Video: The Importance Of Crisis Management

COLUMBUS, Miss.(WCBI)—Crisis management. From the halls of power in Washington D.C. to local businesses, managing a potential black eye is a critical part of a business strategy.

Allegations against a local fast food restaurant went viral yesterday.

And while health investigators look into claims of food contamination against former employees, the restaurant management moved quickly to assure customers that they, too, were concerned about safety.

Eli Gold from the Good Wife. Olivia Pope from Scandal.

Both are fictional fixers. They deal in crisis management. That’s what public relations experts are trained to do in real life.

“Corporations, government institutions anybody you always should have been ethical,”said Mississippi State Head of The Communication Department Dr. John Forde.

Forde says now-a-days social media is re-shaping the ways businesses handle crisis but it may be for the better.

“One of the things I think is good about that is it helps organizations become more ethical because if your not you will be found out quicker,”Forde.

Karen Stanley owns a marketing firm in Columbus. She says as technology continues to advance anything can become world news.

“The world wide web has basically made us all international stories if need be. I have seen things published by clients both positive and negative that have gone international because that viral state that we all talk about exist on good and bad information,”said Stanley.

Forde says he tells his students first do the research and prepare.

“Get a plan in place put your program and specific ideas their and then action and communication,”said Forde.

“What advice would you give a business whose reputation has already been damaged,”asked WCBI Reporter Victoria Bailey.

” I feel like communicating something is better than communicating nothing. Many businesses when they feel attacked…when there is a crisis their immediate reaction is to go into their shell hide and hope this is going to pass that’s probably the worst advice you could give because at that point people other than you are giving advice to the public. So first things first is letting the public know you are aware of the situation when your asked about it and be as open as legally possible,” said Stanley.

Forde adds the best way to handle any crisis for individuals,organizations or businesses is to be transparent and always tell the truth.

And both professionals agree it’s just better if your business gets caught doing something good.