Managing crises successfully with strategic crisis communication

Unforeseeable events such as earthquakes, floods, storms or forest fires can have a significant impact on a company. In cases such as these, crisis communications are necessary to provide information about the consequences, protective measures or altered operating times, for example.

If a company discovers that one of its products is defective, it is essential that it communicates quickly and comprehensively with customers, the media and government authorities. The aim of this communication is to avoid panic and prioritise consumer safety.

Hacking, data loss and security breaches are widespread in today's digital age. In such cases, companies and their crisis communication consultants need to respond quickly to inform those affected of the problem and take protective measures to restore trust.

When a company experiences financial difficulties, communication with investors, creditors and all stakeholders has to be managed effectively. Only by transparently presenting the financial challenges and planned initiatives can the trust of stakeholders be maintained.

Legal issues, whether they be lawsuits, patent infringements or other matters, call for a carefully considered crisis communication strategy to keep all stakeholders informed about the progress and impact on the business – and to minimise reputational damage.

Allegations of discrimination, mass layoffs, strikes or other workforce-related issues require professional and empathetic crisis communication to protect operational peace, labour relations and the company's overall image.

Controversial business practices, ethical misconduct or scandals involving executives can cause significant damage to a company's reputation. Effective crisis communication advice and crisis communications are needed to secure or restore the corporate image.

Threats, violence in the workplace, burglaries, intruders or other special incidents also require clear, confidence-building communication to maintain calm among the workforce and ensure the safety of employees.

Currency fluctuations, global and local crises, pandemics or political uncertainties all affect business success. In this case, forward-looking crisis communications serve to provide information about the effects on the business and the planned countermeasures.

Cyberattacks by private or public hackers are no longer uncommon. In this case, clever crisis communications serve to inform customers and partners about the effects on operations and the measures taken to limit the damage.

Press releases are among the classic tools of crisis communication. They serve to pass on official information about the crisis to the media. To avoid misunderstandings and uncertainties, they should be formulated clearly and precisely.

In serious crisis situations, press conferences often prove to be a particularly useful tool. They enable the company and its crisis communication team to provide information directly to the press, journalists and the public at large, and to answer questions directly.

The digital world and digital platforms play what is perhaps the most vital role in crisis communications today. Use X, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn to disseminate information in real time and respond directly to questions of all kinds.

The company's presence online is one of the key sources of information during a crisis. This is where the company and its crisis communication consulting team can provide up-to-date updates, explanations and resources to keep all stakeholders informed.

E-mails are an effective tool for disseminating targeted information to employees, customers and other stakeholders. They can also be used in the form of newsletters or special e-mail updates to communicate important messages quickly and informatively.

Setting up a telephone hotline immediately, with knowledgeable contacts, enables stakeholders to ask questions and receive first-hand information. This helps defuse many situations, because personal contact is one of the best ways to maintain or restore trust.

Well-informed employees are a decisive factor in any crisis. With tools such as town hall meetings, the intranet and other internal communication systems, everyone can be brought up to date on the current situation and its impact on the company.

Building and maintaining relationships with journalists and the press is of utmost importance long before a crisis erupts. The better these contacts are, the more likely it is that the company's messages will be communicated accurately and fairly.

An essential part of crisis communication is the preparation of crisis plans and the formation of crisis teams. The latter need to work closely together to collect, evaluate and disseminate information, while always coordinating the communication strategy.

In crisis situations, expertise and a neutral, ‘out-of-the-box’ perspective are essential for survival. This is why external communication consultants, communication agencies, PR agencies and other experts are often called in for support.

During the crisis, continuous monitoring of the press, social media and other sources is essential. Analysing the feedback and reactions of individual stakeholders enables the communication strategy to be continuously adapted and refined.

Whatever you do, always remain professional and calm. Even if it's difficult. The last thing you want is a spiral of escalation.

A crisis requires a response as quickly as possible. This includes bringing all stakeholders up to date with transparent facts. It is important not to withhold or obscure any information, as such a course of action can severely damage trust.

A crisis team is essential to continuously think through and coordinate all communication measures strategically. The goal is to keep all information consistent and coherent. It is best to have a central office in a central location as the crisis communication headquarters.

One of the first measures (ideally in advance) is to identify the target groups and adapt the messages to them. After all, the media, customers, investors, employees and other stakeholders naturally have different information needs.

All messages have to be formulated clearly, precisely and unambiguously. It is of utmost importance that they are understood quickly and accurately. Therefore, technical jargon and complicated technical details should be avoided at all costs in order not to raise questions.

Spokespersons who can convey the company's information credibly and authentically should be selected and trained in advance. Training in media and public relations is especially important to be able to respond calmly and professionally in a crisis.

Misinformation and rumours in particular can turn a small crisis into a big one. That is why the company and its crisis communication consultancy should always approach the media openly and proactively to ensure that messages are reported accurately.

All communication channels need to be used to reach as many stakeholders as possible from the outset. These include the company website, e-mail distribution lists, press releases, hotlines and, in particular, social media. Because no medium shapes opinion more than the social one.

To win the sympathy of the public and protect the company's image, it is always advisable to express empathy for those affected and offer them (appropriate) support. Because in many cases the heart is a stronger weapon than the mind.

Nothing is more important than setting up communication plans in advance of a crisis, with clear steps, protocols and best practices for public relations in various crisis scenarios. All with the aim of avoiding unnecessary confusion and the resulting agitation.

All stakeholder reactions need to be monitored and logged at all times. This enables the crisis team to respond to all developments in the crisis at an early stage with adapted, optimised communications that are always up to date because the crisis team knows what the latest information is.

Of course, the crisis itself is the most important topic during the crisis. However, communication also needs to go further and include strategies and solutions for the recovery and reconstruction phase. This is the phase in which trust in the company is restored in the long term.

Communication should have a certain consistency and intensity throughout the crisis. That is why it is important to provide updates, even if there are no new developments. This alone helps minimise uncertainty and speculation and prevents accusations of a cover-up from arising in the first place.