Seems to me when PR people have nothing really important to say or do, many of them can't shut up. When they are needed to clarify a situation, they can't find their voice... and they apparently don't hear the phone.
Here's a story from The New York Times via Gregg Keizer of Computerworld about Best Buy's problem with infected digital picture frames it sold during the holiday season. The story has more questions than answers. What kind of virus was it, how many customers were affected, how did it happen?
So naturally, the writer called the public relations team at Best Buy seeking comment. Given this chance to defend Best Buy's pre- and post-sale behavior or to clarify the current or past situation and to otherwise generally put Best Buy's best foot forward, what did the team have to say? Nothing. I guess that Best Buy's best foot forward got lodged in their mouths instead and they were unable to speak? Reports the writer:
Best Buy's public relations team did not respond to a call for comment.
Best practice? Well, let's see? The public has a concern related to your business. You're in public relations to relate things like your company's position on things to the public. Best Buy? It seems as far as the PR team goes, it's more like Good Bye.
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