We are in a new era of Public Relations. In the last few years, the importance of reputation management has undergone a sea change. More brands and clients, especially from the leadership teams, are viewing Public Relations from a close range. The industry has undergone a radical change with the advent of social media, which has to a large extent changed the approach to Public Relations. We have a relatively new and young audience that we need to face in the coming years so there are bigger challenges for brands and PR practitioners, who have to be more agile and proactive in their thinking to draw up business solutions for clients.In our exclusive weekly column, PR Conversation, Adgully interacts with leading business leaders to gain their exclusive views and insights on various trends in the PR and communications industry.In an exclusive conversation with Adgully, Hitesh Raj Bhagat, Global Head of Corporate Communications at Truecaller, discusses his motivations for transitioning into corporate communications at the company. He elaborates on how Truecaller prepares for and manages potential communication crises, the strategies used to engage users. Bhagat also emphasizes on the role of internal communication in aligning Truecaller’s employees with the company’s goals and values.Additionally, he shares insights on managing communication with external partners, stakeholders, and media, as well as how corporate communications are evolving in the tech industry.After spending nearly a decade in technology journalism, what motivated you to transition into corporate communications at Truecaller?Having spent over 17 years in technology journalism, I developed a deep passion for the tech industry and storytelling. Truecaller as a company always caught my attention, and I closely followed it due to its innovative approach and the significant impact it had on my life personally. When the opportunity arose to be part of a brand that was making a real difference in people’s lives, I jumped at it. Today, I am proud to be in a role that allows me to shape the communication strategy of a company that is an essential part of the daily lives of over 30 crore Indians.My journey in journalism equipped me with the skills to craft engaging narratives, so transitioning to corporate communications at Truecaller felt like a natural progression, allowing me to apply those skills in a new and impactful way.How has your experience at The Economic Times and CyberMedia shaped your approach to corporate communications, especially in conveying technical information to a broader audience?My experience at The Economic Times and CyberMedia provided a strong foundation for simplifying complex technical concepts for a wider audience. As a technology journalist, I was often tasked with taking highly specialised, jargon-heavy information and translating it into engaging content that could inform readers from all walks of life. Being responsible for the Personal Technology sections at The Economic Times, I covered various topics, from emerging technologies to product launches and industry trends. This role taught me the importance of clear, concise messaging, ensuring that a diverse readership could understand and appreciate even intricate advancements in fields like AI, camera technologies, cloud computing, and cybersecurity.At Truecaller, I apply the same principles. I prioritise simplicity and clarity in messaging, ensuring our communication resonates with technical experts and everyday users. Whether discussing advanced features like AI-driven spam detection or providing updates on privacy and security initiatives, the goal is always to make the message accessible and engaging.In an era where misinformation can spread quickly, how does Truecaller prepare for and manage potential communication crises? Could you provide an example of a situation you’ve navigated successfully?In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, Truecaller is keenly aware of the risks of misinformation. People are now more concerned about where their data is being stored and how it is being used, and rightly so! Everyone who uses any digital service should be well aware of their digital rights and all the controls available to them – and they should ask the services/ apps they use about these things.In our case, a crisis occurs when someone with influence spreads misinformation without knowing the facts or without contacting us for clarifications. To proactively manage this, we emphasise transparency and open communication, which are foundational to building and maintaining trust with our stakeholders, including media friends, our consumers, internally with colleagues and investors.We are committed to addressing issues promptly by providing accurate information. This helps us dispel misinformation before it escalates, ensuring our stakeholders are always well-informed and knowledgeable. Our strategy involves regular monitoring of conversations across platforms, which ensures that we are always aware of potential issues. This, along with timely responses to concerns and clear messaging on sensitive topics like privacy, data security, and app functionality, provides a sense of security to our stakeholders.What strategies do you employ to engage users through communication, and how do you measure the effectiveness of these strategies?At Truecaller, our communication strategy is designed to stay aligned with emerging trends and user needs. We carefully plan our message timings, whether introducing new features, responding to industry changes or alerting our users about new market scams. Depending on the nature of the product, we test a feature in one market first before expanding globally. We leverage various tools and strategies, from targeted messaging to data-driven campaigns, and often collaborate with external agencies to enhance our outreach. To measure effectiveness, we closely monitor engagement metrics, user feedback, and market response, allowing us to refine our approach continuously.What role does internal communication play in aligning Truecaller employees with the company’s goals and values, and how do you foster a culture of open communication within the organisation? Additionally, how do you manage communication with external partners, stakeholders, and media to strengthen Truecaller’s brand image and community presence?At Truecaller, our internal communication strategy is not just a tool, but a reflection of our commitment to transparency and trust. It is essential to align our colleagues with the company’s goals and values, just as in our external communications.We are committed to clear and open communication with our consumers, media friends, and stakeholders. This includes explaining how the app functions, how we generate revenue, and addressing critical issues like app permissions. We consistently respond to all questions, including those related to privacy, data safety, and security.Truecaller is also one of the few apps that offer users complete, granular control over their privacy and data directly within the app, further enhancing trust and transparency.What key performance indicators (KPIs) do you use to assess the effectiveness of your corporate communication efforts, and how do you adjust strategies based on these insights?Apart from the usual number of targets for measuring our campaigns’ success, we also measure effectiveness by directly speaking with relevant stakeholders like media and consumers (through the official Truecaller community ‘TrueTalks’, via social media, or our support channels). The message has to have both high reach and retention.How does Truecaller incorporate user feedback into its communication strategies, and what processes do you have in place to respond to user concerns or suggestions effectively?At Truecaller, we prioritise user feedback and incorporate it into our communication strategies through active engagement on platforms like the TrueTalks community and X (formerly Twitter). We regularly monitor these channels to understand user needs and gather insights directly influencing feature development. Many of our key features, such as Call Reason, Spam Statistics, Inbox Cleaner, advanced spam blocking tools (such as the ability to completely block calls from a certain country or block a number series) and many of the privacy tools, were developed directly in response to consumer requests.To address user concerns and suggestions, we have established processes that ensure timely responses. We also prioritise transparency in our communications, informing users about product updates, addressing their questions, and clarifying any issues. This collaborative approach enables us to build a user-centric platform and maintain strong relationships with our community.How do you foresee the role of corporate communications evolving in the tech industry, and what challenges do you anticipate for Truecaller in this regard?Technology has transformed the communications landscape. There will be much higher use of generative AI – which is both a boon and a curse. Faster means of communication demand a real-time response from us. And we have to be monitoring and handling situations that can lead to potential crises.The positive aspect of fast technology is the medium that allows us to connect and communicate with our audiences at any given moment, be it through emails, messaging, social media platforms, or other means. At the same time, the flip side is the misinformation that spreads and affects brands and individuals alike.