Crisis Communications Challenges in 2021

According to research done on communication crisis, only 47% of employers admit to having the capability and guidelines of handling a crisis in communication in their company.

Creating a communication crisis management plan is a difficult task for many companies.

The challenge is creating a communication crisis management team with detailed guidelines on handling crisis communication.

The management needs to also know how they will take the damage that comes with crisis communication.

Preparing for an unknown event is demanding, and that’s why most companies choose to turn a blind eye to the issue and wait till it happens before planning for it. The last-minute plan does not help sometimes. It makes the crisis worse than it was. Companies need to know common challenges in crisis communication and have an elaborate plan well before it happens. Let’s dive in.

Crisis Communications Trends

Managing crisis communication is difficult and PR firms are no stranger to how reluctant clients can be to plan for these worst-case scenarios.

But the fact remains that a crisis will occur at one given point.

The only real solution is to plan for the worst while hoping for the best.

Vigilance can save the day for a brand when a few basic facts are considered.

Unpredictability

One of the most common challenges that come with crisis communication is the unpredictability of the crisis. You have no idea the kind of crisis that may happen, when, and how it will happen.

Not predicting what will happen becomes a challenge because it’s hard to form a crisis communication team. Planning on how to respond is the challenge, and so having a plan for how to assess problems as they arise can be the most important first step.

Quality of Information

When there is a crisis, the gates of communication are flooded. Even a well-prepared firm can be overwhelmed simply trying to verify the information they receive from all corners of the organization.

The quality of information a crisis communication team receives is vital for prompt and satisfying responses. Understanding how to organize or sort this information can help to separate the useful information from that which should be treated as a lower priority.

Pre Planning Questions That Need Answers Now

There are three aspects of planning for crisis communication. The team, the plan, and roles designated to individuals forming the crisis communication team. Who’s who on the team? You need to have a group that represents all departments of your company, including the senior-most executive.

● How do you prepare for the crisis in the event it happens?

● How do you react?

● What are the first steps to take, and how do you communicate?

● What are the roles and responsibilities of team members?

● Who is the spokesperson, and how will the spokesperson be trained?

● Do you have the data of how you will communicate with other employees?

● Do you have their home contacts in case of those on vacation or leave?

● Should you have detailed information on the people you are contacting?

It would be best if you had a plan on how to communicate with everyone involved, and answering these questions is the very first step.

Handling Crisis Communications in 2021

Understanding common challenges that come with crisis communication can lead to proper pre-planning.

Despite it being an arduous task for all involved, it’s well worth the effort to be prepared to protect an organization’s reputation, credibility, and value.

Ronn Torossian is the CEO and Founder of 5W Public Relations. 5W PR is a leading digital PR and influencer marketing agency.