Crises and Issues Management
We look at the glass half-full rather half-empty. Even in times of crises there are opportunities to be had. It’s all a matter of PR design - and getting the right message across to the right audience.
From escalation to dissipation
Along with making our lives easier, digital technology has brought with it, challenges; the lightning-fast delivery of information from sender to receiver also means the lightning-fast delivery of issues, crises, or problems regarding your idea or brand.
Southeast Asia has one of the highest digital media penetration rates in the world, and it's still growing, so much so that a great number of people are already relying on their ICT devices as their main source of information.
In a crisis situation, all angles and stakeholders must be considered; all actions, calculated.
Handling crises, of course, is on a case-by-case basis, but anything as seemingly mundane as being called out in Twitter, or writing a 'wrong' comment on Facebook, can blow things out of proportion. With more than 20 years experience in handling crises, MediaSense takes these necessary steps to when a crisis is spotted, before brainstorming on the more specific mitigating strategies:
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Identify and the source of the crisis, including who or what were immediately affected by the crisis, and elements propagating the crisis.
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Assess the business and consumer stakeholders who will be affected as the crisis progresses, immediately contact business consumers before the crisis reaches them.
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Assess the communication channels (which includes influencers) which can be used either to propagate or mitigate the crisis.
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Control the situation using mitigating communication tactics that utilize specific media channels; stick to using established media for ensuring.
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Develop a post-crisis communciations plan and plan for 'aftershocks'; reassure radical improvement and accountability.