Experts state that the crisis management process for companies begins long before the crisis itself, and by working on possible scenarios, the likelihood of overcoming crises with minimum damage is high. While the primary cause of crises today is still angry employees, social media is the platform where crises erupt and grow… Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pınar Aslan points out that companies that know their target audience well, take them seriously, constantly inform them in line with the principles of transparency and continuity, and most importantly, learn from their mistakes, have the opportunity to overcome crises with minimum damage and strengthen themselves through experience.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pınar Aslan, Faculty Member at Uskudar University, Faculty of Communication, Department of Public Relations and Advertising, provided information on crisis management and overcoming crises with minimum damage.
Overcoming a crisis with minimum damage is possible
Stating that the crisis management process for companies begins long before the crisis itself, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pınar Aslan said, “The first step is to consider possible crisis probabilities and evaluate crisis scenarios. This allows a company to assess 'the worst that could happen' by considering its industry, the countries it operates in, and its internal and external stakeholders. Following this initial stage of the process, which ensures it is as prepared as possible against potential scenarios, the company should take the necessary precautions to prevent each scenario from occurring. Despite this, the possibility of experiencing a crisis still exists. However, the likelihood of overcoming the crisis with minimum damage is higher.”
Employees unaware of company policy cause crises on social media
Emphasizing that the primary cause of crises today is still angry employees, and the main platform where crises erupt or escalate is social media, Aslan continued:
“Employees are always a matter to be considered within crisis scenarios. Employees dissatisfied with their conditions are harbingers of an impending crisis, and as we have witnessed recently, employees who have not received sufficient orientation or are unaware of the company's policies are also creating incredible scandals related to their workplaces in videos they record to gain visibility on social media. Especially due to employees sharing scenes from the production process and failing to consider how serious the consequences could be, businesses can be shut down, and they are penalized by authorities or citizens.”
Aslan noted that this issue should be approached from two perspectives: “First, does the company have a philosophy regarding employees' sharing process? If so, have employees been sufficiently informed about this? Second, is the real problem the company's activities, or the dissemination of images of these activities on social media? If no one had seen it, would unacceptable practices, especially in the production process, have continued?”
Crisis management is a multifaceted process for companies
“Crisis management is a multifaceted process that needs to be carefully evaluated by companies,” said Aslan, adding that it is as important to adhere to standards in every process, such as production and distribution, as it is to consider crisis scenarios to prevent crises. Despite this, in the event of a crisis, it is crucial to remain calm and avoid unplanned actions.
Aslan stated, “Being the first source to inform the target audience provides the company with both time and trust, two values that the company particularly needs during times of crisis.”
Company press releases must be clear
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pınar Aslan also noted that companies today operate under the misconception that the target audience is passive during a crisis and will believe every statement made, which is, unfortunately, a very big mistake, concluding her words as follows:
“The target audience is an active and interactive group that has the power to research what is told to them and verify/deny it within seconds. Therefore, company press releases must be clear. Companies that issue threatening statements, claim events are merely an attack, make no explanations, or believe they can gain time with reasons that cannot be considered explanations, may cause the crisis to escalate further while trying to find a solution.”
The target audience should not be considered a passive community!
Aslan stated that assuming the target audience is a passive community that accepts every message as it is, is the biggest fallacy in a painful process that can lead to companies going bankrupt or being shut down, adding, “Conversely, companies that know their target audience well, take them seriously, constantly inform them in line with the principles of transparency and continuity, and most importantly, learn from their mistakes, have the opportunity to overcome crises with minimum damage and strengthen themselves through experience.”