Sample Entries from The Effectiveness of Video in Organizations
86. "Northwestern Mutual Honcho Insures Good Communications Via Video," Corporate Video Decisions December 1989, pp 69-70
Donald J. Schuenke, President and CEO of Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance uses video with field management employees and the general public to educate, train, inform, and persuade. Video introduces new products and programs and alerts agents to advertising and PR opportunities in their markets. Northwestern uses video for tv commercials for local and regional use, and for video news releases. A bi-weekly video news program is produced in-house. The company maintains an extensive video educational and training curriculum.
87. Ostroff, David, Dawn Donnelley and Alan Fried, "The Business Environment, Demographics and Technology: A Case Study of Florida Power and Light's Electronic Employee Communication Services," IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication 35 (March 1992): 31-37
Florida Power and Light (FPL) is the state’s largest electric utility. Over the years a variety of business, demographic and technological circumstances have created the need and opportunity for a variety of approaches to employee communication.
Deregulation has created a new competitive situation for the company. As a result, customer service, and efficient operation are critical. Complicating this situation are two facts: FPL has more than 15,000 employees spread across the large state, in rural and urban settings; and, the demographic makeup of the company’s workforce has changed. While it used to be dominated by Anglo white male engineers and technicians FPL is now composed of multi-ethnic men and women, holding down a number of technical, marketing, and other jobs.
Electronic communications services have proven an effective means of accomplishing the company’s needs. These include: 1) Insta-news, a 24-hour videotext network; 2) FPL Television Network, a full-motion video network riding the company’s fiber-optic network. The network is primarily used for training and information transmission. 3) CIS News Pages, an on-line information service for customer service representatives; 4) NewsFax, which quickly reaches most FPL sites with detailed press releases and other information; 5) G.O. Cable Network, a 6-channel cable network in the company’s general offices. Among the program services with information important to FPL, and distributed to offices are The Weather Channel, CNN Headline News, and Financial News Network; 6) FPL Close-up, a monthly news magazine, distributed by tape and played continuously over the FPL network; 7) Media monitoring, using an AP terminal and video clipping services to watch for news items directly or indirectly affecting FPL or the electric power industry.
Employee surveys conducted in 1988 and 1990 found that employees preferred the monthly printed newsletter, and information from the direct supervisor as the preferred source of company information. However, the 1990 survey found the electronic sources, especially Close-up and Insta-News had moved ahead of most other information sources. The future is likely to bring further complications to FPL’s business environment. A reduction in entry-level age workforce, increasing competition, and new communication technologies will create new demands for employee communication. Use of integrated video-computer workstations, videoconferencing, and multimedia, are all likely to play a significant role in ensuring that FPL continues an effective strategy of customer service.
88. "Phone Company Chief Uses Video to Help a Baby Bell Mature," Corporate Video Decisions February 1990, pp 69-70
Philip J. Quigley, President and CEO of Pacific Bell, is a firm advocate of cutting-edge corporate communications. The immediacy of video is crucial: decision-making requires full employee involvement. Videoconferencing is a key, as is an interactive telecast called "Strategic Issues Forum."
Marketing people rely on video in point-of-sale displays, in customer product presentations, and as a customer instruction tool. Video’s use in crisis preparation and control is emphasized.
Quigley sees more localized use of video networking and improved videoconferencing techniques in the future.