- Twitter to lose its reputation as a free speech platform?
- IIPM worried about Google Suggest, why is it so?
- Reputation Management Tip for 2012: Brands need to tap into social media search!
- Facebook Timeline and Reputation Management
- Apple Siri gender bias or glitch?
- Google+ vs Facebook – its not over yet!
- The Ethics of Self Promotion Through Charitable Causes (A Case Study)
- Google scraps sidewiki – will you miss it?
- Facebook, the trust factor
- BlackBerry Blackout- RIM’s Reputation Takes another Hit
Posts Tagged ‘Labour Party’
The future of residential utility bills – Appco Group
June 9, 2011 | 
Author 
Who’d have thought that getting Power to the People would end up so expensive? The general public is currently up in arms over news that gas and electricity suppliers are set to increase their prices by up to 20% as of August of this year. And though this has become a political hotspot and a point of contention between the Labour and Conservative parties, more people are focused on the effects this could have on the consumers themselves.
Market experts at Appco Group UK have observed that the rates at which energy prices are set to hike could result in 1 in 5 people finding themselves in ‘fuel poverty’ – spending 10% or more of their income on utilities. Power suppliers however maintain that the increase in costs is reflective of current global energy costs. And, with a greater emphasis being placed on renewable energy sources (which despite advances in the technologies are still more expensive) it looks like a trend that’s set to continue for the forseeable future at least.
Bill-payers currently feel trapped. While not all the gas and electricity suppliers have announced price hikes yet, the biggest names have all suggested that they’re not in a position to avoid them, either. People will want to ensure they’re getting the best deals, but with the industry currently as indecisive as it is – it’s harder to know where to look. People might not be keen to leave one supplier in favour of another for fear that the grass might not stay greener for long enough to make the change worthwhile.
Companies will need to keep a competitive edge and place greater focus on customer relations if they hope to save face in lieu of pending price changes. Sales representatives and customer services will need to be tentative to a now-weary consumer base and have a greater awareness both of what they’re offering and how it’s likely to be received. Now more than ever there shall be an emphasis on building rapport with customer with face to face time being the order of the day. Appco Group UK say the best advice to consumers at the moment would be to explore options fully and take up any offers of information to help you make the best financial decisions for your household.
Gordon Brown faces fresh bullying claims!
No.10 Downing Street has been abuzz with speculations of the alleged bullying tactics of the British PM Gordon Brown. Meanwhile the founder of the National Bullying Charity helpline has told the media that they are receiving fresh calls for help from Downing Street Staff. Though the Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O’Donnell came up with a quick denial and brushed aside the concerns with Brown as mere media speculation, a book has come up with the news that the cabinet secretary had in fact asked Brown to curb his “volcanic temper”. Amidst all the allegations and counter allegations, the public is left wondering.
Well, going by the signs, all is not well at the No.10 Downing Street and it is only a matter of time before these bickering might snowball into a major controversy. Prima facie, the whole episode appears as a PR mishandling issue and these internal issues might prove a major embarrassment to the Prime Minister’s office if more 10 Downing Street employees choose to take the matter to the media. Mr. Brown has to gather his acts smartly and make sure that the PR practices are in place in the highest office.
What is more worrying about the Gordon Brown revelations is not just the vile temper of the PM but the fact that the National Bullying Helpline having felt the need to intervene. For many, the alleged outbursts of Mr. Brown might appear childish but the fact that these have come out into the open from within the iron walls of the Downing street in itself is a warning call for the Prime minister’s office to set out on an urgent damage control and reputation management exercise to stall his rating from plummeting in the public eye.
David Cameron vs Gordon Brown
The race has begun between the Conservatives and the Labour party, with 5 months until the next general, what will be interesting is how much the Internet will play in the two parties campaigns. As social network sites allow people to find like minded individuals easier than ever before, it can gain momentum and sabotage the message of a politician very easily.
In the past the parties were very focused on spin, nowadays people have had enough of such tactics and will fight back using sites like facebook. It is very easy now for a party’s manifesto to be hijacked if one or two minor points really trigger a fury of people reacting to them and the bigger picture being lost.
So how it starts is very simple, someone creates a group or page on facebook and starts to invite friends to join, who in turn invite their friends. Shortly people start bookmarking the page through sites like Digg and attracting even more traffic. It doesn’t take long for journalists to pick up on the action through things like Google alerts and BINGO you also have the story appearing in the papers etc.
At the moment the Labour and Conservatives seem more determined to pick each others manifesto apart, I wonder how long it will be before more politicians reputations will be tested and what will come out of the closet over the next 5 months.
Unfortunately in today’s world it is often not what you are saying but how you are saying it which counts.
Posted in politicians, Reputation Management | 
Tags: conservative party, David Cameron, Gordon Brown, Labour Party, politicians, reputation | 
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Labour’s Budget and Reputation Both Trashed
Labour seem to be working towards getting votes rather than dealing with the truth that the UK economies is struggling big time and what people want now is honesty.
Labour don’t seem to have come through on their mini budget with anything to really deal with the mounting debt the UK is in. There is also talk that the UK may need to lend money from the International Monetary Fund. The UK cannot afford to damage its reputation any further as a place for people and companies to invest their money. Warnings that the UK’s international credit rating could be downgraded were suggested this week as sterling continued to drop in the money markets.
George Osborn said after Mr Darling presentation “We were promised a Pre-Budget Report and what we got was a pre-election report.”
Labour need to stand up and be counted, the UK’s economy is too important to be used for political gains. Don’t put this country into more debt. Don’t destroy the country’s reputation. Do what is right; you are going to lose the next election anyway. Make the hard decision now and just maybe people will look at labour in the years to come in a different light. Choose to play this political game and labour will be out of the picture for a long time.
Posted in politicians, Reputation Management, Reputation Online | Tags: Alistair Darling, Budget, George Osborn, Labour Party, politicians | No Comments »