From zero to one hundred in a matter of seconds: The role of Public Relations in managing a company's crisis.
“From zero to one hundred in a matter of seconds: The role of Public Relations in managing a company's crisis” could be a perfect title for this article on crisis management and how everything can escalate very quickly and uncontrollably when there is no prepared plan.
cri·sis
(Latin crisis, -is, from Greek krísis, -eós, act of separating, decision, judgment, event, decisive moment)
feminine noun
- [Medicine] Sudden change or worsening that occurs during the course of an acute illness (ex.: cardiac crisis; epileptic seizure).
- Sudden manifestation of an emotional state (ex.: crying fit; nervous breakdown). = ACCESS, ATTACK
- Dangerous, difficult, or decisive situation or moment.
- Lack of something considered important (ex.: employment crisis; values crisis).
- Impediment to the regular course of business.
- Disagreement or disturbance that forces an institution or organization to reorganize or resign.
“crisis”, in Priberam Dictionary of the Portuguese Language, 2008-2021
From product poisoning, as in the case of Johnson & Johnson's Tylenol, to the involvement of business administrations in corruption cases, such as the “dieselgate”, the Volkswagen emissions scandal: companies are not immune to crises, and in a highly digitized and constantly changing world, it is increasingly easy for an organization to go from bestial to beast in a matter of seconds.
What makes the difference in these situations is having a good crisis communication strategy, not only with customers but also with society, and especially with the media, which will be responsible for reporting the situation to the community. This is where the company's Public Relations officer comes in.
How to predict a crisis?
It is impossible to guess when a crisis will happen and its exact nature, but the truth is that it is important for companies to have at least an outline of a crisis communication plan, aimed at their sector of activity. However, this is a topic that they end up neglecting.
What are the points to be taken into consideration by a company's Public Relations Department in a crisis situation?
Respond quickly: with digitization and social media, it is almost mandatory to give an almost instantaneous response to the crisis. At the beginning of the occurrence, the Crisis Cabinet must meet as quickly as possible, so that the company's response does not take long, because it can lead many to conclude that it is guilty.
- Assume responsibility: communication should be in this direction and not to try to find culprits, this issue has to be left for later, because sometimes it is the issue of guilt that creates crises by itself.
- Be transparent: the most crucial moments of this type of crisis are the first hours, where the Public Relations office has to communicate actively, transparently and present a unified message, first to its employees, as they are also part of the solution to the problem, leaving the media in second place.
- Know how to collaborate with journalists: unlike company leaders, who hate crises, the media “adore” them, in the sense that they are always looking for the best news, wanting to know what happened, who is to blame, and what is already being done to turn the situation around. It is part of a Public Relations office, in a crisis situation, to have a good relationship with journalists, as a bad relationship with them can even worsen the situation.
Even taking these tips into consideration, the most important thing of all is to be prepared. And to be prepared, you should analyze the answers to questions such as: what type of risks can the company face and how can we respond to a crisis if it happens.
