3 Reasons Your Supply Chain Company Needs a Strong PR Plan

It’s no secret the supply chain technology industry has been growing rapidly in the past five years. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the fragility of global supply chains (remember The Great Toilet Paper Shortage of 2020? me too), and technology companies responded. Venture investment in supply chain tech startups in 2021 alone grew 355.1% YoY compared to 2020.

How is one brand expected to stand out in all that noise? That’s where a strong PR plan comes in.

Demonstrate your competitive advantage in a crowded, oversaturated market

Bringing on a PR team can help you fine-tune your messaging. A third-party point of view is key to finding the right way to describe your product that will resonate with your audience without the tech jargon. Once the messaging is refined, setting up product demos with journalists will help demonstrate how your product works and why it’s a better solution than those of your competitors.

More than that, a skilled PR pro knows how to maintain steady media coverage to keep your brand top of mind, even during a slow news cycle (and there may not be a ship stuck in the Suez Canal to comment on every other day). Consistent media mentions and messaging will boost brand awareness and help your supply chain company secure a larger share of voice.

A PR plan combining perfected messaging with consistent media coverage helps your target audience understand your product or service and your competitive differentiator.

Consider Glassdoor management to attract and retain top talent

In a crowded market where it’s challenging for your product to stand out from competitors, it’s equally tough to stand out in front of top talent. And the war for supply chain talent is not going away any time soon.

Up to 86% of job candidates consider a company’s Glassdoor reviews and ratings before submitting an application, so it’s no surprise that your Glassdoor presence affects your recruitment and retention efforts.

Your organization’s Glassdoor profile is also part of your brand’s overall online reputation. Award judges often look at a Glassdoor page to see what’s being said about the company. Reporters will review company profiles before agreeing to an interview to make sure the business is credible and in good standing – or, worst-case scenario, to see if there’s a deeper story about poor workplace management or company culture.

In the supply chain industry where competition for market space and investor dollars is fierce, you need to make sure all your bases are covered. A well-managed Glassdoor page should be one of those bases.

Effectively mitigate crises to support customer satisfaction and brand reputation

Unpredictable, extremely uncommon disruptions (or “black swan” events) were once few and far between in the supply chain industry. Now, the term black swan has lost all its meaning to logistics professionals. In the last five years, the supply chain has experienced vessels getting stuck in canals, global conflict causing shipping disruptions, bridge collapses, natural disasters and droughts that have created serious challenges. At this point, supply chain leaders are no strangers to disruption or crises.

Meanwhile, companies like Amazon that provide two-day (or even overnight) shipping are setting customer expectations at an all-time high. Unpredictable disruptions combined with high consumer expectations can lose customer trust and wreak havoc on brand reputation if not handled correctly through proactive communication.

Additionally, companies involved in supply chain operations hold a lot of valuable consumer data like payment and shipping information. These organizations are at risk of a cyberattack and need to ensure they have a plan in place to act quickly and address customers’ needs should a data breach arise.

To keep customers happy and protect your brand reputation when a supply chain disaster hits, you need a strong crisis plan. A company that can keep customers satisfied even during a crisis through consistent communication is one that will beat out competition and come out on top.

Your crisis plan needs to be clear and easy to follow in stressful situations and reviewed at least once a year to ensure it’s up to date. A PR team will help keep you on track.

The Last Word

Logistics professionals: If effective external communications and a strong PR plan are not top of mind for your brand strategy, they should be. We get it, PR is likely not your strong suit (and you’re probably busy saving the supply chain from droughts in the Panama Canal). That’s okay. You can leave that to us – we’re here to help. Let’s talk.