ATOS is using PR firm Fishburne Hedges

[DIZZYNITA]

Hi

I'm subscribed to a website called Benefits and Work Forum and they sent me an interesting update...

 

ATOS want right to reply on Benefits and Work Forum

ATOS is using a leading PR firm Fishburne Hedges to try to get a right to reply on the Benefits and Work Forum.

 

FH say on their website that they 'help leading organisations promote and defend corporate reputations in an uncertain world'.

 

Amongst many other contracts, FH were allocated over half a million pounds of tax payers' money for PR work on the National Programme for IT, the online patient record system now widely seen as a disaster for the NHS.

 

Much of the project has now been abandoned and many millions of pounds that could have gone on patient care has been wasted on private sector contracts.

 

We (Benefits and Work Forum) were intrigued to receive an email request from FH for a 'right to reply' from their clients ATOS and asked for details.

 

The PR company's response was that they had designed a 'forum engagement process' to allow ATOS to engage with customers in a 'safe and comfortable environment' and to 'put their customers at ease'.

In reality it seemed more like an opportunity for ATOS to post a lot of links to Frequently Asked Questions on its own website from our forum.

 

The email conversation came to an abrupt end after we asked a question about recording medicals.

There are issues even a leading PR firm struggles to gloss over, it would seem.

 

Benefits and Work would be very interested to hear from other benefits groups who have been approached by Fishburn Hedges.

[Nystagmite]

I read this on the B&W website last week.

[DIZZYNITA]

ATOS seems to have gone into panic mode. Wonder what they will try to do next!

[ErikaPNP]

I just want to give a little reassurance here. As all members will be aware from the forum rules, any person claiming to represent a company and wishing to post on CAG in such a capacity must go via admin for approval.

 

We allow such representatives here only when it appears from discussion between the company and our admin that it may be in the best interests of our members.

 

 

The PR company's response was that they had designed a 'forum engagement process' to allow ATOS to engage with customers in a 'safe and comfortable environment' and to 'put their customers at ease'.

In reality it seemed more like an opportunity for ATOS to post a lot of links to Frequently Asked Questions on its own website from our forum.

 

 

This does not strike me as something that is in the best interests of our members. By the time the majority of people come to CAG for assistance with a claim that involves an ATOS assessment, it is because they have already been through an ATOS assessment and are unhappy with the results. In those cases, members usually wish to appeal against the decision which involves DWP and the Tribunal Service with very few claimants having contact with ATOS again unless they wish to complain. If they do wish to complain, then presumably claimants will have been sent literature before an ATOS assessment in any case - if they want to go to ATOS whether it is via a PR company or otherwise, they have ATOS' contact details and will contact them of their own free will if that is their wish.

 

Safe and comfortable environment? People come to CAG because they feel this is a safe and comfortable environment in which to discuss their concerns and seek support and advice.

[nolegion]

Excellent. And of course, in any event, a business's best 'publicity' is its 'product' – which, in this case, I am sure many of us here would find easy to describe, though difficult to print.

[MARTIN3030]

Absolutely.

The practice of companies using PR agencies to headhunt complaints about them and redirect them to social media sites,or else to themselves,seems to be increasing.

This is not something we are happy to endorse or offer co operation with.

We believe that companies /organisations themselves,should be doing this,and not farming out contracts to firms who have set themselves up to protect brands, and offer damage limitation exercises.

 

We always do checks on any approaches made in consideration of posting on the site in an official capacity.

In recent months there have been a number of refusals,after it was found that individuals who had made requests,were found to be agents of PR and consultancy firms.

[speedfreek]

Right that's the serious stuff all over.

 

Everyone else to the bear garden for a all new spanking new forum edition flip over forum user name guess who?

 

Tonights paranoid special edition is who's the ATOS spy behind the card we can't see which hunt!

 

Or if no one guesses it right. The all new forum edition of ATOS Cludo anyone able to pick up the cards or is mentally competent to enough to count the spots on the dice gets ZERO points. Could be a long night so bring your own refreshments and nibbles

[MARTIN3030]