How to Manage Crisis in Business Communication
By Lauren Nelson, eHow Contributor * * * * Print this article
Responding to a crisis with business communication takes a level head and preparation.
In a world where unethical business practices and natural disasters place increased scrutiny on today's companies, the ability to communicate effectively with employees, shareholders and the public during a crisis has become a critical aspect of any successful company's survival and continued prosperity. Understanding how to approach crisis communications may be difficult, but by following these steps, you can be successful in navigating those dangerous waters.
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Instructions
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Immediately respond to the crisis. With Internet and 24-hour news coverage speeding the flow of information, companies no longer have the luxury of waiting several days to acknowledge the problem while the rest of world figures out what's going on. Companies should publicly state that they have recognized the problem, and identify the action they will be taking in the near future to remedy the problem.
Failure to immediately respond to the problem can make a company look like it is scrambling to hide something or dodge blame. For example, when Toyota failed to immediately address the safety failings in some of its vehicles, the public and media began to characterize it as a greedy corporate monster. They dredged up old company memos showing that Toyota executives had known about the problem for months and took no action. The result was a necessary and costly public relations advertising strategy to try to repair the the company's image. * 2
Quickly analyze the problem at hand. Identify the company's culpability in the situation and determine the appropriate steps to take to, first, directly address