COVID-19, better known as the Coronavirus, has caused concern around the world. Millions of people are in lockdown, travel is being restricted, and markets are responding ruthlessly as the virus continues to spread.
It is a challenging time for society at large, which means it can be a challenging time for communicators and marketers. Regarding the management of problems and crises, there is a saying that says “you cannot control what happens to you, but you can control what you do about it.” As marketers and communicators, what we can control is how we communicate both internally and externally in times of crisis.
First of all, it is crucial that communicators ensure that they are working with accurate information. Times of crisis can be confusing and frightening, leading to an amplification of speculation, conspiracy theories, obscurantism, and censorship. Communicators must ensure that they are working with fact and not fiction, with real information and not hearsay.
Second, it is crucial to understand the end goals of the communications that are being delivered. This is not a time to try to market or sell; rather, it is a time to reinforce the values that define leading organizations. What can be done in light of the various goals we are trying to address? It all comes down to communicating effectively.
And finally, communicators must adequately place the current crisis and problems within a broader context. What does it mean for globalization, economic growth and so on, and how does this play out as the world works to overcome the crisis together?
Deal with facts, not fiction
In any crisis, it is crucial that communicators work with facts and good information. Brands and companies cannot be seen as credulous or reactionary. Cementing any type of communications on the basis of speculation or unverified claims can be detrimental. In this way, it is important to have an intimate knowledge of which information sources are reliable and which are not.
This can change depending on the specific situation. Therefore, it is good to have a broad knowledge base of which sources to trust in certain situations over others. As a principle, it is always advisable to consult between three and five sources to obtain a point of view or a recommendation, so that when it comes to COVID-19, we make sure that we are supported by the alerts and information coming from the Control Centers of Disease (CDC), the World Health Organization and the New York Times for starters. It is also valuable to follow the views of local governments during crises.
COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY IN TIMES OF CRISIS
If there is a positive result of the challenges posed by the spread of the Coronavirus, it is the high importance we attach as communications leaders to developing the message and transmitting it quickly. As the aphorism says: “a lie can travel half the globe before the truth puts on its shoes.”
We have created five steps to consider in handling communications during a crisis
These steps, which we have called DRIVE, represent the actions that are needed in each phase of the communications process. Specifically they refer to Determine (audience), Refine (message), Inform (fellow citizens), Values (focus) and Evaluate (impact). We recommend that as a communications community, we DRIVE communications rather than letting the issue define how we respond. Here is an explanation of what we suggest at each step of the process. This approach reflects much of what we are doing for clients now.
STEP ONE: DETERMINE WHO NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT
As people strive to make sense of the world around them when problems or crises arise, determining who needs to know what is lost very often, though almost always seen as common sense. The first audience that every organization must reach is the employee community. (We found this to be particularly true when addressing the specific challenges posed by the Coronavirus.) Communicating regularly with staff can give them peace of mind while also ensuring that critical business needs are still being addressed during the turmoil. At this point, having a Business Continuity Plan (PCN) is essential. Businesses believe they will never use these plans, and ideally they will be used sparingly. They are like having a good insurance policy. Effective PCNs do a few things:
– Lean on technology – Use some form of technology platform to manage daily communications. These can be internal or external platforms, which best allows your company to communicate with staff consistently and clearly, and the one with the easiest barrier to entry for employees to enter and stay up-to-date, especially for larger organizations.
– Demonstrate your value proposition to your staff – There is no better time than when offering a critical topic to show with “deeds and not words” how important your staff is to the organization. Staff will judge the company and management on the steps you take to ensure your safety. We have seen some companies go the extra mile by offering additional insurance, emotional support lines, and even providing medical consultations over the phone. Externally, many companies see crises as a time to strengthen, expand, or introduce corporate social responsibility initiatives. This can be valuable. However, it is always good to ensure that what you are doing for people outside of your four walls is something that you have guaranteed for your staff as well. Specifically, we have heard of a company that is in the eye of the hurricane because it made a large donation of protective masks, while many of its employees do not have them.
– Include the entire organization and adjust on the fly – Over the past few weeks, many companies have been adjusting their PCNs making sure their teams are aligned. We have discovered that the best NPCs have a differentiated leader who directs and coordinates the response of the company and includes the areas of HR, communications, marketing, finance, legal and technology in decision making. This person is not the CEO but is closely linked to the CEO and keeps them abreast of the company’s response and current business needs.
Of course, customers are another critical audience to communicate with. Just as companies use technology to communicate with their staff during a crisis, they should do so when interacting with customers. Whether it’s to host non-contact customer meetings or to address customer concerns from a distance rather than close by, it helps to know which technology can best be deployed in a given situation. Times of crisis are periods when it is critical to be present for your customers. It is your opportunity to show them that you really care about them and that you are operating in the same reality that they are. You are not isolated elsewhere worrying only about profits while customers are concerned about their safety and the world around them. The government is another important actor. We have had many clients, both national and international, who have demonstrated their citizenship through offers of monetary, product and even personnel support. These movements show that a company or brand is serious about its role in a broader culture and society.
STEP TWO: REFINE YOUR MESSAGE
Once you know who to contact and what the desired results are, your focus can shift to the message. Ideally, you want to communicate your actions while avoiding any controversial or political obstacles. In a situation such as COVID-19, you don’t want to panic but you want to take the necessary actions to be prudent. British Airways was very careful about communicating its temporary cessation of flights to China:
“Following the advice of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs against all travel to mainland China, unless strictly necessary, we have canceled our flights to and from Beijing and Shanghai with immediate effect, until February 29, while we assess the situation. . Flights to and from Hong Kong have not been affected. This situation will remain under review, and we will continue to provide regular updates. If you have a reservation with us, please make sure we have your contact details. We will do everything possible to help affected customers. “
The Beijing Olympic Committee was also objective and responsible in postponing its post-Chinese New Year event at the Alpine Ski Venue: “Following growing health and safety concerns surrounding the coronavirus outbreak in China, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the next FIS Alpine Ski World Cup in Yanqing. The health and safety of our athletes, staff, and fans are our top priority. Therefore, after careful reflection on the recommendations provided by the Chinese public health authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO), we have determined that canceling the event is the best course of action to reduce any risk to the health and safety of the participants. We will continue to monitor the situation and welcome the recommendations of the relevant authorities as the situation evolves, and we will provide updates regarding the event whenever possible. “
None of these statements are politically charged, and under the circumstances they are responsible. The role of the communicator is to understand the sensitivities to communicate what is due, what is necessary and responsible, to manage all the risks involved in external communications.
STEP THREE: INFORM YOUR CITIZENS
Nothing builds trust during a problem or crisis more than a continuous flow of responsible information that keeps everyone involved. Companies want to be close to all aspects of responding to an unfolding crisis and make sure they are communicating the latest and most relevant information to all stakeholders. It is important to establish a channel to communicate indirectly and use a harmonized approach to provide updates, in order to be in the forefront of the many questions and concerns that stakeholders will have.
We have been helping many clients to stay up-to-date on all aspects of the response that is happening in China and elsewhere, as well as documenting what companies are doing about it. This is helping leadership teams make decisions about what is necessary for their companies. Our clients are in front of their interlocutors when they establish a channel to communicate indirectly and maintain a harmonized approach.
STEP FOUR: FOCUS ON VALUES
Nobody among us wants crises to happen. But when they do, there is no better time to show what we stand for as a company. What are the values that define it? And if those values do not come to the fore at this time, are they really a sample of how your company works and what is its reason for being in the world?
Crises can represent a “deeds not words” moment in your business reputation process. We have seen companies like Intel, the NBA, Shiseido and Carlyle step up to offer monetary support along with medical and other supplies during this crisis.
UPS, the global leader in logistics, is a good example of how to use its core competence to help during a crisis. On January 31, 2020, the UPS Foundation announced that it had mobilized its global network to provide free air transportation to China of more than two million respiratory masks, 280,000 pairs of nitrile gloves, and 11,000 protective suits to help fight COVID- 19. The shipment arrived at its International Operations Center in Shanghai on February 2 and was delivered to health institutions that needed those items.
We’ve heard of tech companies offering what they do best to help people communicate, fight viruses, share medical information, and much more.
Dell Technologies has also sought to contribute in the way it knows best, striving to secure the IT infrastructure and operations of medical, financial and government institutions in Hubei province. Meanwhile, the company’s technical support team has continued to provide 24/7 service.
What is common to all of those actions is this: Using your expertise or brand equity to help during a crisis is not about gaining business advantage or profit. It is about doing the right thing for society and showing the true values and citizenship of a company.
STEP FIVE: EVALUATE DURING THE PROCESS
The whole process of communicating during problems and crises is fluid. The final step is to evaluate the outcome through means such as surveys, engagement reviews and responses, and actual endorsements from major stakeholders. Your guide should be the answer to this critical question: “Have the steps you taken demonstrably improved your position as an organization in the eyes of your interlocutors?”
If the answer is anything but yes, that doesn’t mean that everything you’ve done so far has been wrong or totally useless. It only requires a comprehensive view of how you have accomplished the previous steps and reiterating or going back to ensure that you have developed the correct communications, that you have established the appropriate channels to communicate them, and ensured that you have adhered to the true values of the organization.
Following these steps will not only help your organization manage a crisis, but it will also help establish your organization as one that LEADS the agenda productively.
UNDERSTAND THE WIDER CONTEXT
As governments, businesses and individuals around the world work to contain the virus, it reminds us that we live in an increasingly globalized world. The economies near and far will surely be strongly affected. Based on the impact of the virus so far, consulting firm Oxford Economics conservatively forecasts that Chinese GDP growth will fall 0.5 points to 5.6% this year, and the domino effect for global GDP growth will be a fall of 0.2 points to 2.3% in 2020.
While supply chains have been disrupted and many industries have been badly affected, we have seen individuals and organizations around the world rush to support those who have suffered the greatest impact. We hope that, as we achieve better control of this virus and understand its impact, the trade war that defined China’s actions with the world will cease, and we will see that the reforms are consolidated in the areas of health, social services, communication, and others.
In the process, what we can do as communicators in times of crisis is support our organizations to advance communications and become valued members of society who have the ability to improve lives beyond the profits we make.
Using your expertise or brand equity to help during a crisis is not about profit or business advantage. It is about doing the right thing for society and showing the true values and citizenship of a company.
Source: https://www.ogilvy.com/
Ogilvy, March de 2020