4 tips to prepare for and mitigate a crisis

It could come in the form of a manufacturing mistake, security breach, contaminated food item, rogue employee or—as we’ve seen in the news more frequently in recent months—an executive-level misdeed.

No two crises are the same, and most times you would need psychic leanings to see one coming. However, once it strikes, the repercussions can be swift. In the blink of an eye, crises have been known to ruin reputations, destabilize businesses, alienate customers and employees, and kill profits.

The adage that everything fades with time doesn’t apply to companies hit with a crisis. Ignoring the event and hiding under your desk will inevitably result in the situation turning into unabated disaster. Corporate leaders must be prepared with a mitigation plan that contains both obvious and less-than-obvious measures.

With crisis-laden 2017 as a backdrop, here are four steps companies should take before and during a crisis.

1. Run it like a campaign.

Crisis mitigation shouldn’t be driven by ad-hoc decisions. You are in a battle to win back the hearts and minds of your client’s consumers, which calls for a war-room mentality. Every war room needs a strong point person, so before all else, appoint someone to this crucial role and get them started on managing your crisis “campaign.”