Problem
A large multinational client approached PSA with a particularly tricky problem. It had a sensitive and widely misunderstood product that it was hoping to test in a Southeast Asian country. The testing, which had to take place in each individual country where the company operated, was absolutely essential. Without it, the government would not approve the product for commercial sale. And if the testing was successful, the approved product would significantly boost the local economy in one particularly vulnerable sector.
PSA Assessment
The Southeast Asian government at the central level was open to the possibility of testing, and the company had gone so far as to choose test sites. The problem was community-level resistance. A few nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in the Southeast Asian country opposed the product. They were well organized and armed with connections to global NGOs that had extensive experience, public relations materials, and funds to share. The local NGOs had targeted the host communities where the testing would occur and fostered considerable local resistance. Because this country's legal system was a minefield of overlapping jurisdictions, local governments could refuse to host the tests even if the central government supported the company.
PSA Solution
PSA unrolled a specialized public relations campaign to win government support for the product. We reached out to everyone from key legislators down to community-level leaders. The first issue we identified was that government officials didn't completely understand the product and that the company had no relationships with key local decision makers. PSA then assembled a special team to build relationships with local politicians and give them educational materials on the product. This team also made contact with local detachments from the police and military to ensure that the testing sites would be safe. Our special team's "face time" with community-level politicians went a long way to dissolving resistance to the product.
In the capital city, we built relationships with key legislative committees and government employees to ensure that the product was well understood and the final decision was an informed one. This was an especially challenging task considering that fact that it was an election year. Politicians from across the political spectrum were keen to make sure that their position on the product was popular with voters.
Result
In the end, with PSA's assistance, the product tests were successful and the company is hoping the product will soon be available for commercial sale.
View other Business Intelligence Service related Case Studies
Comments