one of the lowest
rated satisfaction item was, “Communication and information flow freely throughout
our company.”
In the drive for higher productivity and lower costs, basic
communications often becomes secondary. Yet the need to know and to learn has not changed.
In an effort to make learning more efficient, organizations have focused on technology
solutions such as videotape, satellite video, videoconferencing, computer based training
and the Internet.
The benefits to the organization have been mixed. The up front investment is enormous.
These solutions are costly to produce and update, require extensive equipment and can be
developed only by expensive experts. Video can cost $1,000 or more per minute. Web
programmers are $100 per hour on up. Satellite and cable infrastructure costs quickly run
into the millions of dollars.
Then when the communications offerings are finished, the target audience often
doesn’t utilize the new tools. Videos sit in offices unopened, CD-ROM’s not run,
web sites unvisited, and teleconferences or videoconferences unattended. Why?
(1) The target audience is required to quit working in order to view the
communications or take the training. Getting information effectively puts workers further
and further behind in their job.
(2) Because of high production costs and long lead time, the information
is often out-of-date before it is delivered.
(3) The content is typically not listener focused in dealing with the
specific issues and tough questions the audience needs answered. The formal production
process often results in a structured, stilted, no-tough-questions content that
doesn’t meet listener needs.
What is needed is a medium that can contain up-to-the-minute content, can be informally
developed, has an exceptionally short lead time for production and distribution, will be
utilized by the intended audience and that is cost effective.
audiotape/CD and audience
satisfaction
Audio-based communications meet the needs of
organizational audiences. At one leading consumer goods firm, a monthly marketing
audiotape to its nationwide sales force has been the highest rated communications vehicle
for the entire four years of its continuing existence.
This firm’s satisfaction survey of over 250 salespeople receiving its
“Up2Date” information tape found that:
95% want to
receive information on audiotape.
92% want a
continuing tape series.
28% listen
to the tapes more than once.
The firm is now looking at developing a monthly version for its network of 900+
distributors.
Audiotape communications (and training) is popular with audiences because it helps convert
non-productive exercise, travel or dead time into learning time. The survey found that:
60% listen
in their automobile.
17% listen
at the office.
17% listen
at home.
6% use a portable tape player in other locations.
For many listeners, audiotape is a “radio program on cassette” providing a more
interesting alternative than the same old songs and the same old chatter delivered over
the airwaves. Audiotape provides important information without taking listeners off the
job.
uses of audiotape to stay Up2Date
Audiotape is ideal for rapidly changing information
that has to get out quickly, or for regular communications or training that needs to be
cost and content effective. Usage areas include:
Monthly Up2Date Magazine ... up to the minute information in a radio
magazine format.
Field sales force update ... industry news, new product updates,
competitive information, selling tips, success stories, sales training.
Ideas/tips dissemination ... sharing “best practices” ideas,
collecting ideas on voice mail and distributing them back on audio.
Training/meetings ... recording presentations, including tapes with
copies of the materials for those who could not attend or were hired later.
Special topic communications ... distributing information about single
topics of immediate concern.
Customer/vendor communications ... providing information to your partners
and your customers in the same easy-to-use format that your employees enjoy.
Up2Date audiotape design
Listeners’ preferences concerning audiotape are
consistent across different organizations.
66% prefer
a news magazine format vs. a single topic format.
Audiotapes must compete with radio formats in quality, style and pacing. The most
successful audiotape communications provide short segments on different topics rather than
a long program on a single topic. They also are fun to listen to, with music, sound
effects, commercials (either real or departmental), a casual format and a good host voice.
The content must be relevant and timely, and handled in a practical fashion for the
listener. Audiences have little patience with a whitewashed version of the “party
line.” The best content provides information and tips on handling specific problems
and questions the listeners face daily.
88% prefer
a program no more than 30 minutes in length.
The average automobile trip lasts 30 minutes or less. Listeners prefer to hear a complete
segment (or side) all at once if possible.
74% want a
monthly tape, 18% prefer it biweekly.
A monthly frequency seems to provide the best balance of information refresh vs. required
listening time. This can be supplemented with special single-topic audiotapes as needed.
implementing Up2Date audiotapes
Following are the recommended steps in implementing an
audiotape communications program:
1. Appoint an internal producer. Someone has to be the focal point for content
and production decisions.
2. Choose a production vendor. While some organizations might be able to produce
tapes in-house, most will likely require an outside vendor. The vendor’s host should
be able to add value concerning the industry, possible content and program design.
Production requires specialized telephone hybrid circuitry for recording interviews, and
facilities for high volume tape duplication, label application, envelop stuffing and
mailing to the organization’s database. Finally, the vendor should be able to
guarantee a rapid turn-around for critical ASAP audiotape programs.
3. Establish the program specifications. This includes all the W’s of
production and delivery.
4. Run a pilot, followed by a satisfaction and needs survey of recipients. A
typical pilot consists of three monthly tapes, with a survey and return envelop included
with the third month’s tape. (Organizations can typically expect survey returns of 50
percent or higher.)
5. Complete a survey and management evaluation. This is used to make go/nogo
decision on the tape program. If the project is a “go,” then the design is
finalized and the tape series begins.
6. Build listener input opportunities into the project. Regularly solicit
departments for input. Set up a phone extension with voice mail for audience feedback and
for recording ideas and suggestions for future programs. Incentives can be created for
success stories that make it onto a tape.
7. Put continuous improvement practices into place. Program satisfaction surveys
should be performed annually. Formally solicit listener input at any meetings for other
purposes.
These steps insure that an audiotape Up2Date program continues to grow and keeps
delivering value over the long term.
frequently asked questions
Is this process hard to manage?
Audiotape communications vendors can now provide a total solution to an organization. They
can provide a host/consultant knowledgeable about the organization and who has a
professional voice. They can do most of the research, both within the organization and for
outside information, in preparing programs. They can handle all scheduling of interviews
and conduct them on-site or over the telephone. They can provide edit masters for review,
then do complete production and mailing of final copies. The organization is in charge of
the content. Everything else can be outsourced.
Is it difficult coming up with content each month?
A common fear is that the Producer will have to hustle each month to come up with content
for the tape. Experience is usually the opposite. Once people understand that the target
audience is truly listening to the programs, everyone will want to get their information
onto an issue of the tape. Producers are usually in the position of selecting the best
content and banking subjects for future tapes.
Is this a long term program?
Some organizations have been delivering information in this format for nearly a decade
with no drop in listener satisfaction levels. Audiotape is the only medium that
doesn’t subtract from work time. This keeps usage rates high. And the costs are far
less than any other alternative.
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