Crisis communication by the 8 credibles

Crisis Communication Strategy and Action PlanBhargavCEOGlutton FMCG

PURPOSE

• It provides policies and procedures for the coordination of communication within the organization, and externally between Glutton FMCG and its stakeholders, the media and the public in the event of an emergency or controversial issue.

• It also includes procedures for the rapid identification of potentially harmful situations and the methods for responding to the situations quickly and effectively.

CRISIS

• Reported cases of food poisoning, nausea, vomiting and high fever

• Traces of dangerous EColi bacteria found in the cold drinks; fungus found in fruit juices and food products

• Glutton FMCG considered responsible for the crisis

• Brand image threatened

Objectives of the Plan

A. To factually assess the situation and determine whether a communications response is warranted.

B. To assemble a Staff Crisis Team that will make recommendations on appropriate responses.

C. To implement immediate actions to:• Identify audiences that should be informed about

the situation• Communicate facts about the crisis• Minimize rumors• Restore order and debrief necessary audiences

10 Steps of Crisis Communication

1. Identify the Crisis Communications Team2. Identify Spokespersons3. Spokesperson Training4. Establish Notification Systems5. Identify and Know the Stakeholders6. Anticipate Crises7. Develop Holding Statements8. Assess the Crises Situation9. Identify Key Messages10.Riding out the Storm

1. Identify Your Crisis Communications Team

• Crisis management team should be formed includingo Organization CEOo Firm's top PR Executiveso Legal counsellor

• If in house PR Executives are not sufficient an agency or organization consultant can be hired.

2. Identify spokespersons

• In each team, individuals should be authorized as a spokesperson for the organization.

• Team of spokespersons should includeo Organization CEOo Other spokespersons should be identified and trained in advance

• Required for internal and external communication example:o On camerao Public meetingo Employee meeting

3. Spokesperson Training 

• All stakeholders (internal and external) are just as capable of misunderstanding or misinterpreting information about the organization as the media, and it's our responsibility to minimize the chance of that happening.

• Spokesperson training teaches you to be prepared, to be ready to respond in a way that optimizes the response of all stakeholders.

4. Establish Notification Systems 

• In today's time we have several phone numbers, more than one email address, and can receive SMS (text) messages or faxes.

•  Instant Messenger programs, either public or proprietary, are also very popular for business and personal use. 

• We can even send audio and video messages via email.

• Notification systems allow you to rapidly reach your stakeholders using multiple modalities thus increasing the chances that the message will go through.

5. Identify and Know Your Stakeholders

• It is important to identify that who are the internal and external stakeholders that matter to your organization

•  Ensure that they receive the messages you would like them to repeat elsewhere.

6. Anticipate Crises

• Be proactive

• Gather your Crisis Communications Team for long brainstorming sessions on all the potential crises which can occur at your organization

• Two immediate benefits to this exercise: 

You may realize that some of the situations are preventable by simply modifying existing methods of operation.

You can begin to think about possible responses, about best case/worst case scenarios, etc. Better now than when under the pressure of an actual crisis.

7. Developing holding statement

• Since crisis can never be predicted “holding statements” can be developed in advance to be used for a wide variety of scenarios to which the organization is perceived to be vulnerable.

• An example of holding statements by a hotel chain with properties hit by a natural disaster — “We have implemented our crisis response plan, which places the highest priority on the health and safety of our guests and staff.”

8. Assess the crisis situation

• Assessing the crisis situation is one of the most critical step and adequate information has to be collected before reacting to the situation.

• A hastily created crisis communications strategy and team are never as efficient as those planned and rehearsed in advance.

9. Identify key messages

• The crisis team already knows, categorically, what type of information its stakeholders are looking for.

• So, the message should be simple. It should not be more than three main messages for all stakeholders.

• The messages should be audience-specific .

10. Riding out of the storm

• Some of your stakeholders are not going to react the way you want them to, whether the news is good or bad or how well u have prepared and responded to them.

• So, Firstly,Decide if another communication to those stakeholders is likely to change their impression for the better.

• Take an objective look at the reaction(s) in question. Is it your fault, or their unique interpretation?

Conclusion

• Required strategies helped us overcoming from the bad situation.

• With help and support of management and employees we are able to come out of the situation by reaching to a feasible solution.

Thank You