Crisis communications: which decisions must be made before the first statement is written?
Most of the time lost in a crisis is spent debating who will approve the statement. Preparedness means settling that debate before the crisis hits.
What is crisis communications?
Crisis communications is the discipline of managing whom to communicate with, when, through which channel and with what message during an event that threatens an organization’s reputation, operations or stakeholder trust. Effective crisis communications starts before the event, with a risk map, an approval workflow and prepared messages.
Disruption is no longer the exception
The gap between confidence and preparedness
In PwC’s survey of 1,812 business leaders across 42 countries, 70% of respondents are confident their organization can respond to disruptions. The same survey reveals that only a third say they have the core elements of resilience in place.[2]
In crisis communications, this gap turns into a concrete problem: if it has not been written down in advance which executive approves the statement, who responds on social media or when employees are informed, the first hours are lost waiting for decisions.
Risk matrix: not every incident is a crisis
We classify incidents along two axes. The speed and scope of the response depend on this classification; blowing a small issue out of proportion with a big statement is a risk, too.
First statement, spokesperson, employee and stakeholder briefings in the same hour
Direct contact with those affected, statement on standby
Clear, brief information on social media, plus follow-up
Media and social listening; escalate if the threshold is crossed
The first 72 hours
- Verification
What happened, who is affected and where the information came from are confirmed; the crisis team is convened.
- First statement
A short statement is issued covering what is known, what is not yet known and the action taken.
- Stakeholders
Employees, customers, business partners and regulators are informed in order of priority.
- Follow-up
New information is shared at regular intervals, and media questions are answered from a single point of contact.
- Review
Coverage and the process are reviewed; the risk map and prepared messages are updated.
How prepared is your organization for a crisis?
Take our six-question crisis readiness test to see, in one minute, the gaps in your risk map, spokesperson preparation, prepared messages and approval workflow.
Start the crisis readiness test ↗Scope of our crisis communications service
What we do
- Identifying Potential Sources of Crisis
- Developing Crisis Scenarios and Appropriate Solutions
- Crisis Communications Training
- Internal Communications Policies During a Crisis
- Crisis Media Planning, Monitoring and Response
What you get
- A response structure activated within hours
- One voice, consistent corporate statements
- Measurable reputation recovery after a crisis
Crisis Communications: frequently asked questions
When should the first statement be made in a crisis?
As soon as possible once the information has been verified. The first statement doesn’t need to have every answer; it is enough to share what is known, what is being investigated and the first step taken. For prepared organizations, this is usually possible within the first few hours.
What should a crisis communications plan include?
A crisis communications plan should include a risk map and scenarios, crisis team members and their roles, an approval workflow, spokespeople, prepared message sets, a stakeholder list and communication channels, and a media and social media monitoring setup.
Is it right to say “no comment” during a crisis?
Usually not. When no statement is made, the gap fills with speculation and other sources. Even if legal reasons prevent sharing details, an organization can still say it is following the matter and when it will share more information.
Who is on the crisis team?
The core crisis team consists of a senior management representative, the communications lead, legal, the relevant operational unit and human resources. Depending on the nature of the incident, IT, customer service or external advisors are added.
How quickly can crisis communications support be activated?
For brands we have prepared together, active response begins the same day; for our existing clients, it begins within hours.
How does an organization rebuild its reputation after a crisis?
The most decisive factors are showing evidence that promised steps have been taken, providing regular updates and communicating directly with affected stakeholders. The review conducted at the end of the process also updates preparedness for the next incident.
Go deeper
Resources
- PwC, Global Crisis and Resilience Survey 2023 press release (2023). Findings on the number and impact of disruptions. View source ↗
- PwC, Global Crisis and Resilience Survey 2023 (2023). 1,812 business leaders from 42 countries, September–November 2022. View source ↗
Figures are cited from the sources listed. Charts labeled “Working model” are not external research data; they reflect Brandworks’ project planning model.