Image by StartupStockPhotos from Pixabay
Managing the message has never more critical than the times we are now facing.
In this interview, Raminta Lilaitė, co-founder of Blue Oceans PR, offers her insights on managing the message as it relates to the current crises both internally to your staff, and externally to your customers and other stakeholders. Blue Oceans PR is a firm that offers support in global PR, Digital Marketing and Communications, with specific expertise in crisis management.
EM: How much information should business owners share with their staff? Is now a time to be guarded or transparent?
RL: When a crisis begins, employees need to understand how it will affect their work and the company itself, so it’s the time to be as open as possible. It is important to appoint a person or a team which will be responsible for sharing the information with employees. Staff should receive all mandatory information regarding the critical points and risks of a crisis, how to ensure a safe and responsible environment and how the work will look like from this point.
EM: What are the key steps to communicate with customers in a way that will ensure they stay with you when we all make to the other side of this crisis?
RL: Do not stop fostering relationships with clients, partners and investors. Use various communication channels, such as social networks, just to chat and show that you are responding to the situation. Clients need to understand that in spite of temporary troubles, the company is still in business and you are ready to help and answer any questions. The communication should take place regularly and be available at all times. It is important to stay open about the challenges ahead and how you are prepared to deal with them. Crisis can be a great time to re-communicate your company’s core values.
EM: Most small business owners have never been through anything even close to this crisis. What are the key mistakes to avoid when communicating with employees, investors, customers and the general public?
RL: Do not ignore the problem. A pandemic will inevitably affect your company and employees, thus talking about security and any foreseen plans during quarantine with clients, employees and partners should be a priority. Everybody needs to know clearly what your business plans are, whether the team will now work remotely or you will temporarily be out of business, how you can be contacted and how you are willing to help the others. This will allow the company to maintain seamless communication and provide clarity in shaping future communications.
Offer your expert advice to the press. While the first instinct in a crisis is to get away from it all, long-built communication efforts should not be suddenly dropped. Do not push the press away – continue talking about your company by fine-tuning your tone, as people need empathy and sensitivity at this moment. A good way to help is by actively offering your comments and company expertise. For example, if you are a virtual educator, offer tips on what to do with children at home, and if you are a private clinic, share insights on health care, etc.
EM: Any other advice?
RL: Give back to your community. There probably are people around you who need help – take a chance to find ways to contribute safely. Perhaps you can provide food aid to those who have returned from abroad and are in compulsory two-week self-isolation, or assist elderly people struggling to get the essentials – there are many safe opportunities to contribute to the community. Do good deeds and communicate about them, and it will encourage others to join in as much as they can.
I really respected Raminta’s viewpoint on this topic. As a consumer, I will say confidently that the businesses that have reached out to me about how they are handling this crisis or have reached out for alternatives of how to support their business (ie. online class, take out food, gift certificates, donations) are ones that will most certainly have me as a consistent customer. Rather than ignore what is happening in the world around us I think it is so important that businesses are honest with how the virus is affecting them and acknowledging how it is affecting their customers as well. By continuing to pour into their consumers businesses are guaranteeing support post-pandemic as well as possibly during it. It is always important to foster a relationship with your customers, but certainly it is just as important now if not more important than it was before.
I found great insight with Raminta’s advice and have seen it in action since the virus has started to really take a toll on businesses. I like the approach that most businesses have taken in informing their customers of how they can support their business with either the purchase of giftcards or online orders. The honesty and openness of what is going on within the business with the employees is something that businesses have also been very diligent about. How theses businesses have been acting will not only affect their revenue and relationships now, but after the fact when everything clears and returns to normal, they are guaranteeing customers by continuing the growth in their relationships.
Raminta had some great insights. Her approaches to different situations teach us to be calm but open with others we may be working with. In these times, consumers can agree that a business that expresses care and concern for its consumers are vital. On the business side, maintaining relationships with existing customers as well as creating new relationships is important, especially in hard times. Business to customer relationships are very important and very beneficial for both parties involved!
When Belmont posted that all those who were in the dorms over spring break should find a way home, I was very confused. I was already home, but was very ready to get back to my life I had made at Belmont. This quote, “When a crisis begins, employees need to understand how it will affect their work and the company itself, so it’s the time to be as open as possible,” is something I think Belmont did not do a good job of at the beginning of quarantine.
Most of the major headlines I have seen that become scandals are businesses who have hidden or ignored a problem until it could no longer not be addressed. I really appreciated the simplicity and honesty of open communication that this article suggested. There is a refreshing feeling to know that businesses are allowed and encouraged to engage with their clients or customers in a real way that helps to continue fostering relationships.
Hey Professor, I really loved the advice of “dont ignore the problem”. I think often times it can be easy to believe that if the problem is ignored for long enough, it will simply go away. With a pandemic like COVID-19, this could not be further from the truth. I really appreciated that perspective, as I have found it to be true in my own life.
Dr.Cornwall, I really took an interest in the approach of Raminatas viewpoints; which came with alot business approaches to them. Honesty and openness gets you further than any other form of disrespect or not being goal oriented. I believe business to consumer relationships are highly important to keep them happy and coming back to purchase the quality of your product and even share with other people to make your business more successful from keeping-you current clients wanting more.