Mission: At ServiceMaster clean, our core mission is to offer our esteemed customers with topnotch and personalized service that exceeds their expectations through reliability, knowledge, and trustworthiness.
Target audience for ServiceMaster Clean Public Relations Messages
The typical audience for our company range from the corporates and private homeowners. At ServiceMaster clean, we revere all our customers because they are the key behind the expansion of our franchise. The corporate customers fall under our commercial upholstery, carpet, & floor-cleaning segment of our business, while the private homeowners fall under the domestic upholstery, carpet, & floor-cleaning segment.
Attitudes and Concerns
ServiceMaster clean is listed among the fortune 1000 companies. The company was incepted during the year 1952 and has established a name as a leading player in the field of cleaning, restoration, and re-establishment. Majority of the company’s customers who have exceed the 1 million mark hold ServiceMaster clean company in high regard because of the quality service offered in hospitals, homes, private and public offices across the United States and the United Kingdom.
However, a major public relations issue known to have hit the company recently occurred during the years 2007 and 2008 respectively. During the former period, a lawsuit was filed against American Home Shield, a subsidiary of ServiceMaster Clean. It was alleged that the subsidiary engaged in the habit of not fulfilling its contractual obligations. Consequently, ServiceMaster clean moved with speed to safeguard the company’s image and by Feb 2008, the American Home Shield subsidiary announced a settlement for those clients who had received below standards services. The other major PR issue was the lawsuit filed against ServiceMaster clean by Termite inspectors alleging failure to be paid overtime. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the inspectors and the issue was settled amicably.
Message: Does the public relations message tend to be in harmony with the organization's stated mission?
At ServiceMaster Clean, the communication process relayed to potential customers revolves around the company’s mission statement to offer customers top notch and personalized services. The company’s website homepage talks of offering more than just a routine vacuum cleaning to people’s floors, home carpets, and upholstery that are subject to heavy use. They promise to use the right equipment and their over 50-year experience in upholstery and carpet cleaning to improve the appearance of people’s homes and commercial premises. Therefore, the public relations messages are in harmony with the organization’s stated mission.
Timing: Are there timing issues with public relations messages?
ServiceMaster Clean marketing campaigns are tied up with activities that aim to expand the franchise to serve a wider market. The company takes into consideration the currently prevailing global economic crisis and offers a Fast Start support program worth $5000 to individuals and corporates who wish to open the franchise in their residential areas (Papenberg, 2013).
Perception of Identity: How does the audience currently perceive the identity of the organization?
ServiceMaster clean company is committed to giving back to the community. Apart from offering financial support to good causes, the company’s employees on a routine basis lend their energies and time to community projects and services through volunteer programs. The company promotes responsible use of resources innovatively and in environmentally friendly fashion
[http://www.servicemaster.com/about-us/corporate-responsibility/giving]. This has helped to foster a positive image for the company. Majority of people agree that the company has played a greater role in improving their communities. Arguably, this is their perception of the company’s identity.
Consistency: How consistent are the public relations messages with the mission, corporate image, identity, etc that the audience has?
The company’s public relations messages are consistent with its mission, identity, and corporate image. For instance, the company’s management holds Christian values dearly and stresses on forming partnerships with other organizations that share similar values to theirs (Solomon, 2004).
Example: Describe a specific example of a public relations communication and how effective you feel that communication was in delivering its message effectively.
The service master clean company published a press release on its website on August 1, 2008, announcing to the public that out of the nine Green Seal GS-42 operations that were certified in America, five of them were ServiceMaster Clean franchises. This press release was effective in establishing ServiceMaster clean as an internationally leading company in the restoration and cleaning industry [http://www.servicemasterclean.com/press_releases/SMC_GreenSeal_PressRelease.aspx]. In addition, the communication was effective in passing off ServiceMaster clean as an environmental steward because of the company’s commitment to utilize certified green products and cleaning systems.
References
Carpet, Upholstery & Floor Cleaning | Domestic | ServiceMaster Clean. (n.d.).Commercial Cleaning Company | Carpet Cleaning | Disaster Restoration Services - ServiceMaster Clean . Retrieved February 10, 2013, from http://www.servicemasterclean.co.uk/for- your-home/services/
Giving | ServiceMaster. (n.d.).ServiceMaster. Retrieved February 10, 2013, from http://www.servicemaster.com/about-us/corporate-responsibility/giving
Papenberg, B. (2013). ServiceMaster Clean Franchise Information | Entrepreneur.com. Business News & Strategy For Entrepreneurs | Entrepreneur.com. Retrieved February 10, 2013, from http://www.entrepreneur.com/franchises/servicemasterclean/282789-0.html#
Solomon, L. D. (2004). Evangelical Christian executives: a new model for business corporations. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers.
