Toyota has had a difficult time with crisis management for their recall. Even when they’ve been trying to do the right thing there have been critical mistakes made, like this one, described in a post on the blog run by British crisis management pro Jonathan Hemus, Insignia Talks:
It was interesting to note that Toyota did not follow the Ryanair policy of non-engagement, and instead fielded a senior spokesperson for the programme, executive vice president Takeshi Uchiyamada. I applaud Toyota for taking this approach and trying to communicate their perspective: a policy of engagement is essential if an organisation is to shape the discussion and avoid being a helpless bystander as the crisis rumbles on. However, Mr Uchiyamada was hindered by his inability to speak English which necessitated the use of subtitles. In addition, his eye contact was weak and fleeting: both of these factors meant that he failed to make the impact that he might otherwise have achieved. A confident English speaker identified as an engaging communicator via a programme of media training would have been more effective in representing Toyota’s position.
No matter how well crafted the message, an ineffective spokesperson will render it weak and ineffective. Jonathan’s post goes on to describe several other points in the case where Toyota dropped the ball, along with his take on how they could have done things better.
The BCM Blogging Team
https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/