A crisis plan that includes an organizational chart of the crisis organization and the various procedures to be followed during a crisis? No? Then I will briefly outline a number of important points of attention that are crucial at the start.
Why is that necessary?
External situations can underlie a corporate crisis. Internal situations can also lead to this. These can be unpredictable as well as predictable events. They are either incident- or problem-driven. More specifically, the causes can lie in, for example, product-related issues, finances, personnel problems, poor corporate policy, the death of a director, an anti-campaign, etc. This varies by company and situation, so there is no single method for a solution. It is therefore a tailored approach. The damage to the reputation can be enormous.
Risk
Too many companies still lack a crisis plan, also known as a crisis communication plan or crisis management plan. If your company does not yet have an integrated approach to crisis communication, now is the time to start one. After all, most executives consider a crisis plan important, but companies that do not have one run a significant risk. Companies often wait, especially smaller ones, until a problem arises. That always costs more money in the long run than if it were worked out in advance.
However, there is also skepticism. A third of executives doubt whether a crisis plan actually works in practice. This is detrimental to the plan and to the person responsible for its implementation. This requires a thorough discussion.
Vulnerability
Conduct a detailed investigation into the vulnerable areas of the company. Map these out thoroughly. This is the starting point for further development. Pay particular attention to the internet and social media. Nowadays, these two factors have a greater and faster influence on the day-to-day operations of the company.
Crisis team
Assembling a special crisis team in advance is primary. This consists of, among others, the CEO, CFO, PR manager, HR manager, and a supervisory board member. Once the team has been established, it must be determined who the company spokesperson is, how he or she obtains relevant information during a crisis, and how this relates to company policy.
Crisis approaching
Sometimes it is predictable that a crisis is imminent. The crisis plan must account for this as well. That is a slightly different approach, but just as important. Document this thoroughly.
Pre-check
Control also contains a preventive factor. Waiting for a crisis to occur is one thing, but another is anticipating a crisis and responding appropriately. Recognizing this in a timely manner can prevent escalation.
Internal communication
The crisis plan must also address internal communication with all persons within the company. During a crisis, everyone in the company must understand the situation, and the crisis team must fully inform them of what is expected of them.
Specific communication
The message, both internal and external, must be consistent in any case. Articulate very clearly what you want to convey as a company. This may differ for various groups, such as employees, social media, and suppliers.
Speed of communication
Know that communicating quickly and correctly offers the opportunity to minimize the damage caused by a crisis and even use it as a chance to improve the company’s reputation.
Create a crisis plan
A crisis plan is put in writing and is also accessible digitally. This provides a point of reference in practice. A threat analysis clarifies the greatest risk, after which a tailored crisis plan is created. The concisely written crisis plan describes how the crisis organization is structured and how it operates. The crisis plan therefore serves as a compact reference document for times when there is no threat. In times of crisis, fully written-out procedures are of no use; there is no time for that. Action must be taken quickly. Do not forget that the crisis plan must also be reviewed whenever changes occur within the company.
