Introduction
Best Games Productions is currently confronted with the challenge of releasing a new video game; however, the product is faulty and could minimize customer satisfaction, the company’s reputation, and long term sales.
The strategy entails sending various press releases to the public concerning a delay in the launch date of the anticipated game. This will involve the use of the internet (social networking websites, the company website and emails), radios, and newspaper outlets as well. The company will apologize for delaying the product release, and will give the public an explanation for it; that is, discovery of a bug in the new game (Vargas, 2009).
The company should not release the product as it is as doing so would imply sacrificing long term goals for short term rewards. This would cause the company to loose a series of its loyal clients. This would undermine the organization’s position in the gaming industry and its perception among key market segments (Belsky, 2011).
It is likely that the company will not make as much profit during this holiday season, but the dangers of selling a defective product greatly outweigh short-term increases in profit. The following groups might raise objections to this move: the finance department, the marketing department, and the game developers. The game developers are deadline-oriented, and are dwelling on their annual bonuses.
They need to be told that selling poor quality products would destroy the company’s future ability to pay bonuses at all (Lynch, 2006). The finance department’s overemphasis on the bottom line can be challenged by informing them about future revenues, and so can the marketing and public relations departments (Grant, 2008).
Communication issues
It is likely that the CEO may be distracted by the needs of the various departments in the company (Lundgren & McMakin, 2004). He may not focus on the message because of those worries, but by addressing their concerns as explained above, it will be possible to get him to listen.
Two methods of assessing whether the press releases will work include: assessment of sales of the new game when it gets released and assessment of employee opinions after the release of the new game. If customers will still be willing to buy the new game after the holidays, then the media press releases will have worked effectively (Seeger, 2010). Employee satisfaction after the game’s release will gauge whether the CEO effectively explained to them why the release dates needed to be changed.
Employee perceptions will be analyzed through a short questionnaire. They will be asked to state whether they support the current release of the new game (after the holidays), and will give reasons for doing so. Examination of revenues will be done directly by looking at sales figures of the new game. Bias will be minimized by using independent questionnaire administrators, and maintenance of anonymity (National Research Council, 2000).
The company is pursuing this solution because it needs to correct a fault immediately. It is doing this now because customers are anticipating a new game.
The customers are looking for high quality products, hence the need for better quality control. Best Game Productions takes pride in the integrity and ethics of its games; selling the product as it would be destructive to this market (Johnson et al., 2005).
The solution involves a communicative strategy that will allow customers to know about a product delay, and will allow them to rectify a defect.
Conclusion
This project would calm the nerves of excited customers, and buy employees more time to perfect their product.
References
Belsky, S. (2011). Fight Against your short term rewards. Web.
Grant, R. (2008). Contemporary strategy analysis. Oxford: Blackwell.
Johnson, G., Scholes, K. & Whittington, R. (2005). Exploring corporate strategy. Text and cases. Harlow: Prentice Hall.
Lundgren, R. & McMakin, A. (2004). Risk communication: a handbook for communicating environmental, safety, and health risks. Columbus, Ohio: Battelle press.
Lynch, R. (2006). Corporate strategy. Harlow: Prentice Hall.
National Research Council (2000). Improving risk communication. Washington: National Academy press.
Seeger, M. (2010). Best practices in crisis communication: an expert panel process. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 34(3), 232-244.
Vargas, A. (2009). Strategic management. Huelva: University of Huelva.