Communication in Crisis Situations

1. Communication in Crisis Situations
Dr. G C Mohanta, BE, MSc(Engg), MBA, PhD(Mgt)
Professor

2. Crisis
 A crisis is an unexpected and detrimental
situation or event.
 Primary objectives: Respond quickly,
efficiently, effectively & in a premeditated way
 Tell it ALL
 Tell it FAST
 Tell the TRUTH

3. Effective Strategies During Crisis
 Maintain connectivity
 Be readily accessible to the news media
 Show empathy for the people involved
 Streamline communication processes
 Maintain information security
 Ensure uninterrupted audit trails
 Support multi-channel communications
 Remove dependencies on paper-based
processes

4. Communication Plan in Crisis
Situations
 Preparation and
 Response
 To prepare: Detail the Communication
Plan in Crisis Situations
 Respond quickly
 Take immediate steps to control message
 Successfully regain public’s trust
 Insurance policy for the long-term health of
the organization

5. Chief Components of Crisis
Communication Plan
 Crisis Communication Team
 CEO
 Head of Public Relations
 Vice Presidents
 Managers of key departments
 Safety or Security Officer
 Company lawyers

6. Internal Communication Plan
 Lay down media strategy
 People remember what they hear first and last
 Designate an official Technical experts , spokesperson,
engineer, financial expert
 Press releases , Practice media questions, interview
scenarios
 List of potential witnesses
 Fact sheets and other documents : engineering,
insurance information

7. Action During A Crisis
 Ensure safety of all involved
 Internal statements to all employees
 Determine when to go public
 “Tell it all; tell it fast”
 Send out press release covering who, what, when,
where of the crisis
 Press Conference
 Media’s job to report latest info available

8. Action During A Crisis (Contd.)
 Hand out fact sheets and previous press releases
 From the victim’s perspective, respond in a way that is
sensitive to their needs
 Never comment or speculate when facts aren’t yet clear
 Go for Blogging
 Several advantages over traditional media
 Immediate,
 Near real-time coverage
 Humanize your organization
 Public can make comments & ask questions

9. Action After A Crisis
 Compensate victims
 Act quickly to provide restitution
 Make a bold commitment to ensure errors will never
happen again
 Go public with self-assessment.
 Step back and think about your customers.
 Consider how the crisis may be affecting them and what
kind of resolution they’ll expect .
 Own It.
 Admit your mistakes right away.
 Proactivity is essential.
 Answer questions before they are asked.

10. Action After a Crisis (Contd.)
 Admit the problem.
 Apologize, apologize, apologize and listen.
 Give an honest, simple, sincere apology
 Be prepared to listen and listen well
 Do the right thing
 Fix it – fast!

11. Action After A Crisis (Contd.)
 Make sure customers know you’re fixing it, how you’re
fixing it, and when you’ll show them tangible
evidence.
 Brand
 Move on
 Once resolved, let it go and move on.
 It’s crucial to thank and reward loyal Loyalty
customers
 Rebuild your brand’s image
 Look for opportunities – locally, regionally, nationally