Crisis Communication in Business

Crisis Communication in Business - Presentation How businesses can effectively communicate during crises Introduction to Crisis Communication What is crisis communication Why it's important Preparing a crisis comms plan A brief definition of what crisis communication is. An explanation of why crisis communication is crucial for businesses to handle effectively. An overview of key elements to include in a crisis communications plan. Crisis communication is vital for businesses to respond effectively during crises and protect their reputation. Types of Business Crises Product recalls Lawsuits Cyber attacks When a company has to recall a product due to defects or safety issues. Legal action taken against a company over issues like f raud, negligence, or IP inf ringement. Malicious attacks that disrupt IT systems and compromise sensitive data. Data breaches Scandals When sensitive customer or employee data is accessed without authorization. Controversies involving unethical business practices that damage a company's reputation. Supply chain disruptions When a key supplier experiences an issue that impacts ability to deliver materials or parts. Crisis Communication Team John Doe Jane Smith Bob Johnson Sara Lee Crisis Team Leader Media Relations Lead Internal Communications Lead Community Relations Lead Crisis Communication Plan Identify and Assemble the Crisis Team Designate key personnel who will manage communications during a crisis. Select Communication Channels Determine the best channels to reach your audiences during a crisis. Create a Response Plan Define Success Determine your goals and metrics for evaluating effectiveness. Outline roles, responsibilities, procedures, and policies for crisis response. Train Your Team Identify Your Audiences Determine your key stakeholders and publics you need to communicate with. Craft Key Messages Develop messages that convey empathy, action, and transparency. Educate your crisis team and spokespeople on the plan and procedures. Responding in Real Time During an unfolding crisis, it is critical for businesses to communicate in real time across multiple channels. Assign key spokespeople and empower employees to share updates across owned channels. Monitor social media and news to stay on top of public sentiment and respond appropriately. Be transparent, acknowledge uncertainty, and focus messaging on action steps underway. Social Media and Crisis Communication Twitter Notification Facebook Live Video Instagram Story Send a notification through Twitter to inform customers about the crisis situation. Go live on Facebook to directly address customers' concerns and update them on the crisis. Post images and short videos on Instagram stories to visually show how you are handling the crisis. Post-Crisis Follow Up Review What Happened Analyze the crisis event and understand what exactly occurred, who was impacted, and how it unfolded. Communicate Next Steps Inform stakeholders of action plans moving forward, including preventing future incidents, addressing damage, and resuming normal operations. Continue Monitoring Keep monitoring the situation for any new developments or lingering issues that need to be managed. Implement Changes Make necessary changes to policies, procedures, systems, etc. based on lessons learned to improve crisis preparedness. Document Learnings Document all learnings, timelines, communications, actions taken, and improvements to reference in future crisis planning. Case Studies Tylenol 1982 BP Oil Spill 2010 Johnson & Johnson recalled 31 million bottles of Tylenol after several people died from cyanidelaced capsules. Their quick and transparent response is regarded as exemplary crisis management. BP was criticized for downplaying the severity of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and providing misleading information. Their poor crisis response damaged public trust. Chipotle E. Coli Outbreak 2015 Chipotle quickly closed affected restaurants but was slow to identify the source of contamination. More transparency could have reassured customers. Samsung Galaxy Note 7 2016 United Airlines 2017 Samsung recalled and discontinued the Galaxy Note 7 after batteries exploded. Their decisive response helped limit brand damage. A passenger was forcibly removed from an overbooked flight. United's poor response amplified outrage over the incident. Key Takeaways Communicate early and often Be transparent Express empathy Be the first source to deliver the facts about a crisis, provide timely updates, and maintain ongoing dialogue. Acknowledge the problem, take responsibility if appropriate, and avoid trying to cover up facts. Show compassion for those affected and commit to resolving the issue. Effective crisis communication demonstrates care for stakeholders and mitigates reputational damage through prompt, straightforward messaging. Questions? Be sure to leave at least 10 minutes at the end of your presentation for questions f rom the audience. This gives them a chance to clarify anything they didn't understand or to ask for more details on parts of the presentation that interested them.