One thing that all companies should be doing at least once is a crisis risk assessment. A crisis risk assessment is the process of identifying which crises are the most likely to affect a business. Crisis management is an important factor for any company to consider, which is why a proper response management strategy is vital for success. A business owner that considers crisis management a priority is one that invests in crisis management training for all employees and members of management.
Without the correct crisis management training, a business can experience crisis management nightmares that are difficult to avoid. Below, you’ll find six common crisis management mistakes that your team has to avoid making if success is what you want.
#1 Being Dishonest
When you make a commitment that you cannot stand behind as a business, it’s natural to stretch the truth to buy time for yourself and your team to answer to the situation correctly.
The problem here is that a lie can blow up in your face and make a crisis a huge situation that can’t be undone. Social media puts a spotlight on companies and all it would take is one person to say something publicly and you have an even bigger crises than you started with. Be honest and open and buy the time you need the right way.
#2 Delaying Public Response
On the subject of lies, most customers and companies will lie to ensure that they speak louder than everyone else in a time of crisis. The best thing to do is publicly acknowledge the mistakes that your company makes from the very beginning, then the details are on record and you aren’t going to be exposed by anyone else.
#3 Ignoring A Crisis
Burying your head in the sand is a natural response to a crisis, but if you ignore or refuse to acknowledge a crisis, things only get worse. Bad reviews or a blast from a customer can go viral very quickly and if it’s not acknowledged, it will get worse and spiral out of control.
#4 Being Unfriendly In Response
If you have a customer complaint to deal with, you need to deal with it in a way that is sincere and humble. Acknowledging a customer in a friendly way is a smart decision as people will respond to your kindness positively. Sometimes, a simple apology can go a very long way.
#5 Losing Touch With Your Customers
One thing that a business should never do is abandon their customer base. Being in constant communication with customers is vital to ensure that you don’t lose their loyalty. Maintain open links of conversation during a crisis and initiate the conversation.
#6 Avoiding Talking To Investors
Investors will always hear about a crisis so the best thing to do is to talk to them first. Damage control is so important for those that are funding your business.
Know your risks and you will always be ready to attend to a crisis.
Before You Go…
Kiasu Crisis Management are experts in crisis management training. Our courses make sure your organisation is fully prepared to deal with any event or major incident, please contact us for more information.
