Catastrophic oil spill? (or negligence and arrogance). Racism? (or a big ego). 40 million credit card records hacked? (ignored warning signs).
Each of these examples represents a business crisis that damaged reputations, hurt sales, and negatively impacted the bottom line. What do they have in common? The financial damage could have been minimized with an effective crisis communications plan. The key word here is “effective.”
Don’t have a plan? Where do you start?
- Identify the crisis team. Think about who needs to have a seat at the table to represent all key aspects of your organization- operations, management, employees, customers, community, volunteers, regulators and other stakeholder groups. This team will make decisions and spearhead communication, so it will probably include the CEO, communications leader, legal counsel, HR, and the leaders of operations or departments that may be impacted. Create and maintain a contact list of these individuals and keep it handy (electronically and on paper).
- Select and train spokespersons. Who will be the official “voice” of the organization in the event of a crisis? Keep in mind that this person may vary depending on the situation. Who is the designated back-up for these persons? All should participate in media training annually.
- Develop communication processes and protocols. This is the heart of the plan. You will need to communicate online and offline. Identify the channels you will use to communicate in real time and who is responsible for posting updates. Identify the chain of command. Who reviews and approves communications? What do you do if the story breaks before you can respond? How do you proceed if you identify a smoldering crisis? Having approved procedures in place IN ADVANCE is critical to responding quickly and protecting the brand.
- Don’t forget social media. The web and social media have dramatically changed how communicators and managers respond to a crisis. Social media can create a reputational crisis that would never have occurred “pre-Internet”. As you develop the plan and procedures, identify the channels used by your stakeholders. Are customers talking about your company on Twitter? Facebook? Monitor the channels and be prepared to respond quickly if an issue gains momentum.
- Practice. Identify the most likely crisis scenarios that could occur in your organization and prepare crisis management templates to address them. Conduct drills to help team members get used to moving quickly to activate the plan. When you drill, use your templates, actually draft communications and conduct mock interviews.
Still not sure where to begin? That’s easy. Contact the experts at the Institute for Crisis Management. ICM will work with your team to assess your organization’s needs and vulnerabilities and develop a customized plan. And don’t forget to send your key managers to our Crisis Communications Certification Course or crisis media training programs. Learn more at www.crisisconsultant.com.
