The first phase of a crisis management plan is a pre-crisis phase, which is based on a proactive and preventive mode, preparation and detection of signals, with anticipation and forecasting of actual and potential risks within an organization and development of organizational capacities to control those risks.

At this stage, an organization should be constantly aware of the actions that its competitors are taking and seek to assume itself as an alternative, while seeking closer communication with stakeholders, making known the offer that distinguishes it.

Where possible, it should benefit from international advantage and seek to adapt services to other countries' value innovations, while investing in advantage technology to stay one step ahead of the competition by attending lectures and conferences that promote digitalization in organizations.

A company should prepare in advance a strategy of action, communication, defense or attack image, creating a database, updated and ready to use, with contacts internal and external to the company. At the same time, it will need to regularly test emergency communication channels (website, email, Facebook, LinkedIn, general and specialty CSOs) and prepare a logo, high-impact media contacts and a standardized message to be displayed during the crisis in different media.

The creation of a dark page that can be activated during the crisis and ensure that the whole team knows how to activate and edit it in real time and the establishment of a dark page.

A specific "media zone" to target messages during the crisis and to build relationships with the media and social media influencers in real time is also an asset.

At the employee level, the organization should assign each employee, or team, a clear and defined intervention and communication role, with their responsibilities and with structures to report and carry out various simulations and trainings with employees so that they know how to act promptly in a moment of crisis.

As for the leadership, the company should appoint internal managers to be in charge of different problems or threats that may arise, preparing them for each issue and ensuring that the leader is proactive and develops monitoring actions, fostering the bases of trust within the company (gaining credibility and managing expectations of the employees). stakeholders).

When preventing a crisis situation, of whatever type, there are choices that have to be made.

Find out how choose and apply the best ones.