Did you know that 25% of businesses never recover after a major crisis? This startling statistic underscores the importance of having a well-prepared crisis management plan in place.
In this article, we’ll explore what a crisis management plan is, the benefits of implementing one, and the steps to create an effective plan. We’ll also introduce the role of Erwood Group in helping businesses develop and execute their crisis management strategies.
Definition of a Crisis Management Plan (CMP)
A crisis management plan, or CMP, is a well-thought-out plan that a business puts together to deal with any critical situation that may arise. But, you might ask yourself, “what is a crisis management plan?” In simple terms, it is a guide that helps businesses prepare, respond, manage and recover from unexpected events that could hurt the business.
Overview of a CMP
A crisis can come in many forms, such as natural disasters, cyber-attacks, loss of a key employee, or public relations issues. A CMP is designed to help businesses manage these challenges effectively.
It lays out the steps to take, the people to involve, and the actions required to handle a crisis. A good plan is like a safety net, ensuring that a company can bounce back from a tough situation.
Objectives of a CMP
A CMP has three main goals. The first is to protect people, such as employees, customers, and the general public, from harm. This can mean providing guidance on how to stay safe during a crisis or offering support to those affected.
The second goal is to keep the business running as smoothly as possible during a crisis, disaster or disruptive situation. A CMP can help reduce the impact of a crisis on daily operations and ensure that critical core services are still available.
Lastly, a CMP aims to protect the company’s reputation. In today’s world, news spreads fast, and a poorly handled crisis can quickly damage a business’s image. A well-prepared response can show that a company is responsible and cares about the well-being of its customers, employees, and other stakeholders.
Key Components of a CMP
Every business is different, but there are a few key elements that every crisis management plan should include. First, it should identify the possible crises that could affect the company. This can help businesses prepare for the most likely events.
Next, a CMP should outline the roles and responsibilities of the crisis management team. This team is made up of people from different parts of the company who will work together to manage the crisis.
A good Crisis Management Plan will also have clear instructions on how to communicate with employees, customers, and the media during a crisis. This helps to ensure that everyone gets accurate information, knows what to do, and that messaging is consistent.
Finally, a CMP should include a plan for how the business will recover from the crisis. This can involve:
- Recognizing the Crisis Event
- Assessing the Crisis and damage
- Mitigating the disruptive event and/or preventing further damage
- Managing and initiating the implementation of Contingencies
- Rebuilding damaged infrastructure
- Addressing any long-term consequences of the event
- Getting back to normal operations
- Closing of the Crisis Response
Benefits of Implementing a CMP
A crisis management plan (CMP) is more than just a smart idea. It’s an essential part of a company’s business strategy. By developing and implementing a CMP, businesses can enjoy several important benefits that help them navigate difficult times and come out stronger.
Improved Decision-Making During Crises
Crises often require quick thinking and fast action. A CMP provides a clear plan for how to handle a disaster, emergency or disruptive situation. Which allows businesses to make better and more efficient decisions under pressure. With a CMP in place, leaders can focus on the most important tasks and implement strategies to continue key core business processes while avoiding wasting time trying to come up with strategies after an event.
This allows a business to quickly pivot or transition into pre-planned strategies allowing the business to continue operations and making them more resilient. Better still, with the right strategies in place businesses will be able to absorb and endure the crisis while still maintaining full operations. We at the Erwood Group call this Operational Endurance™.
Protection of Company Reputation
In a crisis, a company’s reputation is often at stake. A well-designed CMP ensures that businesses respond to crises in a responsible and transparent manner, which can help maintain or even enhance their public image. This can be especially important in a world where news travels fast, and a company’s reputation can be damaged in an instant.
Enhanced Business Continuity
One of the main goals of a CMP is to keep the business running during a crisis. By planning for potential challenges, companies can minimize disruptions to their operations and maintain essential services for their customers.
This not only helps to reduce financial losses but also shows customers that the business is reliable and committed to meeting their needs. Even in difficult times.
Increased Employee and Stakeholder Confidence
A well-prepared business is a confident business. When employees and stakeholders know that a company has a solid plan in place for handling crises, they are more likely to feel secure and trust in the company’s ability to weather any storm.
This can lead to increased loyalty and commitment from employees. As well as increased confidence from investors, partners and customers.
Reduced Legal Liability
Implementing a CMP demonstrates that a company is proactive in addressing potential crises. This can help reduce legal liability in case of an incident.
By having a plan in place and taking appropriate actions, businesses can show they have done their due diligence. This can potentially lower the risk of lawsuits or regulatory fines resulting from negligence or lack of preparedness.
Competitive Advantage
Companies that effectively manage crises can maintain or even improve their market position. This is because they are perceived as more resilient and reliable.
By handling problems well, these businesses can stand out from competitors who have a hard time recovering from similar situations. This attracts customers, investors, and partners who appreciate a stable and trustworthy company.
Better Resource Allocation
A CMP enables companies to identify the resources required for crisis response, such as:
- People (employees, contractors, customers, vendors etc.)
- Property (assets, buildings, equipment, IP)
- Processes
- Data & Information
- Finances
- Security
By allocating these resources efficiently, businesses can ensure they are prepared to respond effectively, minimizing the impact of the crisis on operations.
This proactive approach to resource management also helps avoid scrambling for resources during a crisis. This can lead to costly mistakes and delays.
Steps to Create an Effective Crisis Management Plan
Creating a crisis management plan might seem overwhelming. By breaking it down into simple steps, businesses can develop a plan that will help them navigate any challenge. Here are the key steps to create an effective CMP:
Identifying Potential Crises
The first step is to think about the kinds of crisesthat could affect your business. This might include natural disasters, cyber-attacks, or public relations problems. By knowing what might go wrong, you can create a plan that addresses these specific challenges.
If you need a starting point you can obtain our Risk Reference Card which outlines the common crisis events that impact businesses.
Establishing a Crisis Management Team
Next, it’s important to put together a group of people who will be responsible for managing the crisis. This team should include members from different parts of the company, such as:
- Communications
- Facilities
- Finance
- Human Resources
- Information Technology
- Operations
Each person on the team should have a clear role and know what they are responsible for during a crisis.
Developing Response Strategies
Now that you know the potential crises and have a team in place, it’s time to develop strategies for how to respond to each crisis. This might involve:
- Creating evacuation plans
- Creating Shelter in Place plans
- Outlining steps for dealing with a cyberattacks
- Developing guidelines for communicating with the media
- Developing templates to communicate with employees, customers, vendors
- How to operate with a reduction in personnel or supplies
- How to operate if your facility is impacted
- And more
These strategies should be flexible, as every crisis is different and may require unique solutions. We here at the Erwood Group recommend thinking of your plans as the toolbox and the strategies themselves as the tools to implement in certain situations. The more strategies you have ahead of time, the more tools you have at your disposal in the event of a crisis.
Allocating Resources for Crisis Management
Handling a crisis often requires resources, such as money, equipment, and personnel. Be sure to allocate the necessary resources for crisis management, so your team has what it needs to respond effectively.
For instance, you may want to allocate a conference room or even have a dedicated area to utilize as an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) where your Crisis Management Team can meet. Alternatively, you can set up a dedicated virtual EOC (vEOC) if you’re not in a physical office or if the office itself is impacted.
Within the EOC you will also want to have some blank checks, credit or pre-paid debit cards, copies of contingency plans, strategies, and communication templates.
Creating Communication and Action Plans
Clear communications are extremely important during a crisis. Develop a plan for how you will share and communicate information with your employees, customers, and the media. This might include:
- Setting up a dedicated phone line
- Creating templates for press releases
- Establishing a social media strategy
- Selecting a Public Information Officer or key person to speak to the media
In addition, create an action plan that outlines the specific steps your team will take during a crisis. This can help ensure that everyone knows what to do and can act quickly when needed.
Training and Testing the CMP
Once you have developed a plan, it’s essential to train your crisis management team and employees on their roles and responsibilities. This can help ensure that everyone is prepared to act when a crisis occurs.
It’s also a good idea to test your CMP by running simulations or drills. This can help you identify any weaknesses in your plan and make improvements before a real crisis happens.
The Role of Erwood Group in Crisis Management
In today’s unpredictable world, businesses need to be prepared for any crisis that might come their way. At Erwood Group, we understand the importance of having a solid crisis management plan in place.
Our team of experienced consultants is dedicated to helping businesses like yours stay strong in the face of adversity. In this section, we’ll discuss the various services we offer and how we can help your company become crisis ready.
Be Ready for Any Crisis That Might Hit Your Company
No business is immune to crises, and the impact of a crisis on your company can be significant, from damaging your reputation to disrupting operations. That’s why it’s essential to be aware of potential risks and have a response plan in place. Our team at Erwood Group is committed to protecting your business and helping you navigate any challenges that come your way.
Crisis Management Team Creation
One of the key elements of a successful crisis management plan is having a dedicated crisis management team. Our consultants will work with you to create a team that is well-equipped to handle any issues that might arise. We’ll help you identify the right people for the job and provide the necessary training and guidance to ensure that your team is ready to respond effectively in a crisis.
Active Response to Ongoing Crises
If your company is already in the midst of a crisis, our active response team can help you manage the situation and minimize the damage. We’ll work quickly to address the problem, with the goals of sustaining credibility and trust, mitigating risk, protecting relationships and reputations, and keeping your business viable and running.
Our Five-Step Process for Crisis Management
At Erwood Group, we use a simple, four-step system to take your company from unprepared to crisis-ready. Here’s how it works:
1) Reach out to us by calling our office at 877-565-8324 or filling out our online contact form.
2) Our consultants will evaluate your organization and identify any areas of concern.
3) We use our Learn, Practice, Implement, Challenge™ (LPIC™) methodology to provide ongoing training and improvement for your crisis management team.
4) Once you’ve worked with our crisis management consultants, you’ll feel prepared for any scenario your business might encounter.
5) Impacted by a crisis? We’ll stand with you and assist you through the crisis by providing guidance to get you through the crisis. Unlike most of our competitors that will tell you to “Just Follow the Plan” we are true partners to our clients and are here to assist you in your time of need.
Why Work with Our Crisis Management Consultants
There are several reasons to choose Erwood Group for your crisis management needs:
- Our team has firsthand experience dealing with multiple crises, giving us the knowledge and skills to help other businesses prepare for and respond to challenging situations
- We understand that every business is unique, and we tailor our consulting services to fit your specific needs and concerns
- From building a crisis management team from scratch to training your existing team and providing assistance and guidance during a crisis, we’re here for you every step of the way
- Our consultants can help you recognize the events leading up to a crisis, enabling you to respond faster and more effectively
By working with Erwood Group, you’ll gain access to a team of crisis management experts who are dedicated to protecting your business and helping you navigate any challenges that come your way. With our support, you can be confident that your company is ready to face any crisis, ensuring the safety of your employees, the continuity of your operations, and the preservation of your reputation.
Be Prepared for Any Crisis with Erwood Group
In a world filled with uncertainties, having a solid crisis management plan is crucial for the survival and success of any business. By following the guidelines discussed in this article and partnering with the expert consultants at Erwood Group, your business can be better prepared to face any crisis that comes your way.
Don’t wait for a crisis to hit. Contact us today to schedule a crisis management consultation and safeguard your company’s future.
