Mistakes alone …

Errors can occur in many ways. They are very different. Some are related to raising controversial topics in an unskillful manner. They also relate to poor customer service, lack of culture or disregard for customer opinions. Others are related to poor management, a lack of responsiveness to current events or even a lack of a crisis scenario.

What are the most common mistakes? Which actions lead to a crisis and damage the brand? Let's look at those related to image. It can erupt in social media or traditional media, for example after the release of a controversial advertisement. Most often, such mistakes relate to inaccurate reaserch.

Images are chosen for an advertising campaign that may offend certain groups of people. Texts are placed that are meant to be funny, but are perceived as uncultured, distasteful, rude or even vulgar.

A crisis can be triggered by a number of factors. Among these, a few of the most common causes can be identified. An ill-considered, impulsive statement by a brand representative, a person recognisable and associated with the company, is a ready recipe for a crisis. This is especially true if the statement touches on sensitive topics and offends customers or others.

Data leakage also contributes to a crisis. In the age of ubiquitous access to the web, information has become a valuable asset. Not surprisingly, every internet user wants to protect their data and expects the same from any company with which they interact in any way. The leakage of personal data is a huge detriment to trust. Importantly, this problem can be prevented in advance. It is important to properly secure databases, strong passwords and anti-virus software along with protection against cyber attacks.

Another mistake is unethical company behaviour. In the event of any irregularities, you can be sure that sooner or later the news will reach your customers. if a brand preaches one thing and does another, customers lose trust in it and it can be difficult to regain it. For example, if a cosmetics manufacturer claims that it does not test its products on animals and is eventually found to be telling an untruth, a massive image crisis is bound to erupt.

Another mistake is to come into conflict with customers. It is well known that customers can be difficult. They are not always right, they are sometimes annoying and their opinions are not always true. However, it is important to remember the basic rules of culture and treat each person with respect. Even if it is a problematic consumer. Arguing, especially on social media, tarnishes a company's image as an expert. There have been many situations where rude and even insulting comments by the CEO have caused a serious crisis. People see a lot and, even if they are not customers, they will quickly learn whose services are not worth using. It is often better to terminate cooperation with a difficult customer than to start a war with them. This never ends well.

A crisis can lead to the downfall of a brand. It can be dangerous, especially if it is not mitigated. Then it grows to such proportions that it is difficult to contain. It takes a good plan of action and a concrete strategy to lead a company out of a crisis without major damage.

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Shut down and start again?

Whether to start working on improving the old) Crisis is a dangerous word. Sooner or later it will affect most companies. Does this mean that when it does occur, it is time to close down the organisation and set up a new one? Not necessarily. Image stains happen to the best of us. However, you can't give up. Especially if we are talking about a brand with a long history on the market, with products or services that are ingrained in the minds of customers.

There is a way out of the crisis. What is needed, however, is well-considered action and, above all, quick reaction. Failure to react to events is a serious mistake that can make the problem even worse.

How do you create an action plan for a crisis? It is worth having a person or persons with public relations expertise behind such a strategy. It is important to learn from mistakes, one's own, but above all those of others. This will avoid many problems and make it easier to respond to those that do arise.

In recovering from a crisis, it is important to admit your mistake and take action to show the audience that there is a response. For example - if a crisis arises as a result of an error by a marketer, an advertising agency, you generally break your contract with them or hold them accountable in some way. It is important to maintain credibility, honesty. And then think about what to do to avoid similar slip-ups in the future.

Analysis of advantages and disadvantages

In some cases, it is easy to see what led to the crisis. In the example cited above, with the advertising agency, it is immediately clear that it was someone in charge of the creative who did not carry out a proper reaserch, who did not check the information. Perhaps they used a photograph to which they had no rights. He or she has offended someone's feelings. This is where a certain pathway already appears - from decision to problem. It is easy to draw conclusions from this. When creating a campaign, it is always important to check the sources well so as not to get into trouble.

How do you find out what influenced the crisis to occur? The easiest way is to gather as much information as you can about the event that triggered the crisis. This will allow you to analyse step by step what happened and at what stage the mistake occurred. It is important to assess who is to blame for the situation - the company, the employees, the industry or the competitors who decided to act unfairly. Or perhaps an external organisation to which certain work is outsourced is responsible?

It is also worth tracking what is being written about the company on social media. Media monitoring tools are very useful in assessing whether a phenomenon is a one-off or whether there has been a snowball effect.

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New strategy and new life

How do we get out of the crisis? Above all, you have to act quickly. Time is of the essence here. If you delay responding, the situation may get worse. Often, when there is a crisis, there are many comments and their authors are waiting for a response. It is not worth keeping them in suspense. It is worth replying quickly to comments and messages.

Above all, however, it is important to develop an action plan for the specific situation. It is important to identify the person who will become the "face" of the crisis, who will pass on information. Everyone should speak with one voice. However, it is important not to "turn the tide", i.e. try to turn the crisis into a success for the company. It is not in good taste to try to shift the blame onto others.

You have to take responsibility for a mistake and be honest in your communication. Customers will appreciate this - even if they are dissatisfied with a certain service, but get a sincere explanation and admission of error, they will look at the brand a little more favourably.

Honesty and empathy will be helpful when recovering from a crisis. It is a good idea to publish a response to negative comments or information on social media or the website. A crisis is not a reason to panic or to close a company. It is a stressful and problematic situation. Failure to respond can lead to the demise of the brand, so time is of the essence. A proper plan of action is also important. However, it is good to know that a properly managed crisis and prompt action can not only avert this crisis, but also increase the credibility of the company in the eyes of customers.