Don’t make promises you can’t keep, or you’ll find yourself in need of more crisis management
Make sure that you are realistic with your planning, and with the promises that you make to your customers and suppliers. It is better to keep customers informed with regular updates explaining exactly what is going on than it is to make up an un-realistic deadline and then go silent on them. If you think that you may struggle to cope in a particular situation, consider bringing in outside help.
This quote, from an Insignia Communications blog post by Crispin Jones, describes one of the most frustration-inducing actions you can possibly take when attempting crisis management. People who have had their lives or businesses disrupted by a crisis are already sitting at a high stress level. Giving them answers helps to lower it, but if you fail to meet your own deadline, or to live up to promises you’ve made, then you’re throwing a big wrench right in their own crisis management planning and probably sending their blood pressure through the roof.
The negative effects are not limited to your direct stakeholders either. Where are these angry, frustrated folks going to turn immediately to vent their frustrations? Why social media, of course. Now you not only have to cope with reputation management among stakeholders, but also the social mediaverse, all because you got a bit too overzealous.
Don’t let the push for rapid communication overrule your sensibilities. Remember, it’s listen, think and THEN act. Yes, it’s extremely important to get information out there quickly, but if you want to avoid trashing your own reputation then never skips the steps required for proper crisis communications.
The BCM Blogging Team
https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/