How to handle communications during the COVID-19 crisis

The current global pandemic has taken the world by surprise. Drastic actions are being taken at an extremely rapid pace. To handle these unprecedented times, a reaction is required for all sectors to give clear, concise and fast-paced communications. More than ever, people are turning to social media and to news sites for consistent news and social interaction, it is the responsibility of businesses to deliver this and lead the way in handling this crisis.

Inevitably, companies of all sizes, across all industries are facing challenges due to the chains of supply and demand being disconnected or in a state of panic. It has never been more important for businesses to safeguard their reputation by developing strong communications strategies to navigate through these ever-changing circumstances.

Middle Eastern governments have been exceptionally responsive in dealing with this current health crisis. They have been providing direction and transparent communications of the actions they are taking to reduce the spread of COVID-19. We can also look to major global companies such as Emirates Airlines who are putting corporate and social responsibility before anything else, they are going above and beyond to protect their passengers whilst adhering to government advice.

Crisis management applies to every business sector, somewhere in the chain of command, strong internal and external communications will be required to reinforce trust to all stakeholders – from customers to clients.

1. Do you have a crisis management team?

Having a crisis management team will help a business to stay on top of what governing bodies are requiring, what health officials are saying and what other companies are actioning. Once established, a reactive plan can be put into place which assesses the impacts on the business, its staff and its external market, and how to navigate these through good communications.

2. Internal Communications is a MUST!

Whether the company is large or small, it is important to define a communications process with the internal team. The employees will have many questions regarding changes in working conditions, job security, health & safety and business continuity. It is important to pre-empt these questions and provide transparent answers. Defining a communications process through email, WhatsApp, intranet or online meetings will help to guide employees so that they can actively support the crisis management team in finding solutions within this crisis.

3. What external communications channels are you using?

At this moment, a business will need to reach multiple audiences from stakeholders, customer and clients, to the media, the target market and suppliers. There are so many channels to consider using such as social media, online conference calls, website blogs, emails and news outlets. However, it is more important to ensure that whichever audience is being reached it receiving a tailored message that will build trust and avoid miscommunication.

4. How are you using Social Media?

The social media landscape is currently an explosive communications tool, the whole world is now relying on social media as a form of ‘socialising’ while they remain in social-isolation. To communicate effectively on social media during this ever-changing global crisis, the plans needs to be well-thought-out, efficiently used and highly flexible. A post can go viral in an instant or it can disappear and never be seen – understanding how to be present on social media could save businesses during a crisis.

5. Are you prepared to handle the further crisis?

Being capable of handling a crisis is exceptionally important for businesses at this time. If there is any level of miscommunication that is spread, this could be devastating for a company, especially if the media become involved. Likewise, it is impossible to know what the next phase of this crisis will be, having a team in place to handle media and prepare for what might come is exceptionally important during this pandemic.

6. Corporate Social Responsibility – and repeat!

All eyes are on businesses to see how they are handling their corporate and social responsibility during this crisis. There are so many ways to communicate this through social media, online media outlets, newsletters etc. The more creative and newsworthy your ideas the better, but it is necessary to be careful in the messaging as the appearance of trying to profit through CSR could damage the company reputation.

7. Are you the first to react or the last to respond?

There is a time for reacting to news and a time to respond to what everyone else is doing. It is important to be aware of how the competition are communicating during this time and keeping up with what the rest of the sector is doing. However, it is also necessary to plan ahead and stand out by being the first to respond through creative and strong messages.