Dylan Macphie
Keywords: Crisis, Transparency, Reputation, Accountability
One of the most important parts of crisis communication is a rapid and transparent response. According to the Forbes article on the golden rules of crisis management, delay in responses or lack of clarity can lead to misinformation and a bad reputation, which damages credibility. In today’s digital world, news spreads rapidly, which is why it is important that if there is a crisis, a PR statement is put out immediately following it, giving a transparent and proactive response.
Speed indicates consciousness and responsibility, which shows trust in a company or team. In Molly McPherson’s podcast episode about crisis communications, people are more likely to forgive mistakes than deception and lack of response. When companies delay or conceal information, people usually tend to make assumptions, which leads to false information.
Read More About The Golden Rules Here
Case Study: Domino’s Pizza Prank Video
In 2019, Domino’s Pizza’s corporate office was made aware of a prank video that two employees posted, joking around and pranking customers. Though this sounds harmful, the employees were seen contaminating customers’ orders with unsanitary acts like sticking cheese up their noses before placing them on orders.
They were quick to identify the issue and address it immediately. The steps taken were:
- Identifying the employees and taking action: The two employees were immediately fired and filed charges against them.
- Removing the video: Domino’s social media team directly contacted YouTube to get the video removed.
- Responding to the public: At first, no statement was released in order to keep the spread contained in case people weren’t aware of the video. They responded to those who reached out directly to Domino’s, but once it spread through Twitter, they put out a statement on their website.
Through these actions, trust was redeemed, and Domino’s made it known how much they care about customer service and how what happened was infuriating. By being proactive, accountable, and taking steps quickly, it showed that this was something that was serious to Domino’s.
Conclusion
Every step in crisis communication is important, but it is essential to respond quickly and be transparent. This gives anyone who was affected by the situation peace of mind and shows that the company cares about the well-being of the consumers.
Bernstein, E. (2023b, September 18). The crucial role of rapid crisis response in effective crisis management. Bernstein Crisis Management. https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/the-crucial-role-of-rapid-crisis-response-in-effective-crisis-management/
Council, F. A. (2022, October 12). 13 Golden Rules of PR Crisis Management. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2017/06/20/13-golden-rules-of-pr-crisis-management/#791714d21bcf
Smith, K. (2009, September 15). Case study: How domino’s managed a viral video nightmare. MarketingProfs. https://www.marketingprofs.com/casestudy/2009/9394/how-dominos-managed-a-viral-video-nightmare
Fisher, J. (2021, May 10). 32. Crisis Communications with Molly McPherson, author of “Indestructible” by the PR podcast. Spotify for Creators. https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/theprpodcast/episodes/32–Crisis-Communications-with-Molly-McPherson–Author-of-Indestructible-e10g938/a-a5gi1f9
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