TORONTO – Corus Radio has decided to make itself more accountable to its clients – in certificate form.
The company recently announced the development of a new "Pro-Radio" performance guarantee and sales professional code of ethics where, basically, if any of Corus’ 50 radio stations mess up, they promise to make immediate restitution to their clients.
If a paid spot does not air as contracted, Corus will deliver two spots for every one that aired incorrectly or twice what the advertiser paid for the spot in credit. The guarantee applies to the purchase of all radio spots on any of Corus’ 50 radio stations across the country.
“Accountability seems to be the number one word in advertising right now and I think this just affirms our position as the market-leader in customer service – we are the biggest radio operator in Canada. This just gives us an opportunity to tell everybody we’re willing to go a big step further than everybody else at this point and guarantee accountability,” Corus Radio’s vice-president, sales, Chris Sisam, told www.cartt.ca in an interview.
“We’re accountable that our schedules run as booked and that people are getting what they paid for,” he added.
Another part of the guarantee, which can downloaded and printed at www.corusradio.ca, also promises that the words “commercial-free” will never air on any Corus radio station.
“It’s something we have never said on our radio stations… because we believe in advertising,” Sisam added. “We’ve always felt that if you say that you’re commercial-free, aren’t you then denigrating your actual business? When it comes down to it, what we’re all about from a business perspective is matching audiences with advertisers so we believe in advertising and if you say you’re commercial free, why take advertising?
“It’s the lifeblood of our business, we think,” he said.
The sales professional code of ethics is focused on creating long-term client relationships through superior customer service that extends beyond just the campaign and station at hand. The eight principles of the code reflect the honesty and integrity with which all Corus Radio sales personnel conduct business.
“What we have done here is create a two-pronged approach to customer service,” said John Hayes, president, Corus Radio. “One side, the performance guarantee, we hope to never use because we are committed to getting it right the first time. The other, the code of ethics, we pledge to use every day. But both approaches are ultimately about being accountable to our customers and focused on their needs. We are pleased to lead the Canadian radio industry by constantly raising the client satisfaction bar.”
The question of accountability in both the advertising and communications industries is certainly a topic which is top-of-mind in 2005. Aside from being one of Corus’ five core values, accountability was the focus of the Canadian Media Directors’ Council recent annual conference in Toronto.
“The radio business overall in Canada is pretty good – pretty good at service and at making sure people get what they ask for and pay for,” explains Sisam. “And, being the biggest company, we’re taking a larger or lead role in that.”
– Greg O’Brien
