How to handle a Public Relation Crisis

Dannella Laury

dl783619@ohio.edu 

 

 

Public relations' (P.R.) responsibility is to establish and enhance a positive image of a company to the public. In addition, by ensuring that the company maintains a beneficial relationship between the organization and the public. Public relations contribute to the basic systems of an organization.

Crisis Management -

When a crisis strikes, that’s when P.R. managers have their work cut out for them. A P.R manager must always be prepared for the inevitable crisis.

Uber's Crisis-

Uber is example of company who has dealt with P.R. crisis.

Uber is one of the success stories of the sharing economy and has changed the way we now travel. The ride-sharing app earned the company $50 billion in market value. However, the company has had its share of scandals and P.R. disasters over the years, which caused CEO Travis Kalanick to resign in June 2017. In 2019, Uber was hit with its biggest P.R. crisis when a report was released where passengers and drivers reported alleged sexual assault. NBC News published a report from Uber that there were 5,981 reports of sexual abuse between 2017 and 2018. 

For the last few years, Uber has tried to distance itself from the past scandals, by launching several national “image repair” campaigns, which featured ads pledging its commitment to safety between passengers and drivers, in addition to their new in-app safety tools.

This clips shows how Uber is attempting to address their sexual assaults scandals.

An organization’s reputation is of vital importance to its success. The organization’s credibility is at stake, while public mistrust affects the investment markets. Reputation accounts for a large portion of a company’s market capitalization and is one of its most important long-term assets.

“13 Golden Rule Of PR Crisis Management”

Forbes published a list rules for P.R. crisis management that organizations should stick follow:

1. Take Responsibility
2. Be Proactive, Be Transparent, Be Accountable
3. Get Ahead Of The Story
4. Be Ready For Social Media Backlash
5. Remember To Be Human
6. First Apologize, Then Take Action
7. Monitor, Plan, And Communicate
8. Seek First To Understand The Situation
9. Listen To Your Team First
10. Develop Strong Organizational Brand Culture
11. Turn Off The Fan
12. Avoid Knee-Jerk Reactions
13. Be Prepared

During a crisis, it is important to communicate with the media and provide them with detailed information about the situation. Those tasks require the P.R. manager to recognize the crisis and form a plan to manage and address the situation.

 
Maintaining the organization’s reputation through the face of crisis is an important role in maintaining the confidence of customers and building new relationships for organizations.

Picture source: acclaimllc.com