Crisis Communications: Cleaning Up the Mess

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Crises are inevitable, failure is not.
The media love a comeback: Think Mariah Carey, Newt Gingrich, maybe even Eliot Spitzer. According to Public Relations, a Values-Driven Approach, the third stage of a crisis is the cleanup: minimize damage and move forward. Celebrities usually step out of the limelight and re-invent themselves. But companies cannot do that. They must move forward.

Be quick about it.
JBS Swift Beef Company recently recalled about 41,000 pounds of beef because of possible E. coli contamination. The recall was voluntary. No illnesses were reported. But because the company handled the recall "swiftly," it quickly ended this element of the crisis.

Get through it and get on with it. This doesn’t mean ignoring it. Ignoring a crisis won’t necessarily make it go away. The U.S. military's Defense Information School emphasizes "maximum disclosure, minimum delay."

The end is the best part.
All good stories have a resolution. People are human; everyone makes mistakes; accidents happen. But how do you plan to keep them from happening again? Are you fixing the problem? Show the media you are serious.

I recently reported on a PetSmart employee whose dog attacked another dog at the store. There were accusations the manager was violating company policy. Days later, she was back at work. The company had not put her on leave. Viewers didn’t understand why PetSmart wasn’t taking the matter more seriously.

Tip: Reporters often work non-stop with no real breaks. When hosting a news conference that requires crews to set up early, set out some juice or cookies. It takes the edge off and might make them less crabby. Consider it a courtesy, not a bribe.