What to Do When the Sh!t Hits the Fan: Crisis PR for a Global Tech Meltdown
Even the best and more secure IT systems can crash and and the knock-on impact of an IT glitch can be massive. But when crises occur, how you handle them can make or break your reputation. Here’s a high-level guide to managing a tech crisis with savvy PR.
1. Act Fast: Take Ownership
Fess Up:
- Be honest. As soon as you know there’s an issue, say so. An information vacuum makes people worry more and could exacerbate the problem. And don’t ever consider ‘doing an ostrich’ and sticking your head in the sand.
- Post updates on your channels (website, social media, email) saying you’re aware of the problem and are on it. Be concise and factual. (This is assuming, of course, that your channels are still online).
- Contact business partners straight away to alert them – especially if the issue impacts them and their own customers.
2. Get the Facts Straight
Internal Team:
- Pull together a crisis team: tech experts, PR pros, and top managers. Needless to say, these people should all be named in your existing disaster recovery plan. (If you don’t have a disaster recovery plan, that’s another thing to add to your to-do list).
- Figure out what went wrong, how bad it is, and who’s affected.
Consistent Messaging:
- Once you have the facts, agree on clear messaging and create a set of FAQs. Make sure everyone sticks to this to avoid confusion.
- Have a nominated spokesperson. Don’t share off-the-cuff or unapproved updates
3. Keep Everyone in the Loop
Regular Updates:
- Keep your customers and stakeholders updated regularly. Honesty builds trust.
- Use all your channels: social media, email, press releases, and your website.
- Whilst being timely is important, don’t jump the gun by sharing incorrect or incomplete information. The last thing you want to be doing is sending out messages correcting previously shared information.
Boost Support:
- Make sure you have enough people on hand to handle the extra calls and messages. Again, there should be a provision for this in your disaster recovery plan.
- Provide clear direction to help users deal with the issue in the meantime.
4. Manage Communications
Liaise With the Media:
- Get ahead of the curve by getting in touch with key media outlets with updates. Make sure they have up-to-date and clear information.
- Offer interviews with key members of the team. Make sure they are adequately briefed on the situation so no one gets thrown under the bus.
Don’t Go Quiet On Social Media:
- Keep an eye on social media. Respond quickly to any comments or misinformation. These can spread like wildfire and be as damaging as the initial issues.
Document Everything:
- Keep a detailed record of what went wrong, how it was fixed, and your communication efforts.
5. Fix the Problem
- Fix the issue. (No sh!t, Sherlock!) Make sure the solution is solid, not just a quick patch.
6. Debrief and Follow Up
Internal Debrief:
- When the storm has passed, sit down with your team to review. Consider what worked, what didn’t, and how you can do better next time.
External Follow-Ups:
- Once the issue has been resolved, let your customers know. Explain what went wrong, how it was fixed, and what you’re doing to prevent it from happening again.
7. Rebuild Trust
Be Proactive:
- Send a personal and honest apology to affected customers. If appropriate, offer compensation.
Planning for the Future:
- Share plans for making things reliable and secure. Showing a commitment to improvement helps rebuild trust.
Keep Communicating:
- Stay in touch with your customers and stakeholders. Regularly update on your progress and proactive new initiatives.
8. Summary
Whilst in the eye of the storm it can be hard to keep a steady ship, especially if there is blind panic in terms of trying to get things back on track, a solid crisis PR strategy will help weather the storm.
The keys are transparency, timely updates, and a commitment to fixing the issue while keeping your affected parties informed.
It remains to be seen how the Crowdstrike outage plays out. Already there is considerable hand-wringing on how a single point of failure with a small piece of erroneous code can happen in 2024.
Whatever the cause of the issue, by following these steps, an IT crisis can be turned into an opportunity to show a company’s resilience and ability to deal with challenges head-on.