Crisis communication strategy: a must-have

Remember a Bangladeshi aircraft crash in Nepal and the Rana Plaza collapse? In both incidents, the authorities had to respond to the society communicating on their behalf. The aircraft company, as observed, seemed reactive, but the apparel exporters, seen in the media, were quite proactive.

The airline company was flabbergasted, but the members of the apparel club, together, knew what to say. The latter demanded some policy changes to prevent such crises. With experience, they had the wisdom of how to communicate during an emergency.

Crises, accidents, or unforeseen incidents are not a crime. They happen all the time but not every day, and that is why businesses need to be prepared: they require a crisis-time communication strategy.

We all remember the Covid-19 crisis and how companies had learnt what to communicate, what not to and when to. Covid-19 was a significant era for businesses and governments to think about formulating and implementing crisis communication strategies.

Every company, small or large, has a business continuity plan (BCP). A crisis communication strategy is part and parcel of that plan.

All we need to do is sit down as we strategise our BCP, imagining pre-crisis planning. A crisis can emerge at any time, so it is essential to have a crisis communication plan in operation. Defining potential crises, identifying stakeholders and communication channels, and designating a crisis communication team is relatively easy.

A crisis does not wait for anyone; rapidness is essential when an emergency strikes. We must respond quickly. The longer it takes, the society's narrative is likely to change and the company in crisis loses control over the narrative that would impact its customers' minds.

Courage to communicate and accuracy in messaging are important aspects during crises. No customer is going to kill us if we are honest. Misleading or hiding information during a situation could irreparably damage a company's reputation. Our credibility will surely skyrocket if we are transparent.

The media and the regulator expect businesses to communicate during crises. Here, during an emergency, time is of the essence of communication. So, imagining every kind of risk and preparing messages for those is paramount.

Timely communication should also accompany timely action.

We all know how Johnson & Johnson's tackled its Tylenol crisis in 1982. The company faced a grave concern when seven persons died after taking Tylenol capsules. It communicated transparently, recalled about 31 million bottles, and developed better packages. That helped it rebuild public trust and save brand reputation.

Airbnb also faced a crisis during the Covid-19 pandemic as travel restrictions impacted their business and their hosts' livelihood. The CEO communicated empathetically with hosts, offering financial support and updating their cancellation policies to balance the needs of guests and hosts.

If we had followed how New Zealand's prime minister communicated during the pandemic, we would have seen how a well-designed communication strategy can be instrumental in gaining people's trust. Her communication and decisive response strategy were clear, consistent, and empathetic. She was insanely consistent, as consistency in messaging throughout the crisis is imperative.

Every industry (and country) has its own risks and crises. But one has to have a strategy to overcome the troubled times.

The author is a communications professional