In the Greek language, “krino” translates to crisis. When I was studying abroad in Athens, Greece this past summer, I took a Crisis Communications course on a whim. Unbeknownst to me, I discovered an interest and a possible career path related to public relations.
Crisis communications is defined as the dialogue between an organization and its public before, during, and after a negative occurrence. It is the direct communication process used when responding to a threat to an organization’s reputation. An organizational crisis can arise in many forms, whether it’s ranging from product recalls to natural disasters.
When you hear the word “crisis,” the first thought that typically comes to mind is an emergency. This holds true in the context of crisis communications, particularly in relation to public relations. A problem is not considered a crisis. Emmanuel Skoulas, my professor at the American College of Greece, stressed the importance of this point. A problem can be solved. However, if left unattended, then it will become a crisis.
There are three characteristics that distinguish crises from other unpleasant occurrences or problems: surprise, threat, and short response time. A troubling event cannot escalate to a crisis without being unexpected, posing a significant threat, and requiring a prompt response.
There are numerous examples of well-handled crisis management cases, such as the J&J Tylenol crisis in 1982 and Chipotle Mexican Grill’s E. coli outbreak in 2015. On the other hand, it is almost easier to recall the poorly handled crisis management cases. The list includes the BP oil spill in 2010, the Volkswagen emissions scandal, and more recently, Ticketmaster’s delay in the Taylor Swift ticket fiasco.
An actual crisis is considered a tremendous opportunity for learning. Whether it was handled well or not, there is knowledge and insight to gain from the crisis itself and the evaluation afterwards.
Crisis communication and management are more essential than ever before due to the rapid expansion of social media marketing.. No business is immune to a crisis. Whether it’s a Fortune 500 company or a local chain franchise, every business needs to establish a crisis communications plan.
A crisis is not a matter of if but when. Due to the complexity and uncertainty revolving around crises, it is important every company develops a crisis communications plan. The purpose of a CCP is to serve as an emergency course of action to navigate and mitigate unexpected crises.
A thorough CCP answers two questions. First, how likely is this crisis? And second, how devastating can the crisis be? These questions are answered first with a risk rating matrix.
With a risk rating matrix, potential risks are identified and assessed as well as the impact on a company’s image, reputation and relationship with key stakeholders. Based on the risk rating matrix, a table is designed that introduces potential risks a company faces, being evaluated according to their likelihood and severity that follows.
The value of the CCP is its position as a reference tool. Information such as evacuation procedures, emergency staffing, purposes and objectives, and list of key publics are included.
A business cannot control the crises it may face, whether they are environmental disasters or reputational risks, but they do have control over their response. And as Professor Skoulas always reminded us, no response is a response. And it’s not a good one.