Is your organization prepared or would you be caught off guard?
Sometimes having your company’s name in the news is a great thing, however it can also have the potential to be anything but.
Communication crises can, and often do, arise in the automotive retail industry. Anytime you’re dealing with the general public in a sales and service capacity where financial transactions come into play, there is the possibility for volatile situations and unhappy customers.
Stories of customers being treated poorly, whether accurate or not, can be very damaging to both the reputation and the bottom line of your business.
In today’s modern world of connectivity and access to social media platforms, damning accusations can be posted and shared in an instant, causing irreparable harm.
A quote often attributed to Mark Twain comes to mind: “A lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth puts on its shoes.” So while you will need to act quickly, it is more important to proceed intelligently.
Preparation is key
While you likely won’t know the when or what, you can have control over how your team will respond in a crisis. Having clear responsibilities and protocols for team members is important.
Assign one team member as the spokesperson who will represent the organization. Inquiries and information should be directed towards one team for compilation and comment so that they have a full picture and can ensure consistency.
Often, employees will unknowingly complicate matters by answering emails or phone calls, even fielding questions from the media. Seemingly innocent enough as they are simply trying to help, but conflicting messages or incorrect information can result.
Leadership should communicate issues, so that employees aren’t learning about their company through rumours on social media or the media. The front line of your business should be informed and educated on how to respond if asked.
Educate your team
While these situations may seem unexpected, there are often warning signs. Your front-line staff should be empowered to resolve a challenging situation to the customer’s satisfaction if at all possible, but also feel comfortable elevating a difficult interaction to the greater team in extreme circumstances.
When such situations do arise, it is also crucial to advise your internal team first. Leadership should communicate issues, so that employees aren’t learning about their company through rumours on social media or the media. The front line of your business should be informed and educated on how to respond if asked.
Think before you speak
Responding in haste before you have the full story to meet a deadline can mean reacting without a full scope of the situation. It can take time for pertinent details to be gathered or come to light.
In this case, the initial, incorrect account will become the accepted narrative and you may have missed the chance to avoid the damage. Even if you have the opportunity to clarify your position, it will come off as conflicting and disorganized if inconsistent with previous statements.
It is important to respond to inquiries in a prompt manner, but don’t be afraid to say that you are gathering information and plan to comment once you have a more fulsome understanding of the situation.
If a reporter contacts you for an explanation or official comment, don’t be afraid to get back to them and ask them questions of your own that will help you with how to proceed. Questions such as: “What are the existing details?” and “What is the current story?” are completely acceptable requests, and they will help you identify what you’re dealing with.
Honesty is the best policy
Trust is easy to keep and nearly impossible to regain after it’s lost. Any attempt to lie in order to downplay or deflect a crisis can be made significantly worse when someone discovers the truth.
Imagine your neighbour backs into your car and damages it. You’ve discovered video evidence. Now think about your reaction based on whether they owned up to it or lied about it when asked. The lesson is, that if a legitimate mistake or miscalculation was made, people will understand if you acknowledge and own up to it.
Be clear and consistent
Keep your position limited to short, key messages that are consistent across all communication channels. Remain calm and professional. Stick to what you know to be true. Address misinformation but avoid speculation or blame.
Move forward intelligently
You have an opportunity to steer the conversation into a positive direction. The public will want to know what was learned. They will want reassurance that this issue or situation won’t happen again, so share what steps have been taken to prevent this.
