Workflow: Crisis
A crisis plan you build before you need it
The Crisis workflow walks you through the first hours of a crisis in four steps, in one conversation, so each step starts from the facts you already gave. Run it for a situation unfolding now or as a tabletop exercise on a quiet afternoon.
Photo by Elliot Sloman on Unsplash
Who it is for
In-house communications leads, agency account teams, and anyone who might be the first person asked to respond when something goes wrong.
The 4 steps
- 01
Assess the issue
You describe what is confirmed, what is unclear, and how it came to light. The tool returns a severity call (low, medium, or high), what is known against what is still unknown, who is likely to be affected, and the most urgent priorities for the next few hours. No statements get drafted yet.
- 02
Draft a holding statement
The statement is written from the facts already established. It matches the tone to the severity, avoids admitting fault that has not been established, and avoids guessing at causes. It draws on the client's voice and boilerplate when a client profile is saved.
- 03
Prepare your spokesperson
You get likely tough questions with short recommended answers, three or four core messages to return to, and phrases to avoid. The answers are sized for speaking aloud.
- 04
Build a media response plan
The plan covers who fields press inquiries, the escalation path for harder questions, what not to say publicly right now, and a timeline for the next update.
Example
An example, start to finish
Meadowbrook Cycles is a made-up retailer, and every detail here is invented. This sample shows the shape of what each step returns, written from the brief below. A real run works from your own facts.
The brief you type in
Meadowbrook Cycles has five stores. This morning the helmet manufacturer told us that a batch of adult helmets sold since 1 September may have a faulty chin strap buckle. About 400 from that batch have been sold. No injuries have been reported. Customers have not been told yet.
Step 1
Assess the issue: severity medium
A product safety question that affects about 400 customers, with no injuries reported so far.
| Known | Still unknown |
|---|---|
| The manufacturer's notice arrived this morning | How many buckles are affected |
| The batch has been on sale since 1 September | Whether a formal recall will follow |
| About 400 units have been sold | Whether any customer has had a failure |
| No injuries have been reported to the retailer | Who else the manufacturer has notified |
Most urgent in the next few hours
- •Confirm the batch numbers with the manufacturer
- •Stop selling the remaining stock
- •Decide how to contact every customer who bought from the batch
- •Have a holding statement ready to publish
Step 2
Draft a holding statement
This morning we were told that a batch of adult helmets sold at Meadowbrook Cycles since 1 September may have a faulty chin strap buckle. We are sorry for the worry this causes. We have stopped selling helmets from the batch and are contacting every customer who bought one. No injuries have been reported to us. We will share an update by 5pm tomorrow. For questions, contact [name] at [email and phone].
The statement gives one confirmed fact, one action taken, a time for the next update and a named contact, and leaves out any guess at a cause.
Source: PRSA Job Center: Crisis Communications Checklist, 24-Hour Response Protocol
Step 3
Prepare your spokesperson
| Likely question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Are customers at risk? | No injuries have been reported to us. We are asking everyone with a helmet from the batch to stop using it until we have checked it. |
| How many helmets are affected? | About 400 were sold from the batch since 1 September. We are confirming the exact number with the manufacturer. |
| Whose fault is this? | We are working with the manufacturer to find out what happened. Today our focus is reaching customers. |
| Will customers get refunds? | We will confirm the options once the manufacturer has confirmed the details, and share them in tomorrow's update. |
Phrases to avoid
- •No need to worry
- •It is only a small batch
- •This is the manufacturer's problem
Step 4
Build a media response plan
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Today, 3pm | The statement goes on the website and by email to every customer who bought from the batch |
| From 3pm | All media enquiries go to one named contact, and store managers refer press to that person |
| Any time | Questions about the cause or legal matters go to the operations director |
| Tomorrow, 5pm | The next update is published |
What you end up with
- A written severity assessment the whole team can work from
- A holding statement ready to send
- A spokesperson brief with questions and answers
- A media response plan with an escalation path and an update timeline
Tips for running it
- Start with confirmed facts only. Every later step builds on what you enter in step one.
- If new facts arrive partway through, jump back and redo the first step.
- Keep the holding statement and the response plan consistent in tone.
Run this workflow on your next project
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