Lately we have been having some really lousy weather! No down home Midwestern charm to this winter.
Not fun! {Image: Red Cross - Oregon Mountain River Chapter}
One early morning ritual we end up following is to wrap our hands around a warm mug of tea and keep one eye on the local television news ticker to see if the school names show up – and keep the other on institutional websites to see which if our school or college is closed/delayed.
After the last series of storms, I started looking at this from a PR/customer service perspective….
We all recognize that weather closings (just like the weather!) are within a highly dynamic environment. There is a strict decision-making process, and the decision itself is multi-layered and complex. It may be just a delay or an evening cancellation, or it may apply to a specific group of people. So how do you corral this into a systematic communications process?
Advance Preparation & Transparency
Well, the first thing is to advance informational preparation. Does your website Intranet have an easily accessible link to inform stakeholders of the policy involved and the process used in making the decision and identifying the various communications channels used to inform stakeholders? Try and make this transparent by including information of who all is involved in the decision-making, how and where the messages are posted (including sample screenshots), and what is usually the cut-off time for a decision. I cannot stress the importance of the cut-off time and letting people know the same. This helps your extended community make alternate plans at the earliest practical time.
I am also toying with the idea that it may help if the weather and impending closing are a part of the local news (“Watch our ticker for closings), than it may also be a good idea to include a ‘Watch this space’ alert in some “passive” areas such as home pages, etc. This way you are not blasting a message out but informing people that come looking that a decision is impending. What do you think?
Communicating Communications
Now, I have been involved in communications long enough to know that folks are not likely to remember the policy and details of the process. But then, that is why it is helpful to use specific milestones such as semester starts, new hires and student orientation, and even the beginning of inclement weather season, to remind our stakeholders (staff, students, parents, etc.) of this information and its availability. In fact, as you enter the season, you may want to create a specific icon that highlights this communications process and include it on the home page of the various Intranets, microsites, and even social networks such as Facebook.
Multi-channel and Process Efficiencies
It is an unfortunate reality that a mass communications process for weather closings does share a lot in common with other crises communications protocols (for e.g. security alerts) so make sure you can build in some operational efficiency by checking to see how many of the resources and processes can be shared.
Mobile Alerts are a necessity for any mass communications plan. { Image: e2com}
There are a number of vendors (such as e2campus) that automate message delivery across a number of channels. This multiple-channel alert system is really a basic necessity with the variety of options we use to communicate and network. I cannot understate the importance of posting to social media networks and using text messages. The reality is that we have to get the message to where our stakeholders congregate as opposed to where we expect them to arrive. There is good chance many of them are more likely to be on Twitter and Facebook than on the main institutional site.
Along with clearly identifying which members of your community and what activities are affected by this closing, always try and include a link back to your inclement weather policy if possible. This will make it really easy for your stakeholders to get additional information if they so desire.
Yes, kids of all ages enjoy an occasional snow day. But, the reality also is that a school closing has a ripple effect far beyond just the academic schedule for students and faculty. Parents have to seek alternate plans for their minors, or need reassurance their kids are safe at college, and staff may need to start adjusting schedules. Any educational institution that is proactive in addressing these needs, sends the message that it cares about it stakeholders, their well being, and peace of mind.
Carving the Apex :: Devendra Shrikhande 