Crisis Management

Crisis management can be defined as a communication management function used to convey accurate facts and data to the general public. Crisis management also addresses specific publics in order to prevent or minimize negative publicity that could adversely affect the success of the company (Crisis Management).

 Crisis management is a public relations’ professional moment to shine. People face unexpected situations every day; however, when people band together to solve a conflict, desist from prior expectations, and think outside the box, catastrophes can be handled and even turned into opportunities.

From a public relations standpoint, a PR practitioner’s main duty is to provide information--truthful, honest information--and to protect the company’s image. During a public relations crisis the company’s image is under attack, either from the inside or the outside, oftentimes by the company’s own wrongdoing. The people of the company are likely not trained in crisis communication, and therefore need someone who can speak for and defend them. A successful crisis management campaign can rebuild a company’s image (Eramo, 2009).

Effective crisis management is not about winning or losing or finding the perfect solution; it is about holding the course, doing the right thing, and protecting credibility. According to Eramo (2009), “A good crisis management plan is not only action during the crisis but preparation and reflection. Hiring a PR firm that deals with crisis management during a crisis is less advisable for all concerned, because people should already be prepared, and have a plan in place, before a crisis occurs.” Time is always essential during a crisis. Everyone has to be ready for a crisis.  Gladstone (2014) stated, “PR professionals know that the first hours following a crisis are absolutely critical. The speed of action (or inaction) can impact an organization’s reputation for years.”

Public Relations and Communication specialist Hazarika (2016), in “The Role of PR in Crisis Management,” wrote about the well-known Diet Pepsi case indicates a successful crisis in public relations. Diet Pepsi ran into trouble when consumers began “finding” foreign objects in cans of Diet Pepsi. A variety of different objects were found including a syringe, a bullet, and even a crack cocaine vial. The corporation knew that there was no possible way for these objects to be inserted during the bottling process. As a result, Diet Pepsi used a defensive strategy claiming its innocence. They communicated openly with the public, attacked the accusers, and allowed their bottling process to be shown on the news. Temporary damage had been done to Diet Pepsi, but they quickly rebounded from the situation (par. 12).

Based on further reading, Hazarika suggests five steps in order to manage any crisis public relations situation. First, the corporation in crisis should be prompt, addressing the public immediately following the discovery of the crisis. Second, the corporation in question should maintain honesty because the public is more willing to forgive an honest mistake than a calculated lie. Third, to be informative is important because the media as well as the public will create their own rumors if the corporation in crisis gives no information to them. Next, being concerned and showing the public you care is important because people will be more forgiving if it is clear that the corporation cares about the victims of the crisis. Finally, maintain two-way relationships, which is important because the corporation can learn a lot about the status of public opinion by listening.

The significant elements in crisis management are being punctual, truthful, responsible, announcing information and sustaining two-way communication. The most important point is integrity. Honesty is the best policy and vital in crisis management.

References

Eramo, E. (2009, October 6). Crisis Communication and Management: Surviving a Public Relations Crisis. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED506734.pdf

Crisis Management. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://pr.wikia.com/wiki/Crisis_management

Gladstone, J. (2014, July 15). Understanding the Value of Patience During Crisis.
    Retrieved from 
https://apps.prsa.org/Intelligence/TheStrategist/Articles/view/10713/1096/understanding_the_value_of_patience_during_crisis#.WfryqhNSyRs

Hazarika, P. (2016, August 24). The Role of PR in Crisis Management. Retrieved from
   http://www.dsc.edu.in/the-role-of-pr-in-crisis-management/

Lundy, J. (2015, October 21). The Value of Teamwork & Crisis Management:
   Reflections on Gartner’s Security Summit in London. Retrieved from
  https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/value-teamwork-crisis-management-reflections-
   gartners-jason-lundy

Sapriel, C. (2014, October 10). Crisis Management – Learning from Mistakes. Retrieved
   from http://www2.csa-crisis.com/csa-today/crisis-management-learning-from-mistakes/