Basic in Your Communications Plan?
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That is just for large firms when they get in difficulty, right? Like an oil spill? An aircraft crash? Perhaps a tire recall? You are saying your company’s not even a spot on the economy’s radar screen. You think you do not need an emergency communications plan as you employ just a few people,? Think again! If you are in business – any business – you want a crisis communications plan, one that includes at least these essential components.
Crisis communications? Do not believe me? Yes, let’s assume you bake truly tasty pies in your kitchen. And your local shop sells them for you. When a person tells their doctor they were given sick from eating one of your tantalizing pies, you’d better have an emergency communication plan.
Or you’re a landscape contractor. What could probably go bad when all you do is plant trees, cut grass, and perhaps move a small dust. Well when the driver of your dump truck runs into a college bus that is stopped to let youngsters off, you’d better have an emergency communications plan. Or perhaps you are a dentist, a good one from what your patients say. You and your staff are working on an old gentlemen from your local retirement center.
You give him something to deaden the discomfort so you can start drilling. All of a sudden he is dead. You’d better have an emergency communication plan. Yes, even the most reputedly safe business must have at least these fundamental elements of an emergency communications plan in place … Designate only 1 person to communicate for the company – to the media, the authorities, to everybody asking questions. Also name an alternative to handle that responsibility in case your delegated speaker isn’t available. With aid from an attorney, ideally one who’s been concerned in crises, train your spokespeople on what kinds of questions to answer – or not – and the way to answer quietly only the questions they’re asked. Also teach them to never volunteer any info beyond what they are particularly asked. Let everyone in your company know who your spokespeople are and what their function is. Require that anybody with any understanding of, or participation in your company’s crisis talk only to your company’s lawyer and to your senior management.
Your lawyer will then share the acceptable info with your spokesman. Your spokespeople also should be taught that if they do not not know, or aren’t sure of the answer to a question – or they are facing a question they have been warned not to answer – that they should tell their questioner that they do not know the solution. . At the same time, your speaker should tell their examiner that he will try and receive an answer for them ; then promptly get back to the examiner with that answer. Your spokesman should never tell an examiner that she or he has to chat with your company’s lawyer before they can answer a question…but the best way to reply to any query – time allowing – is to talk about potential answers ahead with your company’s lawyer and your senior management.
