A communication audit is a systematic evaluation of an organization's internal and external communication efforts, including marketing materials, websites, reports, and more. It assesses the effectiveness of these channels and identifies strengths and weaknesses. An audit collects feedback from employees, customers, and other stakeholders through surveys, interviews, or focus groups. It then provides a comprehensive report on what is working well and what needs improvement, along with recommendations to strengthen future communication strategies.

1. Batch: 2016
Course Code: 50421312
Course Name: Public Relations II and Corporate
Communication I
Roll # 1146
Assignment # A 332

2. WHAT IS A COMMUNICATION AUDIT?
A communication audit is an evaluation of the effectiveness of an organization's
communication efforts. These efforts may include a number of different methods
and materials, such as advertisements and marketing collateral, websites,
internal communications, and shareholder reports. A communication audit will
assess the effectiveness of each of these methods. It is often used as a tool to
aid in planning or reevaluating a communications plan or strategy.
There are a number of reasons that a company or an organization may decide
to undergo a communication audit. It may have determined that its methods of
communication are spread too thin. It may feel that basic customer surveys do
not provide a comprehensive look at the effectiveness of its communications
strategies. The organization may simply wish to evaluate the company message
to ensure consistency across mediums, or to reach a new target audience.
Whatever the reason, it is important that the organization outline its mission, its
values or vision, and its audience prior to the audit so that the effective
communication of these items may be adequately assessed.

3. An organization can perform its own survey, or it may enlist the services of an
outside agency to perform the audit. It is important that a communication audit
be thorough in its examination of all existing communications strategies and
activities. Data may be collected through paper or electronic surveys, focus
groups, or interviews; the audit may test products for customer usability. It is also
important that the information be gathered from an inclusive range of
individuals, including not only company employees, but also shareholders,
clients, and customers. Other relevant groups may also be included.
The results of the communication audit are usually presented in the form of a
comprehensive report that clearly identifies all data collected, the survey
methods used, and the groups surveyed. These results should provide the
organization with information that will help to determine what it is doing right and
what it is doing wrong. It should identify any loopholes or other missing links in
the chain of information that may need to be corrected.
The full communication audit report may provide a better understanding of the
way that organizational communications are understood within the company, or
their effectiveness in reaching the external target client or audience. It may
provide specific examples that illustrate positive or negative experiences
related to its methods or its message. Ideally, the audit report will provide
concrete strategies for strengthening communication techniques and policies. It
may suggest how to better target and customize the organization's message
and present it in a useful way. The audit may also propose new ways that
communications efforts might be streamlined or simplified in order to cut costs
and clarify the organization's message to future audiences.

4. What are you communicating? Are your communications effective?
A Communications Audit will answer these questions. A
Communications Audit is a systematic research method, which will
identify the strengths and weaknesses of your current internal and
external communications.
An effective Communications Audit will identify:
• how past communications were handled.
• key audiences, what they currently know about your business,
service, product or organization, what they need and want to know
and how they prefer to be reached.
• strengths and weakness in current communications programs.
• untapped opportunities for future communications.
A Communications Audit asks:
• What are our current goals and objectives for communications?
• How well is the current Communications Plan working?
• Are our messages clear and consistent? Do we have a
coordinated graphic identity?
• Are we reaching key audiences with our messages and moving
them to action?
• What communications have been most effective?
• What do customers think of our communications?

5. • Do our communications support our overall strategic plan for our
business or organization?
• What would make our communications more effective in the
future?
• What communications opportunities are we missing?
You may either conduct a self-assessment or hire a professional to
perform the audit. These 10 steps will help you complete your
Communications Audit.
Step 1: Determine key areas to be audited.
Look at both internal and external communications. Include
everything from your standard identity pieces (business cards,
letterhead, logo and signage) to promotional materials to news
coverage received. Don’t forget to analyze your Web site and other
online marketing materials.
Step 2: Choose your research methods.
To conduct your audit, select among numerous research methods
such as one-on-one interviews, focus groups, online or telephone
surveys and media analysis.
Step 3: Collect and evaluate your past communications.
Spread all of last year’s communications pieces–internal and
external–on a conference room table. Ask:
• How did we inform the public about our business? What worked?
What didn’t?

6. • Were our graphics coordinated and messages consistent?
• Who were our key audiences?
• What were our key messages?
• Did we reach our audiences with the right messages?
• What media coverage did we receive? Was it effective? What
media opportunities did we miss?
• Did we successfully tell our story in our communications?
Take the time to analyze each communications piece. Create a
written list of what worked, and what didn’t. Survey a few trusted staff
and clients. What did they appreciate and why? What didn’t work for
them?
Step 4: Look outward: Query your customers.
Choose neutral researchers to query your customers. Electronic
surveys, one-on-one interviews, telephone interviews or focus groups
are a few techniques. Select a limited number of questions to
analyze your communications from your customer’s point of view.
Ask: What are your impressions of our communications? What do you
think of our graphics, identity pieces, Web site and other marketing
materials? How could we improve our communications?
Remember the saying, “a complaint is a gift.” (This is the title of
Janelle Barlow and Claus Moller’s classic, highly recommended
book about responding to customer feedback.)
Step 5: Look outward: Query your community.
What does the community know and perceive about your
organization? Take a broader look at the impact of your

7. communications. Again, ask questions to reveal public perceptions.
This can be achieved by hiring a research firm or an objective
person to conduct a formal community survey or by informally
interviewing community members.
Step 6: Look inward: Query your staff and volunteers.
Don’t forget your internal audiences. Collect their opinions about
your communications. Ask: What are your reactions to
communications during the past year? What was effective? What
wasn’t? What could be improved? Did internal documents serve your
needs? What future communications could help you function as part
of the organization? You will need to determine if all
communications were understood by all internal audiences. And
examine how your internal audiences present your organization to
the public. Do all employees have an accurate, consistent “elevator
speech” about your organization? Do you speak as one voice?
Step 7: Analyze your media coverage.
Keep all your press coverage in a media binder. This can include
television and radio tapes and/or transcripts and Web coverage. As
in Step 3, spread your media coverage around a table. Include
articles and paid ads. Look at the frequency and reach of your
coverage. What is the tone and impact? Are your key messages
being promoted? Are
your audiences being reached? What media opportunities have you
missed?
To oversee coverage, contract with a news

8. monitoring service or use Google’s free Media Alerts to track your
coverage in the press, blogs and Web sites.
Step 8: Conduct a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities,
threats) analysis.
Pull your data together from the previous steps. Do a SWOT analysis
of your communications using a simple chart:
Analyze how you can capitalize on strengths, stop weaknesses,
maximize opportunities and defend against threats.
STRENGTHS
WEAKNESS
OPPORTUNITIES
THREATS
Step 9: Think like a communications consultant.
Based on your findings, what would you recommend to yourself for
future communications? Select a team to help you analyze your
audit results and strategize about future actions.
Step 10: Put together a plan for future communications.
Use your research as the starting point for creating a
Communications Plan for your organization. Either create the plan
internally, or hire a professional to design and implement your plan.

9. Communication audit- Hotel novotel-Ottawa
Strengths:
- located right off the 417 highway, easy access and easy to find.
-the decor is european and the inside of each rooms, lobby, entrance looks
fairly new & modern.
-walking distance to Rideau Center, Parliament hill, and even the Byward
Market.
-Rideau Canal is not too far; so depending on the season, you can skate on the
canal or rent a boat.
-they offer smoking & non-smoking rooms.
-many amenities: such as gym facility, pool, whirl pool, dry cleaning, indoor
heated parking garage, and even safety deposit boxes & ironing & coffee & hair
dryer in every room.
-very much affordable.
Weaknesses:
-frustrating sensors in the fridge & counter, that if you lift an item off its sensor
directly charges to your credit card.
-i demanded 2 keys and was only allowed 1, even after offering to pay for the
extra key service.
-the hallways to the pool & gym were super confusing and got lost because of
the lack of directions or signs on the walls.

10. -for the smoking, I had to go to the patio/smoking sections when I originally
requested for a smoking room.
-no life guard or even anyway of calling for help in the pool/whirl pool area.
-no complimentary breakfast or anything.
Opportunities:
-they have large meeting/banquet rooms to cater to a conference or a
wedding.
-this hotel is a tourist recommend and many business opportunities since it’s
located in the heart of downtown and right next to the Rideau Center.
-birthday catering or even birthday hotel parties like the one I had
Threats:
-since it’s location is in downtown that means other competitors, and there’s a
hotel right next to Novotel called Les Suites.
CUSTOMER REVIEWS:
These are some customer reviews about the hotel in Ottawa.
(directly said by the customers)
"Nice hotel in the center of Ottawa"
21st August 2014, A TripAdvisor Member, Brussels, Belgium
Had a nice stay in this hotel with very attentive staff, a very nice suite
room, very good breakfast and nice bar.
"Ottawa 4-days"
8th August 2014, D M, Cambridge, Ontario
Rooms are clean, beds comfortable but room small. Would of liked a
useable fridge instead of a minibar. Breakfast buffet worth including
in cost very tasty. Locations was great.

11. "Family trip"
22nd July 2014, Jorge V, Mexico City, Mexico
Excelent location, just 7 minutes walking to the parlament. A block
away from the market and other hsitoric sites. A supermarket two
blocks away and the shopping mall infront,
"Not impressed"
12th July 2014, Darlene R, Toronto, Ontario
Even though the hotel lobby seemed to have been renovated, the
carpets buckled in the room and hallways, ice machine broken,
toilets don't flush properly, pool keys demagnetize, I am a bit upset.
"Very Good but pricey"
25th June 2014, A TripAdvisor Member, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The location is perfect for Byward Market and Parliament. No need to
drive, just walk coupled with a nice sunny day, you're going to have
a great day.