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A crisis communications strategy is a necessity for businesses of allsizes. A PR crisis can happen at any time, so it is essential to have a plan inplace to help your organisation work through this as efficiently andeffectively as possible. A PR crisis is characterised as something that will negatively impactthe reputation of a company through increased negative public attention. Whilea crisis can arise due to a variety of reasons - such as personal negativepublicity or serious financial losses – managed service providers (MSPs) andtechnology businesses in the IT channel are particularly at risk oftechnological crises. A single supply chain attack targeting one MSP couldcascade across its client network, leaving small and medium-sized enterprises(SMEs) vulnerable to disruption, breaches or ransomware.
A crisis communications strategy is a necessity for businesses of allsizes. A PR crisis can happen at any time, so it is essential to have a plan inplace to help your organisation work through this as efficiently andeffectively as possible.
A PR crisis is characterised as something that will negatively impactthe reputation of a company through increased negative public attention. Whilea crisis can arise due to a variety of reasons - such as personal negativepublicity or serious financial losses – managed service providers (MSPs) andtechnology businesses in the IT channel are particularly at risk oftechnological crises. A single supply chain attack targeting one MSP couldcascade across its client network, leaving small and medium-sized enterprises(SMEs) vulnerable to disruption, breaches or ransomware.
In 2023, a report by the Institute of Directors (IoD) and the Chartered Institute of PublicRelations (CIPR) worryingly found that nearly one in five UKbusinesses have no PR support, either internally or externally. In addition,one-third of businesses had never used public relations to navigate a crisis.
Crisis management is about being prepared. Working with a PR agency tocreate an extensive and organised plan puts your business steps ahead ofpotential future crises.
The importance of having an effectivecrisis communication plan is highlighted by incidents such as the CrowdStrikeoutage in July 2024. There are countless examples of theseincidents reported in the media with cyber-attacks, data breaches and securitycompromises hitting even the most distinguished companies. What’s more is thatthe threat is only growing with the ever-developing complex landscape oftechnology. Crisis communication planning is now, more than ever, essential inthe technology space, and having a PR agency to lean on in a crisis can be agreat tool in the belt.
The security breach of Mascot, an SME book publisher in the US, for example, perfectly demonstrates the positive effect of crisiscommunication. While their clients were targeted by being invoiced forincorrect and substantial payments, their recruitment of PR support provided adetailed and expert crisis plan, including immediate identification andsolution of the issue and effective communication with their clients. This notonly maintained the strong foundation of their relationships with theircustomers but also preserved the company’s reputation - it enhanced publicperception of their company as being extremely trustworthy and reliable,despite difficult circumstances.
TechComms Final Thoughts
TechComms, an awardwinning b2b tech public relations and marketing agency, and Network Group partnerwill be offering members an exclusive complementary guide on CrisisCommunications at the upcoming annual Exhibition, Gala and Awards. TheTechComms team will be available to discuss TechComms’ Crisis Communicationsservices designed to help businesses navigate the best course of action toprotect your brand and limit any damage that can be caused from a PR crisis.
