Every company, regardless of their industry or area, are liable to a crisis situation, whether is caused or broadcasted by media outlets. There are different Preventive methodologies and tools to avoid a crisis, but when it happens, a fundamental part of the resolution strategy is the communication strategy. An adequate communication during a crisis situation could be the difference between the survival or disappearance of the company.
Having the support of a Communication & PR agency with a Crisis department is vital for the design and implementation of the resolution and communication strategies. Even though, it’s important to have in consideration the things that shouldn’t be done during a crisis:
1. Inaction
At the beginning of a crisis situation, time and reaction capabilities are vital. It doesn’t matter the size of the crisis, it’s imperative to have specific protocols for every situation. Everyone should always know what to do and the first thing should be to call the experts in crisis support.
2. Be silent
It may be the case that the crisis it’s been managed, following the advice of the experts and following tried, proved and documented protocols. But if this isn’t communicated to give visibility of this actions to both internal and external audiences, it may be equivalent to not doing anything. An effectively solved crisis doesn’t guarantee the continuity of operations. There are specific crisis scenarios for which is imperative to have a proactive communication, such as a product recall.