| Understanding crisis | | | | * it will have the potential to affect reputation and could |
| There will, for every business, come a point when it | | | | attract negative publicity - remember that how you |
| faces a crisis or an incident that needs managing. | | | | handle the incident is just as important as what caused |
| Understanding the early warning signs and when action | | | | the incident itself |
| needs to be taken can often mean the difference | | | | * it could require legal advice and handling |
| between saving reputation and accelerating downfall. | | | | * handled correctly, it could enhance reputation. |
| It's true that you can't plan for every eventuality but | | | | It's wise to keep a watching brief on any incidents that |
| taking time to put processes and procedures in place | | | | could fall into the above categories. Over reporting is |
| can provide useful thinking time so you can focus on | | | | better than under reporting to ensure that |
| the issue at hand and think about the PR implications. | | | | management are informed. Issues or problems can |
| If you are not experienced in managing crises then | | | | easily escalate because they have not been dealt with |
| seeking professional PR help will save you time and | | | | early on. For example, if you have computer |
| money as well as help protect your reputation. You | | | | equipment that records data, or is used for automated |
| really don't want to get your fingers burned, as a result | | | | paying of staff, then a problem that affects one or |
| of lack of experience, at such a crucial time. Whether | | | | two people may not seem significant. Monitoring such |
| you seek professional help, or want to manage your | | | | a situation is important to ensure that any underlying |
| own PR during a crisis, you need to be clear on what | | | | cause is not impacting on others. It's much better to |
| constitutes an incident or crisis and how you can | | | | check than to find out the next day that the problem is |
| assess whether the situation is escalating or not. | | | | really much bigger - you are then on the back foot and |
| What is crisis? | | | | being forced to play 'catch up'. |
| Generally a crisis or problem will involve, or at least | | | | Hoping that any problem will just resolve itself is |
| potentially involve, a number of the following factors: | | | | unwise. Remember, once a crisis becomes public then |
| * it may be unexpected or unpredictable | | | | the press and media will only be interested in who is to |
| * it has the potential to escalate into something bigger - | | | | blame. On no account lie or try and deceive them |
| it is not unusual for the scale of a potential issue only | | | | about what has happened. If something has gone |
| to be known after some investigation | | | | wrong then it is much better to hold up your hands and |
| * information may be uncertain or unreliable - the story | | | | then demonstrate what you are doing to put the |
| may emerge with conflicting accounts | | | | situation right and to ensure it does not happen again. |
| * it may give managers little time in which to react - | | | | The health and safety of your customers, staff and |
| thinking on your feet is vital | | | | anyone else affected by what has happened must be |
| * it may involve a break in service | | | | your number one priority - keep that in mind at all times. |