Introduction
A crisis is any event or action that can negatively affect the reputation of a business or undermine the credibility of the market, customers, and partners. A crisis manifests itself precisely when we are not expecting it and are unprepared for it. It is for this reason that the solution to a problem can often take a long time. Consequently, several unresolved issues may ultimately lead to the complete collapse of the planned event.
So that a problem situation does not take the company by surprise, it is essential to think about its possible appearance much earlier to create a crisis communication plan. Thus, this plan works as a safety cushion in crisis and helps the business stay afloat and employees keep in their positions. In my crisis communication plan, I will consider the company’s actions in an outbreak of product contamination. My plan will discuss the efforts of both company management and employees so that a crisis will catch no one off guard.
Audiences and Stakeholders
First and foremost, to conduct quality crisis communications, Pasta Amore must be prepared for any questions from customers, employees, and the community. To begin with, let us look at the questions that customers may have. First of all, it is a question about how exactly Pasta Amore monitors the quality of its products and what measures it takes to avoid product contamination. Secondly, customers can ask about the medical certificates of employees to make sure that none of them can contaminate the food (Diers-Lawson, 2019). As for employees, their first question will be about keeping their jobs in case of a crisis. In addition, they may be interested in the work procedure if they have contaminated products and possible new precautionary methods.
Finally, employees will also be interested in possible wage changes due to the audit and discovering the cause of contamination. Communities will steal some questions, too. First and foremost is the frequency of external audits of the quality of products purchased by the restaurant. In addition, the question of having all the medical documents required by law will also be relevant. The community will also be concerned about the restaurant’s management’s opinion on food contamination at a neighboring establishment and the measures taken to prevent contamination at Pasta Amore itself.
Messages
- The first letter will be addressed to customers and will be a social networking message.
“Dear customers! We are deeply concerned about the food contamination situation at our neighborhood restaurant. We wish all customers who were in any way affected by this situation a speedy recovery. In turn, we would like to assure you that all legal standards of food storage and handling are observed in our restaurant. In addition, all of our employees are fully medically certified. We do our best to provide our customers with the best possible experience from their visit to the place.”
- The second message will be addressed to employees and will be sent out via email.
“Dear employees! This message is regarding an unfortunate food contamination incident at a nearby restaurant. As you know, our restaurant is doing everything possible to prevent such a situation from happening. However, if it does happen, we would like to make a few important reminders. First, in a crisis like this, we will do everything we can to save absolutely all jobs. Secondly, if new hygiene procedures are introduced, you will be trained to follow them. Third, we will do everything we can to make sure that your salaries will not change in any way. Together, we can overcome any crisis and become even better.”
- The third message will be addressed to the public and will also be posted on social media.
“Hello everyone, Pasta Amore is deeply concerned about the situation at our neighborhood restaurant. We want to assure you that our restaurant is regularly audited both internally and externally to avoid any suggestion of substandard service. In addition, our staff has all the medical documents to exclude any food contamination. On behalf of Pasta Amore Restaurant, we do our best to provide you with the best possible experience of your visit to the location.”
Command Centers
In any crisis, it is necessary to create reliable command centers to manage the company’s actions. This is because the work can turn into chaos in an unforeseen situation, only worsening the situation (Heath and O’Hair, 2020, p.115). Crises require clear and precise leadership, hence the creation of command centers. In the case of Pasta Amore, the restaurant manager should be at the head of the command center because he is more familiar with the company’s processes than anyone else. The chain of command should also include a communications director and an external consultant who will see the situation from the outside.
The external consultant should also accompany the management even after the crisis has passed to assess the establishment’s recovery dynamics. If the restaurant is not available for a team center meeting, it can be held online or in one of the business centers that provide co-working rooms.
Risks
When planning actions in a crisis, one should always consider the risks. External and internal risks are possible if restaurant management does not respond quickly and accurately to a crisis. For example, an external risk is the irreparable destruction of the restaurant’s reputation if the public does not respond quickly to the situation. In the absence of a response, an internal risk is that discord may arise within the company, and anxious employees may panic (Heide and Simonsson, 2019, p. 119).
Such a situation will only exacerbate the crisis and delay the company’s recovery time. However, negative consequences can overtake the company even if it responds quickly to the problem. The first risk is that some customers will still lose confidence in the establishment. This could lead to financial losses, which is the second risk. Even despite a swift response, the financial costs of audits and other inspections can reach enormous proportions.
Conclusion
Finally, this crisis communication plan can be used in other scenarios. Messages for different stakeholders are written separately, but the main principles described in the plan are retained. Of course, having a crisis plan can help level out future risks and contingencies. This is primarily because such a plan will help the restaurant be prepared and minimize the monetary and reputational costs of a crisis. Secondly, having a plan will help management feel more confident and not be afraid to take bold steps in the development of the establishment. It should also be remembered that in developing this and other crisis plans, it is necessary to consider the company’s ethical considerations.
For example, if the company’s value is the most positive customer experience, it is necessary to emphasize it in all crisis communications. At the same time, it is essential to not withhold information because customers value honesty. All information will sooner or later end up in the yellow press. Therefore, it is better when customers get it from the official representatives of the company. Additionally, when drawing up a plan, it is necessary to consult with a lawyer, who will help make a clearer plan of interaction with the state authorities. Therefore, a crisis communication plan will help Pasta Amore cope with any unforeseen situation.
Reference List
Diers-Lawson, A. (2019) Crisis communication: Managing stakeholder relationships. London: Routledge. Web.
Heath, R. L., & O’Hair, H. D. (2020) Handbook of risk and crisis communication. New York: Routledge. Web.
Heide, M., and Simonsson, C. (2019) Internal crisis communication: Crisis awareness, leadership and coworkership. London: Routledge. Web.