Thriving businesses today are prioritizing internal communication more than ever before, and crisis communications is an emerging area that is becoming increasingly crucial. Crises hit when least expected, and if your business isn’t prepared or doesn’t have a plan in place, everything you’ve worked for will be exposed to significant risk.
In this blog post, we’ll share everything you need to know about crisis communications so you know exactly how to protect your business.
What is crisis communications?
Put simply, crisis communications is the way in which an organization disseminates information to address threats to its business, customers, and/or reputation. This covers both the technologies and processes that an organization uses to respond to threats ranging from cyberattacks and crime to extreme weather and PR incidents. By having the right tools and systems in place, leaders and employees can communicate quickly during times of crisis, allowing them to share the right information so they can effectively correct the situation.
What is a crisis communication plan?
A crisis communication plan should provide a procedure that outlines the communication both internally and externally. Since crises can seemingly spring out of nowhere and require immediate action, the plan should clearly state the roles, responsibilities, and procedures during an emergency. The plan should cover everything from assessing the situation and what and how messages will be communicated to who will be the recipients of communication and how to further respond as the crisis unfolds.
How can technology support crisis communications?
With the right technology, your business can be fully prepared for a workplace emergency, ready to spring into action should a crisis occur. There are several crisis communication technologies out there, but ideally, you should have all of your tools in one place so your employees know exactly where to go in the event of an emergency.
Here are some of the most effective features you should consider:
- Targeted alerts that allow you to instantly notify specific employees groups, departments, locations, and individuals. This way, you share the right information with the right people—so no unnecessary information that could confuse or overwhelm anyone.
- Broadcast alerts that enable one-way emergency notifications and alerts to your organization.
- Geolocation tracking that allows you to confirm your team members’ whereabouts via geolocation sharing.
- Easy status confirmation to verify that employees are safe. Team members should be able to easily respond to alerts via text messages or your regular communication platform.
- Incident reporting to account for employees during and after an incident that also let you archive and keep saved records.
Be Ready for the Future with Sparrow
When a crisis strikes, businesses can’t simply react. They need to be prepared for the slew of emergencies that can arise without a second’s warning. But by staying on top of your crisis communications with a solid plan and the right tools, you can lead your organization through times of crisis so your business, employees, customers, and reputation all remain unscathed. Book a conversation with us today.
Are you ready for a modern, vibrant communication platform? We’d love to introduce you to Sparrow.
