Five things you should do when a crisis hits

It is a fact that over 70% of companies that have been hit by a major reputational crisis fail to recover. Companies that don’t have a crisis plan in place are, in my view, irresponsible and deserve all the flack they get.

A week ago an email plopped into my inbox from a former client to alert me to the fact that a major incident could be about to erupt. Their communications managers, lawyer, company secretary, and HR Director were all copied in to the email and, within moments, there was a blizzard of conversation going backwards and forwards.

Everyone had a different perspective and all were in a high state of anxiety. The moment they thought would never happen to them had arrived. Like many companies they had no particular procedures in place for a media crisis, although they were well prepared for disaster recovery.

If a media crisis happens to your company, this is what you should do.

1. Appoint a crisis expert as quickly as possible and listen to them

A real crisis is something that will only happen once or twice in the lifetime of a company or organisation. Crisis management experts deal with them every day. They know exactly what to do and, as a result, bring confidence and control to what can be a chaotic situation.  Because they are generally external consultants, they will be dispassionate and objective.

2. Gather all the facts and make sure these are complete

So often I go into an organisation and none of the facts are available.  Every detail, from who said what to whom and when, email trails, etc is vitally important. Social and digital media allow rumour and speculation develop at the speed of light and you have to be in a situation where you know the facts. And if you don’t, just say so. Never speculate.

3. Check social and digital media rigorously and tell people what is going on.

You cannot ignore social media. This is where your customers, clients and staff will vent, whether you like it or not. We talk endlessly about engagement and yet, when a crisis hits, the organisation inevitably retreats, tortoise like, into its shell. Keep responding and tell people what you are doing, keep your audience involved with operational information which is not commercially sensitive.  I advise companies to commit to regular bulletins: as long as you are seen to be responding, even if it is to say nothing has changed, it looks as though you are reacting and engaging.

4. Agree the points you want to make, check them for legal, stick to them

When a crisis hits panic sets in. This is because adrenal glands are in overdrive suppressing logic and rational behaviour. It is hard to focus, analyse information and make decisions. In short it is a scary, sometimes terrifying period.  Agreeing what you are going to say and sticking to it means the organisation looks in control. Messages remain consistent and it helps dampen rumour and speculation.

5. Appoint a convincing and believable spokesperson and rehearse them

There is nothing worse than watching a wild eyed, grey faced, perspiring CEO reading a prepared statement. It does not inspire anyone with confidence, including employees. Appoint a spokesman who is confident, good with media and is used to public speaking. He or she needs to be credible, passionate and charismatic.   If your CEO is hopeless on camera DO NOT put him in front of one. In this world of You Tube and instant media it is commercial suicide, which can go on haunting the organisation for many years.

A crisis which hits the media is probably the highest profile many companies will ever achieve. From a reputational point of view, it can be make or break, so start thinking about investing time and money to get ready for the unthinkable.