Crisis Management FAQs

A skilled process aimed at protecting the reputation of companies and individuals by minimising the negative impact of potentially damaging attention, whether online or in the press.

Any unexpected event that has the potential to generate negative attention from the public and media. If, for instance, there has been an issue with your service or one of your products has caused illness or injury, crisis comms can help you deal with this.

A disgruntled customer can also mean you will need crisis comms. Extraordinary situations like accidents, cyber-attacks or factory explosions would also mean you require crisis comms to help you.

1. Take their call.
2. Find out who they are, why they are calling and what they want from you.
3. Explain that you are happy to co-operate but need some time.
4. Take their contact details, ask about their deadline and, if you’re not confident handling the enquiry yourself, call us on 07881 772960. Don’t ever say ‘no comment’.

As soon as you think a situation is – or has the potential – to attract adverse publicity or attention. Typically:

• When something has gone awry in your business and you think it might ‘get out‘.
• When you have been contacted by a journalist and you know it’s about something negative.
• When you start to see negative criticism on social media building up ‘a head of steam’.

You can but in our experience, facing criticism (especially when unfair) is like a punch in the stomach and there’s a tendency to react quickly and emotionally, without thinking about the possible consequences of such a reaction. Having a third party acting, dispassionately, for you minimises the potential of negative fallout.

Every situation is different. We can act as your spokesperson or we can support you through the process by speaking to the journalist first to establish what they want and then guide you about how to speak with them yourself. It does depend on the situation. Read more about our process here.

When skilfully handled, a crisis can often be turned into a positive situation. There are tactics for achieving this and we are able to offer post-crisis support and reputation building as a separate service.

PR can protect your hard-earned reputation by managing your communications – internally and externally – during a crisis. What we do can make the difference between your business surviving and flourishing or floundering and failing:

• Provide access to experts with years of experience
• Provide historic and real-time press and social media monitoring
• Liaise with journalists on your behalf or support your company spokesperson
• Prepare, draft and distribute press statements
• Draft communications for staff, clients, customers and suppliers
  Contact social media and review sites on your behalf