When it comes to the need for a crisis management plan, it isn’t a question of if your business requires one, but when.
Unfortunately, many businesses are not prepared to handle crisis events. A report from Hubspot shows that 69% of leaders report experiencing a crisis over a five-year period. In fact, the average number of crises experienced in that timeframe is three, and yet, only 35% of those surveyed have a crisis response plan that is crisis-agnostic.
We all know what it looks like when a business mishandles an issue (need we mention privacy data breach incidents). In today’s digital age, crisis management failings quickly spread across all mediums of media – print, radio, television and online news sites.
Of course, the use of social media channels increases the reach exponentially, rehashing the news and inviting an ongoing real-time conversation among the masses.
For many organisations, the first experience they have with the media may come as a result of a crisis. Failing to have a strategy in place leaves your organisation vulnerable and your staff unsure of what to do. Being at the front of the pack is key, and to do this having a proactive/reactive media plan in place to manage an issue or crisis is vital. Whether the organisation leads (proactive) or follows (reactive) media interest, it’s important to understand the potential outcomes of both and how you can protect your organisation’s reputation.
According to the Hubspot report, 34% of business leaders who have already experienced a crisis say in future they would do more to identify crisis scenarios, while 29% report that if given the chance they would execute a more timely and robust communications plan.
The statistics and history don’t lie – without management measures and a media plan in place an organisation risks significant damage to its brand and reputation. Developing a crisis management plan can ensure your brand and organisation’s reputation is in safe hands.
You can’t predict what a future crisis may be, but that doesn’t mean your business can’t prepare and be ready to tackle any challenge that is thrown your way.
5 steps to creating a crisis management plan for your healthcare organisation
The health industry can be volatile. Corporate governance, political influence, health code and conduct, patient experience, privacy issues, care response time, staff shortages – these many possible risks can have financial, professional and human impacts. So it’s crucial for your organisation to develop a well-structured and informed plan.
1. Identify your crisis communications team
When it comes to handling the financial aspects of the business, there is little doubt that you would turn to your chief financial officer and a team of accountants. Smart business leaders rely on field experts. Finance – accountants; construction – builders; tech solutions – IT professionals. The list goes on. So why should it be any different when it comes to media and crisis management? Trust us, when something goes wrong, you won’t want to be facing the media pack and general public on your own.
Surrounding yourself with a strong communication and brand management team of professionals will ensure any issues that arise will be handled swiftly, tactfully and professionally. In many cases, trained communication professionals will prevent a potential crisis before it even becomes a public issue. Having the right team in place also enables you to focus on your core competencies.
The first step is ensuring each member of your communications team has a clearly defined role and understands their responsibilities to ensure that business can continue to flow even if your organisation is forced to pivot. It is imperative to have your crisis communications team in place and ready to go. Fumbling around trying to appoint key players when your organisation is actively involved in a crisis, will not result in a positive outcome.
It is crucial to delegate tasks based on skill set and people who can communicate clearly, concisely and confidently. Finding communicators who can also gather relevant information fast, liaise promptly and successfully with key staff to identify the story, and research and understand a variety of topics is a must.
It’s a complex list – and it is exactly why more businesses are turning to third-party agencies to assist with crisis management. QUAY Communications offer confident, respected health communications advisors who take an informed and conservative approach to any given challenge.
The ultimate goal is to arm your business with the right approach to ensure your brand and reputation are protected when required.
2. Develop communications guidelines for different types of crises
Creating communication guidelines and protocols for a range of different issues is as important as ensuring you have the people who can deliver. After all, what is the point of having a stellar team, but no plan?
In the initial planning stages, it is critical you identify possible crisis scenarios and relevant responses. This will guarantee that your communications team is able to create and share appropriate content, as well as prepare your staff accordingly, fast and competently – no matter the situation.
Highly-trained public and media relations experts will be able to walk you through general crisis communication requirements to develop a plan.
In general, tools and guidelines for crisis management should:
- Identify potential crises that might be applicable to your organisation
- Complete an annual SWOT analysis with the aim of predicting potential crises that might arise in the next 12 months
- Define relevant stakeholders and create relevant communications for each segment
- Minimise the negative impacts of the crisis on the brand
- Collect insights and information from your organisation’s response to the crisis.
- Identify the communication channels that will be used and why
If you don’t quite understand what each point entails, take the time to sit with a communications expert to improve your knowledge.
3. Review ongoing and future marketing initiatives and campaigns
Just like you do with your business plan and annual budget, it is important to assess
your current and future marketing initiatives to consider if and how they need to be updated to remain on point and relevant. In the ever-changing world of media, stories break and issues come and go at lightning speed. You do not want to appear uninformed, insensitive or tone-deaf with your content.
So what are the marketing dos and don’ts for during a crisis?
- Act fast and efficiently: Your short-term goal (which is where the potential for the most damage occurs), is to provide accurate information in a timely manner. This is where a pre-existing plan is vital as it allows your team to act quickly to ensure the right message is issued. Social media, press releases, e-news blasts – your communications team should have key messaging at the ready, and the initial plan of attack in place.
- Strategy adjustment: This comes after the initial wave. Have a basic plan in place to roll out during the three to six months after the crisis. The goal is to pivot and readjust your business model as required to ensure workflow continues despite any upheaval.
- Be willing to learn: Long-term solutions can be difficult to identify, but looking over your marketing and crisis management plans annually will help to refine them.
4. Double-check everything before sharing information or responding to messages
Journalism and editing 101 is to fact-check. This is also true for business communications. Distributing information that is incorrect has the potential to backfire and worsen an already delicate situation.
When creating your plan, ensure that staff know that creating credible and factual content is non-negotiable. There is no room for error. Always double and triple-check your sources – articles, research, quotes, speakers, authors and statistics. Never assume the content is correct – insist that your team proofreads each piece of content that is created.
5. Monitor the crisis at hand and adapt if necessary
Agile, adaptable and aware – remember the three As.
Once you have established different protocols and guidelines for a crisis, you need to be able to shift gears successfully when needed.
But, when exactly should you switch strategy in a crisis? And, will it make a difference?
An interesting report from the Harvard Business Review suggests that you should consider change, but not be pre-committed to it.
If you’re unhappy with your current strategy and the results, ask yourself how a new strategy would change the outcome.
There is no harm in undertaking a mid-crisis assessment, but if you decide to manoeuvre away from the existing plan, be confident in your motives. Always complete a post-crisis assessment to determine what went well, and what didn’t.
Communications and public relations can be a tricky business. Your team needs to be able to develop a competent and cohesive plan, but also have the capability to think on their feet and pivot as required. The goal is to find the right team to protect your brand and reputation.
QUAY Communications is one of the leading specialists in the healthcare and lifestyle industry. Your brand is in safe hands with us. Contact us and we’ll guide you in creating an effective media plan and crisis communications strategy.
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