Basic guide to managing a reputational crisis

In previous posts of this blog, we talked about how to create a communication plan effective for your company and in it we made mention of reputation crises.

In this post we want to provide more information about its management, explaining what it is, how to prevent a reputational crisis and what elements must be taken into account to manage it.

What is a reputational crisis?

A reputation crisis is a situation that negatively affects the company's image. harming consumers and/or shareholders.

These events may include scandals, bad business practices, security incidents, among others. The consequences can range from the loss of customers to a decline in the value of the company's stock and long-term damage to the company's credibility.

Crisis management is the ability to foresee and act in the face of possible situations that could negatively affect the company's reputation.

How to prevent a reputation crisis?

Prevention is the best strategy to avoid a reputation crisis. One of the essential steps is the constant monitoring. Using media and social media monitoring tools allows you to detect negative mentions and emerging trends, providing an opportunity to address potential problems before they become crises.

Transparency also plays a crucial role. Be transparent in the company's operations and communications helps prevent misunderstandings and build trust with the public. Honesty and openness in business management can strengthen relationships with customers and other stakeholders.

It is also necessary to fostering a corporate culture based on ethics and social responsibility. Promoting ethical values within the company reduces the risk of inappropriate behavior that can lead to a reputational crisis. A strong and responsible culture can act as a shield against potential scandals or malpractice.

Finally, developing and regularly updating crisis management plans is essential. These plans should include communication protocols and clear roles for the crisis team, ensuring that everyone knows what to do and how to act quickly if a crisis arises. Being prepared and having a detailed plan can be the difference between an effective response and chaos during a reputational crisis.

10 basic principles for reputation crisis management

  1. A good analysis allows us to know what will happen. To analyze the situation, to know where it may evolve, to know what is happening to us, why it is happening to us and who it may affect.
  2. Do not forget anyone. Knowing exactly who our interlocutors are and knowing our audiences will help us not to forget anyone in the management of a crisis.
  3. To have the information is to have the agenda of the crisis. Having good internal communication circuits will allow us to know what is happening and why it is happening. If we have the right information we can make the right decisions.
  4. The spokesperson, a key figure in the management of a reputational crisis. Knowing who should speak, what to say and when to say it is essential to getting messages across properly during a crisis.
    The spokesperson must be someone who knows the company perfectly well and who transmits trust, proximity, security and credibility.
  5. Knowing the communication channels available to us. Most organizations are not aware of the communication channels available to them.
  6. The information must be serious, transparent, truthful and clear. In a crisis, silence is not profitable; it is necessary to inform and this must be done from the very beginning and, above all, the information must be rigorous, intelligible to our public and transparent.
  7. External communication begins with internal communication. In a crisis, the first means of communication available to us are the members of the organization itself. Forgetting and neglecting them will work against us.
  8. The crisis committee, a tool for crisis management. Knowing who is managing a crisis and who should make decisions at any given moment makes it easier to deal with risk situations.
  9. To have a communication plan is to have a solution. Having a crisis communication plan allows us to avoid having to improvise.
    A plan will determine the messages to be delivered, the audiences that should receive them, the media to be used and the appropriate timing for each action.
  10. Real crisis management begins the next day. It is the day after a communication crisis when the real task of crisis management begins, analyzing what has happened, determining what needs to be improved and deciding what actions we should take to prevent new crises, being critical of ourselves.

Now then... How is a reputational crisis manual prepared?

reputation crisis management

 Although there is no set way to prepare a crisis manual, there are certain common guidelines. Here are some tips on how to prepare a good crisis manual:

  1. Define risk map: At this point, we make a list of possible situations in which the company's reputation could be affected. Once identified, they must be categorized according to their seriousness.
  2. Identification of sources: define whether the sources are internal or external.
  3. Messages to be transmitted: a message must be developed for the possible risk situations that we have identified in the previous steps, which is why it is necessary to dedicate time to the risk map.
  4. Crisis Committee: It is very important to have a structured crisis committee, so that when I know of such a situation there is no doubt as to who performs what action.
    1. Director of the committee: defines the crisis level, convenes the committee and directs the actions of each.
    2. Internal spokesperson: is responsible for communicating the situation to the company. Position: human resources manager.
    3. External spokesperson: is in charge of communication with the media. Position: Director of Communications.
    4. Telephone spokesperson: takes care of calls.
    5. Advisors: collect information and provide technical advice to the committee.
  5. Action protocol: when a reputational crisis occurs, it is necessary to act quickly, therefore, an action protocol must be established.
  6. Media: It is necessary to have established both the means of communication and the way to contact them in order to act as quickly as possible.
  7. Social Media: it is very important to social media management and even more so today. Many crises originate online and, therefore, have their solution there. Some of the keys to good management of social media during a crisis:
    1. Actively listen to the problems and comments of the people who come to us.
    2. Speak to them in a transparent and appropriate manner.
  8. Respond to those affected: successful crisis management requires a face to face approach and contact with affected audiences.
  9. Conduct drills: This point is essential, since theory is all very well, but it is necessary to practice everything stipulated in the manual so that if at any time it is necessary, all the members of the company and the committee know how to act and communicate in the event of a crisis.

In conclusion, we could say that in order to correctly resolve a reputation crisis it is necessary to repair, communicate effectively and empathize with those affected.

Companies must be prepared to deal with any situation that could jeopardize their reputation. The prevention and appropriate response can make the difference between a manageable crisis and a public relations disaster.

Want to know more?
Subscribe to our Newsletter!

    google partner 2024 geo
    reputational crisis
    reputational crisis
    reputational crisis
    reputational crisis
    logo europa drives
    reputational crisis
    reputational crisis
    text eu web aids 1
    text eu web aids 2

    © 2024 Geotelecom - All Rights Reserved

    en_US