# Break in case of emergency – plan early, plan now, for effective crisis comms Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2021-08-13 Category: BUSINESS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business Meta Title: How to Create a Crisis Communications Plan Meta Description: Discover the importance of crisis comms planning and how to navigate a crisis effectively with insights from industry expert Kat Jackson. Don't wait until URL: https://financedigest.com/break-in-case-of-emergency-plan-early-plan-now-for-effective-crisis-commshtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/storyblocks-closeup-directly-above-shot-of-messy-round-table-with-office-supplies-docu-sbi-324036280-1736838018532-compressed.jpg) **Kat Jackson, Associate Director,** [**The Media Foundry**](https://themediafoundry.com/) Want to know the best way to make a complete drama out of a crisis? Not being prepared with a crisis plan in advance. It’s an issue most companies actually fall into without even knowing it. Think about it. The phone (or email, or zoom) starts blowing up. Something has gone wrong, and it’s your job to deal with it. Who do you speak to, in what order, how do you triage the situation? What gets done first rather than running around like a headless chicken, what do you DO? Most [businesses don’t](https://www.financedigest.com/pitiless-machines-will-kill-your-business-if-you-dont-respond-now-warns-servion.html "‘Pitiless machines’ will kill your business if you don’t respond now, warns Servion") think about the need for a crisis comms plan until, well, unpleasant things hit the fan. By this stage it can be too late. Comms teams and retained PR agencies are often (although, in my experience, not often enough) the first people you call if you haven’t planned ahead – the sticking plaster approach. Still the biggest issue [faced in a crisis](https://www.financedigest.com/estonias-pro-kyiv-government-faces-election-test-amid-cost-of-living-crisis.html "Estonia’s pro-Kyiv government faces election test amid cost of living crisis") when the need to respond is urgent, is a lack of clarity. [Think about your own business](https://www.financedigest.com/why-mentoring-does-more-for-your-business-than-you-think.html "Why mentoring does more for your business than you think"). Do you have multiple offices, and therefore multiple locations to consider when something goes wrong? Is it absolutely clear when someone answers a casually ringing phone which matters should be immediately escalated upwards in an organisation, and how? Do you know who has ultimate approval of any statement, or even if someone should be responding at all? Does it [need to be communicated to customers](https://www.financedigest.com/why-empathy-needs-to-sit-at-the-heart-of-bbls-and-cbils-customer-service.html "Why empathy needs to sit at the heart of BBLS and CBILS customer service") first? If the responsible person is on [holiday or uncontactable for any reason](https://www.financedigest.com/3-reasons-why-more-of-us-are-choosing-a-staycation-for-our-holiday.html "3 reasons why more of us are choosing a staycation for our holiday") – who does the job fall to then? Good crisis comms planning is all about asking questions in advance. LOTS of questions. Anyone reading this who has spoken to their comms teams or agency when the pressure is on, knows that what comes back in that moment is usually a barrage of questions. Its often the last thing someone feeling the heat wants or needs to hear – but its an essential part of [keeping a cool head that also helps to manage a response and put a plan](https://www.financedigest.com/e-on-casts-doubt-on-german-plan-to-keep-nuclear-plants-on-standby.html "E.ON casts doubt on German plan to keep nuclear plants on standby") together. Most companies aren’t realistic enough about the areas and tight spots in their company which could go awry. These danger [zones generally fall](https://www.financedigest.com/euro-zone-bond-yields-fall-as-ecb-policymaker-flags-recession-risk-gilts-eyed.html "Euro zone bond yields fall as ECB policymaker flags recession risk, gilts eyed") into a few categories. Firstly, there are people crises. Then there are process crises in which something should have happened within the [business and its activity](https://www.financedigest.com/euro-zone-business-activity-contracted-again-in-aug-outlook-bleak-2.html "Euro zone business activity contracted again in Aug, outlook bleak"), but didn’t. There’s acts of god like fire, flood, or accidents which can have [operational impact](https://www.financedigest.com/zurich-insurance-h1-operating-profit-leaps-60-as-covid-impact-wanes.html "Zurich Insurance H1 operating profit leaps 60% as COVID impact wanes"). Malicious issues are those such as hacking or criminal [damage to the company](https://www.financedigest.com/financial-services-companies-risk-damaging-fines-by-ignoring-gdpr-says-survey.html "Financial Services Companies Risk Damaging Fines By Ignoring GDPR, Says Survey"). Then there’s reputational damage such as slander or careless comments on [social media](https://www.financedigest.com/why-social-media-should-be-your-business-top-priority-in-2018.html "Why Social Media Should be Your Business’ Top Priority in 2018."). Most of these, broadly speaking, can happen to anyone. This is where basic [scenario planning](https://www.financedigest.com/progressive-scenario-planning-for-the-libor-transition.html "Progressive scenario planning for the LIBOR transition") comes in. Broadly speaking, an assessment should be made of these potential [weak links for any business](https://www.financedigest.com/75-per-cent-of-businesses-fear-risk-of-fraud-because-of-weak-accounts-payable-systems.html "75 per cent of businesses fear risk of fraud because of weak accounts payable systems"), some basic ‘what if’ situations can be mapped out, and then the questions can start. If x happens, who deals with it? How is the [process handled internally](https://www.financedigest.com/auditors-could-have-unfettered-access-to-internal-business-processes-to-avoid-another-carillion.html "Auditors could have unfettered access to internal business processes to avoid another Carillion")? Who knows what, when, what mechanics exist within the [business to deal](https://www.financedigest.com/ai-technology-to-enhance-business-deals-in-imprimas-virtual-data-rooms.html "AI Technology To Enhance Business Deals In Imprima’s Virtual Data Rooms") with this quickly? Responsibility maps are critical, including mobile numbers for out of hours access. [Create a hierarchy of responsible](https://www.financedigest.com/creating-sustainable-value-through-responsible-investment.html "Creating sustainable value through responsible investment") individuals who know what to do. This list of your ‘crisis fire wardens’ should be updated, frequently. It may also not be the same list for the different types of issues which can arise. Then you need to think about the notification process. Who [needs to know](https://www.financedigest.com/g20-summit-what-you-need-to-know-now.html "G20 Summit: What you need to know now"), what, and when? Most [businesses need](https://www.financedigest.com/what-is-premises-liability-coverage-and-why-does-your-business-need-it.html "What is Premises Liability Coverage … and Why Does Your Business Need It?") to think in three main areas – staff, customers or clients, stakeholders (or shareholders) and depending on the level of the issue, the press. Gaining control of the situation and getting ahead of [things escalating means considering](https://www.financedigest.com/car-hire-for-smes-things-to-consider.html "Car hire for SMEs: Things to consider") each of these in turn, in advance. Thinking through the implications of speaking to each of these is also important. Could you set off further speculation if you are not clear enough? Is the [risk to the business greater](https://www.financedigest.com/brexit-the-risks-to-the-city-and-fintech-have-never-been-greater.html "BREXIT: THE RISKS TO THE CITY AND FINTECH HAVE NEVER BEEN GREATER") if you do not tell them? In many ways, getting the right message out to pour water on the [fire can be the simplest part of this process of crisis](https://www.financedigest.com/indefensible-uks-sunak-under-fire-over-response-to-cost-of-living-crisis.html "‘Indefensible’: UK’s Sunak under fire over response to cost of living crisis") management. A straightforward, honest and [timely notification can do a lot to calm things](https://www.financedigest.com/it-is-time-insurers-act-smart-by-making-legacy-systems-a-thing-of-the-past.html "It is time insurers act smart, by making legacy systems a thing of the past") down. Ultimately, the most vital thing to keep front of mind when facing a crisis is not to be rushed. Matters may be urgent, and [important to deal](https://www.financedigest.com/eu-seeks-deal-on-law-preventing-import-of-deforestation-linked-goods.html "EU seeks deal on law preventing import of deforestation-linked goods") with, but a knee jerk response can sometimes be worse than the cause. Take a deep breath, and think things through. This is the hardest [thing to do when the pressure](https://www.financedigest.com/iomt-internet-of-medical-things-to-accelerate-the-intracranial-pressure-monitors-market.html "IoMT (Internet of Medical Things) to accelerate the Intracranial Pressure Monitors Market") is on, but it is absolutely necessary. Every crisis is different, but the fundamental rules of tackling them are actually pretty straightforward. Structures and policies will also already exist within the business that cover most of them. It’s just a matter of being systematic and having your emergency [plan in order just in case that need](https://www.financedigest.com/everything-cfos-need-to-know-about-workforce-planning.html "Everything CFOs need to know about workforce planning") arises. As with your fire extinguishers and umbrellas – it’s better to have a [crisis plan](https://www.financedigest.com/exclusive-germany-prepares-crisis-plan-for-abrupt-end-to-russian-gas-sources.html "Exclusive-Germany prepares crisis plan for abrupt end to Russian gas – sources") and not need it, than to be caught out and face the consequences. --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---