The community that lives where this company is located is very crucial. Goodwill from the community will have an effect on how the company will operate or how it will achieve its goals. Any negative reaction from the locals can affect the business significantly. It will be very difficult for you to run the business in a hostile environment. You should strive to form, a very great relation with them. There are a number of ways that your company can improve and ensure good relations with the community.
When you empower the community in your location ,you will be assured of good relations. You can allocate this service to some of the locals. This will give them a sense of ownership. This ownership feeling will make them feel that they need to protect the business at all times. It will create an initiative in them to create a good environment for you to function in. They become your informant which is advantageous to the business.
Sponsorships are great to win the community’s trust. This is a great way to give back to the community. You can sponsor children’s education where people nominate students who need this help. You can also pick the best students in their exams and sponsor them to the next education levels. Other activities that are not educational can be sponsored. These and other events like fundraisings can be great ideas.
You can partner with other companies and hold charity events. A race like a marathon can be conducted and all the money that will be collected can be put to a charity that is within the community. You can partner with the government or other organizations and build a health centre or drill a borehole that will provide them with water. These projects should be done regularly. It keeps making your impact fresh each time in their minds. The leaders your location are very significant and you must be close to them. People believe what those who lead them have to say and will follow them at all times. Get in touch with formal and also informal leaders.
Communication in any environment is crucial. You must create a very good communication channel between you and the community. Select a number of representatives who will be your contact people to the community. Have some public interactions before making decisions within your business that will have direct effects on the community present. This communication makes them feel loved which will be great for the business.Every business should try and start developing community relations as early as you can. It would be easy forming bond with them when you show that you care from the start. Doing this task later in the project may face a lot of rejection which can cost you in the long run.