Manage a Corporate Crisis 

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Mistakes to avoid and targeted advice to help your business when the brand is in a state of emergency 

Whether it’s a creaking post, a poor strategic move, a mistake with a customer or a general market crisis, it takes very little to initiate a state of emergency . 

Just as a small pebble can crack a glass and cause irreparable damage, so a crisis can cause your brand to falter. 

A crisis , in fact, calls into question the relationship with the public, risking to interrupt the relationship of trust and change the image of the brand in people’s minds.  

What’s more, even at the internal level of the company, the risk is that something could change. 

So what to do? The main ingredient must remain is your brand identity , but there is also some targeted strategy you can put in place. 

Types of crisis 

Crises are not all the same. And it’s not just about severity and duration.  

In fact, there are two main types : 

  1. internal crisis . It can take place on a production, commercial, organizational, strategic level and from the point of view of communication. A wrong advertising campaign, a suboptimal response on social media, deliveries that don’t respect deadlines, 
  1. external crisis . It is given by the general economic situation, by the politics of the territory, by the market trend, by the historical period and by the social condition. The global pandemic generated by Covid-19 is a more than glaring example. 

 

What is best to do and what to avoid when managing a crisis? 

In any case, when there is a crisis, two aspects must always be managed: 

  1. the event itself, to which it is necessary to find a solution or give one’s own response, 
  1. the relationship with the public. 

To make the presence of the brand felt, maintain the bond and, if necessary, rebuild trust with customers, we have collected some useful tips for your business. 

Wait or intervene? 

 

The role of brands is no longer just to sell products that the public needs.  

Behind every company there is much more. There is a whole imaginary , a set of values, ideas and proposals in which people recognize themselves. 

A brand is chosen not only for the product or service itself, but also for what it represents . That is why in the event of a crisis, it is better not to back down. 

If the crisis is general, a bit like the one we have been experiencing for over a year, providing your vision to the public can make the difference.  

People are looking for points of reference , understanding, practical ideas and every brand must be ready to respond. 

The gain in terms of image and loyalty will be really precious. 

If, on the other hand, the crisis is caused by a company error, not intervening would be a real disaster, needless to say. Damage to the image may no longer be repaired. 

How to communicate? 

 

What do all crises have in common? Difficulty and bewilderment.  

When faced with a problem, people can easily panic and become stressed.  

What they need is to be understood, reassured and even supported to face their challenges. 

An empathic and emotional communication is important both in the short term to keep the bond with customers close, and in the long term, to strengthen the sales phase.  

In fact, many will remember the brand that was there in time of need. 

Also in this case, if the crisis is generated by that unhappy post on the company social profile, being open to the public, showing that you have understood the mistake and showing sensitivity towards the customer will not only help you manage the emergency but it could also prove to be a plus.