Even the best companies are not immune to crises. Coebergh is on hand 24-7 with suggestions and advice, to channel communication efforts in the right direction. Anyone who has ever experienced a crisis situation, knows the true value of having an existing relationship with the press (and PR consultant). When a major corporate problem looms, it can be extremely useful to involve an 'outsider' in the communication process. This person will be less emotionally involved, and can therefore maintain an appropriately professional approach. In our experience, the public's perception of a crisis situation is not only determined by the problem itself, but by the response of the organization and the manner in which it communicates with the outside world.

The public is the only critic whose opinion is worth anything at all. Mark Twain

Cases

Product recall
This phenomenon commonly affects the retail and manufacturing sectors. When it comes to product recalls and other issues, it is important to remember the dictum: be fast to present your facts, and slow to present your accusations! Even if there are similarities, every situation is different. Sometimes, a consumer ad is appropriate, on other occasions a press release suffices. In all cases, we draw up a pro-active Q&A list, containing relevant information on the recall action. This enables the company’s spokesperson to answer press questions confidently.

Jacob Gelt Dekker: the modern face of philanthropy
The stronger a good reputation, the more creditable you appear in a crisis situation. To build a solid reputation, you need the media on your side. Providing positive publicity is something which we are constantly involved in on behalf of all our PR clients. Jacob Gelt Dekker, for example, is a multi-millionaire businessman and philanthropist who is frequently asked about both his business activities and his many large donations to good causes. "It is very effective if the public knows exactly what you are doing, information they can gain through the press. Then you no longer need to explain every time you give another interview, and the people you need come to you rather than you having to go to them." Coebergh initiates, coordinates and facilitates many of his media contacts.

Legionella in a hotel
Recent years have seen a number of outbreaks of Legionella in the Netherlands. What should an organization do if a routine inspection reveals the presence of the Legionella bacteria on its premises? Well, one of the first things to do is to contact your PR consultant, so that you can decide how to take control of the situation and avoid a full-blown crisis. Our client did just that. Our team, consisting of only a handful of key players (to prevent the news being leaked), decided to telephone all the guests who were due to stay at the hotel within the next few days and to cancel their reservation - without explaining the reason. The next step involved assessing how to trace and approach guests who had previously stayed at the hotel should the need arise. The crisis management plan included a specially produced press release, containing all the relevant facts. News travels fast and all it takes is one informant, either inside or outside the organisation, to leak some details. Even the possibility of a Legionella outbreak could have damaged the reputation of the hotel. What’s more, it would have been guaranteed front page news! Fortunately, on this occasion, no further action was required, and the story about a temporary rise in Legionella concentrations remained safely under wraps.

Myths and legends
Rumours can be remarkably persistent, even when they are totally unfounded. That is particularly true if the reputation of a large organization is at stake. What should you do to scotch false rumours? As usual, our answer will be “it depends!” It is always prudent to decide the best response depending on the situation. You may choose to enter into a dialogue, to launch a strong counter-offensive, or to simply let matters blow over. The way in which the story develops in the media will also depend on several factors, such as the newsworthiness of the rumour and what else is happening in the world. An accusation of fraud, for example, will always attract great attention, particularly if some well-known name is involved. Another recent example is the persistent but unfounded rumour about children being abducted from the play areas in IKEA stores.