No matter the size of your business, there are going to be urgent situations that need to be handled quickly. If you’re not prepared to handle those situations, your business is at risk. Whether a crisis ruins a project or becomes an opportunity for your business all depends on how well you’re prepared to handle it.
An expert response can have a lasting impact not only on your employees, but on your customers as well. Rather than running from a crisis, you can be the hero that runs toward it and fixes it.
One of the biggest crises to ever happen to a major company came in 1982, when seven people died after taking potassium-cyanide laced Tylenol capsules. While sales plummeted, Johnson & Johnson made a quick executive decision to recall over $100 million worth of the drug and launch a massive investigation into the issue. While they were unsuccessful in discovering who contaminated the pills, customers remembered the massive effort that Johnson & Johnson made, which helped the brand recover. From that date forward, Tylenol packaging has been designed to be much more tamper-proof.
Another major crisis that many consumers may remember in recent history is the issue with Toyota’s manufacturing in 2010. It was discovered that a manufacturing issue caused accelerators to get stuck, causing the deaths of nine drivers. After recalling nine million cars, Toyota then offered comprehensive extended warranties to ensure that nothing like this would happen again. They also were publicly empathetic and truly connected with their customers, which allowed the brand to recover quickly.
While it’s very possible for a crisis to arise, most businesses aren’t prepared to handle them, regardless of their size. The reality is that when disaster strikes, those issues need to be handled quickly and efficiently. When it comes to social media, having a contingency plan in place will allow you to quickly communicate with your customers. Being open and honest with your viewers and customers is the first step in fixing a crisis.
A solid crisis management plan should clearly outline how your social media accounts will be used to address issues as they arise, thus lessening the impact of the crisis on your business. Containing the crisis and preventing it from spreading should be the first priority when creating a crisis plan for social media. By understanding how effective crisis management works, you’ll prevent unnecessary fallout if something goes wrong.
Since you don’t know what crisis will happen or when it will strike, it’s important to have a team of crisis management experts at your side when you need them. First and foremost, designate someone in your company as your public relations spokesperson so the issue can be addressed quickly and professionally.
Being quick in your response as well as being transparent are two aspects of effective crisis management that you should always have in mind when addressing a crisis. Always be honest about the issue. Addressing everything up front will let your customers know that your business cares and will keep your credibility intact.
The team at SeriousTraders can help you with your crisis management needs. We have years of experience constructing professional and effective press releases, social media posts and official communications. Our goal is to help you get your business through a crisis stronger than it was before the crisis began. Our team will help control the crisis and minimize the impact on your business. You never know when a crisis will strike. Contact our team today so we can help you work through any business issues that may arise.
