Already in 2019, corporate crises appear to be increasing and getting nastier than 2018. According to The Holmes Report, last year brought an increasing penchant for corporate scandals. This year may be worse.
Today’s crises are taking on many unique forms and degrees of seriousness, and often take businesses by surprise—cyber incidents, executive resignations, M&A, disgruntled former employees, customer complaints on social media, salacious press headlines, etc.
So how does a company handle a corporate crisis in today’s world? We’re glad you asked. Two years ago, Forbes published its “13 Golden Rules of PR Crisis Management.” In their simplest forms, these rules boil down to:
- Take Responsibility
- Be Proactive, Be Transparent, Be Accountable
- Get Ahead Of The Story
- Be Ready For Social Media Backlash
- Remember To Be Human
- First Apologize, Then Take Action
- Monitor, Plan And Communicate
- Seek First To Understand The Situation
- Listen To Your Team First
- Develop Strong Organizational Brand Culture
- Turn Off The Fan
- Avoid Knee-Jerk Reactions
- Be Prepared
Although we agree with the rules, at ReputationUs we start where this list ends. We’re rethinking corporate crisis. We’re attempting to identify reputation vulnerabilities and preparing companies well ahead of debilitating and disrupting crises. We say “Crisis Management is 99% preparation; 1% execution.”
We partner with companies across many industries to develop comprehensive crisis communication plans, train executives and key staff to communicate effectively before, during and after a crisis.
Our core crisis preparation services include:
- CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN. A tailored crisis preparation plan that helps companies effectively prepare for any potentially reputation-damaging crisis. Plans are designed to meet the needs of a variety of common crisis scenarios—like cyber incidents, natural disasters, threats and corporate malfeasance—and can be adapted to fit the unique risks an organization may face.
- EXECUTIVE & STAFF TRAINING. Hands-on training with key staff and leadership to ensure that they are prepared to act appropriately before, during and after a crisis. Training also includes addressing realistic crisis scenarios to ensure operations are appropriately prepared.
- CRISIS SIMULATION. Mock crisis drills with staff and leadership to observe reactions in a simulated crisis. The simulation exercise is designed to test the organization’s response to a crisis and refine the crisis plan based on what was learned during the exercise.
- MEDIA & SOCIAL MEDIA TRAINING. The three pillars of our training approach are preparation, practice and feedback. Our training is a collaborative exercise that uses preparation techniques, on-camera questions and answers, along with group feedback to fine-tune talking points and improve participants’ ability to communicate in a clear and compelling manner during interviews with the media or in response to a social media firestorm.
- LITIGATION SUPPORT. Communications strategy for organizations facing legal or regulatory action. The courts of law and public opinion operate on different rules, and RepUs works with legal teams to make sure an organizations reputation is protected in the court of public opinion.
- AD HOC CRISIS SUPPORT. In the event a crisis is unfolding (with no opportunity to prepare), RepUs is available 24/7 to help manage a crisis until it is effectively resolved and the organization’s reputation has been restored.
Looking to safeguard your company before a crisis hits? Contact Us…ReputationUs.
