{"id":388,"date":"2015-03-06T12:06:14","date_gmt":"2015-03-06T01:06:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.agilitycommunication.com.au\/?p=388"},"modified":"2017-05-23T12:25:49","modified_gmt":"2017-05-23T02:25:49","slug":"crisis-communication-plan-opportunity-save-business-free-fall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.agilitycommunication.com.au\/crisis-communication-plan-opportunity-save-business-free-fall\/","title":{"rendered":"A Crisis Communication Plan \u2013 An opportunity to save your business from Free Fall"},"content":{"rendered":"

Do you have a Crisis Communication Plan?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

What is your guide for how and when to communicate about issues or crises?<\/p>\n

If you have a plan, when was it last reviewed?<\/p>\n

Is it up to date or wildly out of date?<\/p>\n

I started to think about the importance of Crisis Communication Plans when reading an article last week. The article, titled Home Didn\u2019t Report Harm, Despite Advice<\/em> begins with this chilling opening paragraph:<\/p>\n

KNOWN bashings at a scandal-hit aged-care home needed to be reported to police and the federal agency, according to strongly worded legal advice provided confidentially to Baptist group executives in December.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The article continues\u2026<\/p>\n

But no reports were made at the time and no effective plans were immediately put in place, leading to a further bashing in January at the Kepnock Grove home in Bundaberg, about 400km north of Brisbane.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>The failure of local managers at the Baptist Community Services-owned aged-care home to report multiple assaults was identified in a limited internal probe by senior management in December. The findings of this probe \u2014 which identified other problems, including untreated injuries, suspicious deaths, falsified documents, the rationing of food and general neglect \u2014 prompted the group to instruct lawyers.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>The group decided it would not meet its legislative mandatory reporting requirement to alert police and the Department of Social\u00ac Services, according to insiders\u00ac, who accuse executives of mounting a deliberate cover-up.<\/em><\/p>\n

The article goes on and you can read it here<\/a>, but rather than focus on yet another disaster for good PR and more importantly, good customer service that includes a safe place to live; I decided to concentrate on looking at what you can do to reduce risk of a reputation crisis (and hopefully reduce the risk to the lives and wellbeing of our elderly.)<\/p>\n

What is a crisis?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In this context when talking about crisis we mean:<\/p>\n

A significant disruption to business that stimulates extensive news media coverage. The resulting public scrutiny will affect normal operations and also could have a political, legal, financial and government impact on its business. \u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Institute of Crisis Management (US)<\/em><\/p>\n

A crisis can have a devastating impact on your business and everyone close to your business \u2013 your clients, their carers, family and friends, staff, Board, community.<\/p>\n

Would you be prepared to deal with the aftermath? Talk to government departments, deal with the media?<\/p>\n

In my opinion, all organisations need some sort of Crisis Communication Plan and its tenets should be to:<\/p>\n

Act swiftly, proactively, ethically and honestly.\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Contain an apology where necessary.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Your Crisis Communication Plan details how you will respond to crises. \u00a0What to include?<\/p>\n

You would expect the following in most Crisis Communication Plans:<\/p>\n