[Editor’s Note:It’s almost tax time. So, we wanted to talk with a tax-related communicator. Oh, wait, the pandemic; it’s no longer tax time. Actually, it's tax time somewhere in the world, Jesse Hamlin, who runs corporate communications at Avalara, the tax software firm, tells us. As part of our series of interviews with senior communicators, we asked Hamlin how Avalara is communicating during coronavirus.]
PRNEWS: What is the state of Avalara’s business? How has this changed your communications strategy and tactics?
Senior Director, Communications
Avalara
Jesse Hamlin: One of the things that’s fascinating about the tax business is its ubiquity. Every company has a government-mandated obligation to understand its tax footprint. That said, communicating in this environment has forced everyone to get closer to understanding their customers. Communication is far more targeted at this moment. We’re no different.
There are two sides to what’s happening: those segments and businesses that are exploding...and those that are struggling. If you manufacture bread machines, it’s probably a busy time. For those selling travel accessories, it’s probably pretty slow. Marketing professionals must craft segment-based communications that go deeper to be relevant and ensure they are not tone-deaf.
Amidst the fog of crisis, this is not about Avalara. When it comes to PR and marketing, it’s a focus on how companies can best serve customers and businesses struggling to navigate the new normal.
PRNEWS: What have you learned about internal communications in the pandemic period?
Hamlin: As a global company, [we have seen] the pandemic period as a 24/7 game for six weeks rolling into April. Last year we flipped a lot of communications resources in-house. I fought hard for a dedicated internal communications team.
During the last few weeks, I’ve never been more grateful for those individuals. If you’re a growing business, don’t wait until it’s too late to bring on communications professionals totally focused on internal communications.
Any plan we had did not apply to the speed and scale of this crisis. Communications to employees obviously was the first priority. How do we keep the team safe, ensure it understands how we are reacting, [while] having a steady voice.
PRNEWS: And your headquarters is in Seattle, right?
Hamlin: Right. There was a two-week period where we were issuing urgent communication to all, or most, employees, every single day given how fast things were moving. Since we were in the initial epicenter of the outbreak in the US, the local environment certainly shaped our early reaction.
As a team, we learned a few things:
- Having internal comms at the decision-making table helped immensely in terms of speed and clarity of message. Our entire internal comms team sits on daily executive briefings and is the primary triage point for global leadership.
- There is an evolution of employee needs, and it will continue to evolve.We have to shift our comms approach and tone constantly to adjust to what we are hearing. For example, in the earliest days, we had to communicate rapidly because people were looking for clear decisions and guidance. The news was changing hourly, so we had to show that we were on top of it.
- Shifting to a well-being-focused phase.How do we best help people feel valued as members of our community and supported to take care of themselves and their families? As people settle into working from home, the wear of weeks of stress and uncertainty is taking a toll.
- One thing that buoys us is capturing the bright spots.We have set up a couple of channels for people to highlight and acknowledge those individuals in the business who are rising to the occasion.
You have to document all the things going right and wrong in the moment. In this case, we’re hearing incredible stories from employees. It’s our job to preserve those so we don’t forget the things that people did and what went well during a very difficult time.
We have people holding Zoom calls with their team member’s kids so parents can get a 30-minute reprieve from juggling. There’s a team member who spends weekends making face shields to donate to local hospitals.
Homeschooling experts are lending counsel and resources to parents trying for the first time. If you can find and bring forward those moments, it can have an impact.
PRNEWS: With dates for tax filing delayed, how have you changed your external communication?
Hamlin: Changing tax rules? This happens every day in our business – the only difference is a much larger scale trigger for those changes. We have a global team of tax experts who monitor and implement these changes, no matter the scale, day in and day out, so it’s been rather fascinating to watch them work during this period.
[A side note: working internal vs. at an agency gives you a whole other layer of respect for the interconnectedness of the business.]
As with employees, there are phases to our approach to external communications.
Navigating The Crisis Phase:
- The best thing we can do is offer expertise with wild generosity: “Here, we’re the experts. Take our knowledge.”
We’re publishing real-time updates on what global governments are doing to change tax laws, we’re engaging with our partners to offer just-in-time resources for businesses changing business models, etc.
That will change over time as businesses settle into other phases, especially in their own post-mortem phase, when they assess how their business navigated this. Now that will be a fascinating and fiercely competitive time for business software/service providers.
PRNEWS: How are you and your staff monitoring the social conversation during this period?
Hamlin: We have four primary channels; two are focused on our employees and two on our customers and the industry. Our tone in both environments has changed, naturally.
Usually we are playful, especially around heavier subjects like tax, and certainly about our fun employees. That has obviously shifted; to carry on as-planned would be tone-deaf now. Again, there is a heavier focus on generosity and respect in both arenas.
What’s fun is having established channels on social media where you can play a bit. We’re using the employee-focused channels as a place to highlight the bright spots.
PRNEWS: We’re obviously in an economic downturn. Has that changed your external communications?
Hamlin: You adjust everything – internal, external, peer-to-peer. There are different emotions, priorities and timetables at play. To think what you planned is still appropriate in most scenarios is silly.
PRNEWS: Any early takeaways?
Hamlin: There always is opportunity in crisis to learn, to improve, to be memorable and to establish relationships. This moment will be cemented in the memories of stakeholders – how did your business and individuals within it respond and act?
PRNEWS: What about crisis behavior?
Hamlin: Individuals rise to the occasion at different phases – not everyone does it all at once and that lends sustainability to a team. Some people thrive early during crisis moments – the reactions and fast decision-making.
Some take their time and soak up what is needed and bring thoughtful, long-term solutions to the table.
This pattern of new energy constantly rising as the prior shift needs to recharge is fascinating to watch and be part of.
And this plays out at all levels and segments of our internal business – from our executive team to sales to customer support to marketing communications.
Right now there is a lot of ‘Thank you, I’ve got this; take a break – we’ll need you again soon,’ organically happening. It’s energizing to see.
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