public relations – Page 24

Spreading the hate

Aren’t you glad there isn’t a list like this for colleges and universities?

It’s the 15 most hated companies in the U.S., via the website 24/7 Wall St. (hat tip to Ragan’s PR Daily). The site came up with the list using these criteria:

Employee impressions.
“[T]otal return to shareholders from these companies over one-year, two-year and five-year periods, compared to the broad market and other companies within the same sector.”
Customer satisfaction and reputation — “analyzed from a broad array of sources, including Consumer Reports, JD Power, the MSN/Zogby poll, Vanno, and the University of Michigan American Customer Satisfaction Index.”
“[B]rand valuation changes … based on data from Corebrands, Interbrand, and Brand Z.”
“Finally, the views of taxpayers, Congress and the Administration of these companies were considered where applicable.”

AIG tops the list (“Taxpayers despise the firm because it received nearly $180 billion in government aid”), followed by United Airlines (cited for “poor results for ‘reservation experience’, ‘check-in experience’, and ‘costs and fees,'” but not, interestingly, for breaking guitars). What’s interesting is who’s not on the list: BP, Toyota and AT&T — three big corporations that have been served a lot of haterade in recent months. Maybe next year.

When did ‘secretary’ become a dirty word?

Today is Administrative Professionals Day. (Did I just hear a few “Oh crap!” gasps out there and a mad rush to the local florist’s?)

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Until 2000, this day was known as Secretary’s Day, but according to the International Association of Administrative Professionals, which sponsors the day (I always thought it was Hallmark), the name was changed “to keep pace with changing job titles and expanding responsibilities of today’s administrative workforce.”

That makes sense. But it makes me wonder if there are certain connotations associated with the word secretary that tarnishes the image of that occupational title.

What do you think of when you hear the term secretary? Does it conjure up images of the typing pool on Mad Men (shown above)? Or the “girl Friday” of old black-and-white movies who would fetch coffee for her male boss? Or the sexually harassed-turned-vengeful women of 9 to 5? And should titles like “secretary of state” or “secretary general” be changed to reflect their expanding responsibilities? Should Robert Gates’ title be administrative professional of defense?

Does “secretary” need a public relations makeover, or is it too late?

Whatever the case, be sure to let your administrative professionals — whatever their title — know that they are appreciated. Not just today, but always.