Don’t Let a Crisis Become a Major Disaster For Your Business

Don't be a rabbit in the headlights ...
It seems every time we pick up a newspaper or turn on the radio there's another crisis - but they don't just happen to the big boys, they can hit any business. The current economic climate has brought financial difficulties and redundancies, which have only added to the list of potential 'triggers' that can trip up a business. Crises can happen to the most professional organisations, they might be your fault, or you might be entirely innocent, but no one is immune and anyone can find themselves suddenly in the full glare of the media spotlight. So what do you do? Here are my top tips:

Be prepared - plan for crises
Once the worst has happened and your phone is ringing off the hook with media demanding answers, it is too late to start thinking about crisis management plans. So whilst you may be one of those lucky firms that will never need it, putting a plan in place for managing crises is well worth the time. You should anticipate and make a list of all the things that could go wrong (from the most trivial to the truly serious).

Establish a communications strategy
Work out how, in the event of a crisis, you will communicate with the media and your other key audiences - customers, employees, investors, for example. Who will be your spokespeople? Are they media trained? Are you able to manage the content of your website so that you can get statements and news on there quickly? E-mail is another excellent way of getting messages out to all key audiences fast. Consider how in bound enquiries will be handled - can you set up dedicated hotlines? Do you have sufficient staff to answer the phones at all times? Nothing will aggravate the media more than not being able to contact you, getting engaged tones or Voicemail messages. It's also essential that approved spokespeople are available 24/7, because the media is 24/7. Office, home and mobile numbers should be accessible and nominated spokespeople should cover for sickness and holiday, or a rota drawn up. In addition it is vital that all employees know the communications protocol, including who is authorised to speak on behalf of the business and who isn't.

Respond fast
Once a crisis happens, speed is everything - but that doesn't mean rushing out inappropriate statements or interviews before you have all the facts. Neither does it mean hiding from the media - refusing to respond to requests or worse still, saying 'no comment' only makes you look guilty. What should happen, simultaneously, is that a holding statement is issued (this will simply state that you are aware of the incident/problem and are investigating further) while you gather all the information you'll need.

Be sympathetic but state your case
Your response should lay out the facts clearly; there is no need to speculate so don't. Always express concern and sympathy for any 'victims' but don't admit responsibility unless you are responsible, in which case, admit it and apologise. State what you are doing to address the incident/problem and what you will do in future to prevent it happening again. Always be amenable with the media, remember, they are not there to damage you, they just want to get to the bottom of the story.

-ENDS-

Written by Jane Herbert, managing director, Pilotmax