The reason for this story is an anniversary – 15 years of successful business of the company Chapter 4, which is one of the leading agencies for public relations in the region, a part of the international Chapter 4 Group of agencies in the Central and Eastern Europe, and exclusive representative of the leading world PR network Burson. Fifteen-year anniversary is a reason for conversation with the founders, directors and owners of the agency, on how to achieve stability based on reliable business consulting and ethical communication, with constant waves or storms which bring in changes, innovations, and creativity.

In conversation with colleagues, managers in the companies, editors and journalists we have heard a lot of praises for Chapter 4 team and the agency. The most highlighted were their know-how and experience, dedication, results, but also acknowledgments won by the directors, Milena Avramović Bjelica and Tamara Bekčić, for their contribution to the expert communication, or Chapter 4 agency for its work with clients.

Chapter 4: A Chapter For a World-class Communication

This is how it all began: from the colleagues working in the same company, Tamara and Milena became good friends even outside work, then they joint together their knowledge and experience, became and remained business partners and owners of one of the most rewarded agencies. Two of them say that, based on the good relationship, they create common human and business values, focus on communication and solutions and mutual respect.

At the moment of establishing a company, Milena and Tamara already had enough business experience to know what they wanted to achieve and accomplish, while admiring world examples of good practice, as well as international, successful companies and PR networks. It sounds simple, but is it?

It should be pointed out that independent business run by the two women 15years ago in Serbia was not very often, not to say a partnership that lasts. “Although in our filed of expertise women dominate, there were a few of them actually on leading positions at the time. I wish we had female role models, but there were none... or no one new about them. In time we realized how extremely important is the plan of creating an independent agency for communication with international presence, especially as female, business enterprise”, shared with us Milena Avramović Bjelica .

“We had some management experience even before establishing the Chapter 4 agency, but it differs from creating the entire firm, team, and international brand. Everything became a priority, often even a challenge. We were facing these challenges, solving them step by step, investing in the people and the relationships. Maturing as managers along with the company we established we were building both ourselves as well our company, gaining precious experience and supporting each other and the whole team. I am proud on the values we created, along with the team and the clients. When I turn back, I see lasting partnerships, and they are the best illustration of the excellent communication to which we strive, and which makes an integral part of the business excellence”, said Tamara Bekčić .

People Development and Power of PR Team

Team development is never easy, and a staff world crisis clearly indicates the necessity for care for the people and their professional development and well-being. Our interviewees point out how they are proud on the quality of the services, but highlight that the application of highly professional quality standards depend on the people: the service quality shows the team power. And powerful PR team provides reliable client support.

Milena Avramović Bjelica pointed out a curiosity about the Chapter 4 agency: “Contrary to the general opinion on people fluctuation in the agencies, we have a very low fluctuation rate in terms of both our employees and our clients. For these 15 years of doing business, we gained both colleagues and clients who are more than ten years with us. We do care to be a safe harbor and a stable partner.“

Importance of that stability is even bigger since we live in time when everything is rapidly changing. From geo-politics, advancement of science and technology, to consumers’ and clients’ preferences... various changes influence the business and the company, as well as communication and PR projects and communication campaigns. In order to be and stay competitive, an agency must invest in its people and consultants, who represent it in work with clients.

Internal rule in the Chapter 4 agency, from its establishment until today, is that it is important that the learning opportunities are being found, created, and accepted. Career path should be planned, but it is expected that all the consultants take an active role in that process and show interest and initiative, in terms of opportunities and development. “By taking care a lot about knowledge development, tools, and capacities, we have travelled a lot, learned from the best, and we are still learning, and seeking inspiration in our field of expertise, as well as beyond it. Team members took part at various conferences in Serbia, in the region, but also in the whole Europe. We attended seminars, trainings, courses, master classes ... Many times we ourselves were among the lecturers or jury members for different professional gatherings All that is a precious experience which gives us professional insights and acquaintances, explained Milena Avramović Bjelica.

Knowledge transfer is also a very important part of the mission of communication, team development, and empowering agency reputation. “During the years, we have shared our business knowledge and experience with younger colleagues, and accepted invitations to hold lectures or take part in the mentor programs. It is a very intense feeling to support someone and provide insights from your own experience, even encourage someone’s first steps. I think it is important to point out that there are many excellent women in our field of expertise, but even today their percentage in executive boards or at the highest positions is not sufficient, especially in the companies. I hope we will change that – by our own examples, or by providing active support to the young colleagues, and in everyday basis, by providing visibility to excellent women in the companies we work with”, pointed out Tamara Bekčić.

Numerous occasions in which the directors of the Chapter 4 agency share their knowledge and experience and encouraging young people to engage in communication, as well as international awards from the colleagues from their field of expertise received for their contribution to development and improvement of communications testify of the agency success and team development.

Chapter 4: Chapter Dedicated to Clients

One can achieve everything with the communication, but nothing without it.

It seems like there is almost no industry which Chapter 4 is not acquainted with through their work with the clients. And knowing your clients business is a prerequisite for the efficient corporative or brand communication.

In their work in strategic planning of communication, consulting or designing or realization of the campaigns, Chapter 4 is using the tailor-madeapproach. It is actually a personalized work mode, adjusted to each client, based on their specific needs, plans, and goals. Strategic and creative consulting takes care of specifics of the client and the industry it operates in. Additionally, what makes the cooperation successful is deep understanding of the client operations and team flexibility to prompt and efficient response.

Today, Chapter 4 agency operates on 11 European markets, while on other markets it has its partner agencies. It is an exclusive representative of the global Burson network, globally present with its standards and insights, which are important prerequisite for cooperation with international clients.

Milena Avramović Bjelicatold us that beside Serbia, women are founders and manage the Chapter 4 PR agencies in other countries as well, and also pointed out the following: “It is not important whether the campaign leader is a male or female, it is more significant to see how the campaign is managed and what are the values of the company, management, and the employees. We had luck to be mutually well understood as communicators, and that we have mutual respect, even in the situations when our opinions differ. That is the reason why our partnership lasts so long and I would say that it contributes to the team and agency success. Respecting all differences and opinions is what we cherish in our team and it is our strength – differences inspire and motivate us.”

Each award is illustration of a victory over communication and successful cooperation with the client’s team according to our interviewees. There are still many challenges and difficulties, but the award testifies that the good decisions were made, that the results were measurable, and the goals are fulfilled or exceeded. International awards represent special sort of pride since communication is greater, stronger and often with larger budgets than we have. When in these circumstances a project or campaign from Serbia win the award, be rest assured that the communication, creativity, and influences on the business won.

Tamara Bekčić especially pointed out that not just awards are a sign of quality in operations and project creativity, but also the power of partnership we nourish with our clients, achieving excellent results in communication: “Our awards come from the most important domestic and international gatherings which refer to the public relations and communications, including two awards for the best agency in Serbia, and one for the best PR network in the region of the Central and Eastern Europe. We also won SABRE Award in London, and the European Excellence Award last year in Berlin, so called European PR Oscar. We are proud on all our awards, but mostly on the team of the Chapter 4 agency and our clients. Over the previous years, Milena and I also won personal, international awards for our contribution to PR expertise. It is PRO PR Globe Award given by the world biggest professional organizations – PRCA, ICCO & IPRA, and which represents great honor, but also motivation for further success.“

The First 15 Years

Confronting different target groups, tools, and communication channels with numerous changes over the years, is what public relations work makes a very dynamic. “I have no doubts that even the next 15 years will be just as dynamic, because we strive for quality and achieve results in our professional field of operations, with the clients and in the community in which we operate, by respecting the principles of ethics and transparency in work”, said Milena Avramović Bjelica. Eight years ago, Chapter 4 signed the Helsinki Declaration on Ethical Professional Operations, defined by the world biggest professional organization ICCO (International Communications Consultancy Organization). According to them, transparency and responsible communication are the best response to the negative examples of the modern communication, such are false news. They give their own example, through proactive communication of projects, clients, and own initiatives through agency channels, which is not very common in our country.

“A lot has changed over the past years. After the first 15 years of the agency’s operations, we have a three-digit number of clients and even larger number of successfully realized projects. That is why I believe that we were successful in client consulting and team development. I am grateful for the support we give each other, as well as on how good and reliable team we have”, said Tamara Bekčić, and also added: “In our business we think a lot about many stakeholders and on consistent communication quality. One cannot be an excellent employer, but a bad partner in business, and vice versa. All our relationships make pieces of a puzzle which make the company reputation – the Chapter 4 agency, and our clients, as well. Each part, or element is important. If we were not applying this, we would not have any credibility nor the clients to advise.“

“When I look back and remind myself of what we have achieved in the last fifteen years, I am sure that our success comes from the fact that we were not afraid to make mistakes, that we find everyday inspiration in what we are doing and people we work with, not only with our colleagues, but also the clients, associates, nourishing the everlasting partnerships. And when I look in front of me, I believe that our focus in the next years will be on stability, dedication, innovations, creativity, and business plans, the results of which will be measurable, as they were up till now”, added Milena Avramović Bjelicafor the end of our conversation.