During a crisis, frontline staff can be the point of containment for some issues, or the tipping point for inflaming a situation. By thinking strategically about the role of direct-to-consumer communication during a crisis we can improve our chances of successfully managing a crisis - before it gets out of hand. Credit to some great thinking by Dr V Covello.

1. Frontline crisis communication for
frontline staff – a practical workshop
Melbourne, 29 August 2012

2. What it’s about
• This workshop is about the tools that guide effective writing
for crisis management – from the point of view of frontline
executors of the centralised plan
• We focus on writing because even verbal communication
must relate back to the organisational messages – so think of
verbal communication as scripted copy
• Increasing prevalence of email and social media as viable
customer service communication channels means frontline
customer service personnel are playing an increasing role in
disseminating written communications on behalf of companies

3. Important to note
• This is a practical workshop that you should be able to
find immediately valuable when you get back to your
desk.
• It is not, therefore, a demonstration in amazing
presentation skills designed to wow you with stagecraft.
• The content will be provided after the course, both
through SOCAP and on my Slideshare page when I
remember to do it.
• As such it is text-heavy, violates many rules of best-
practice presentation skills and is unlikely to end up
being the subject of a TED talk any time soon.

4. When customer service fails
E
D
A B C F G PR!!
Coal Face Customer Influencer Audience Client
D
Audience E
Audience

5. Crisis: a definition
• Anything that stops a
business being able to
perform “as usual”
– Earthquake
– Product contamination
– Political instability
– Death of key executives

6. Some other definitions
• Criticism • Complaint
– Feedback from a – Feedback from a
stakeholder that you could stakeholder that you have
have done something done something that
better affects them personally, in
– E.g. “Your new product a negative way
doesn’t work as well as the – E.g. “Your new product
old one” [replace with hasn’t worked properly,
company-specific example] causing me emotional /
physical / financial
distress”

7. Crisis communication: why?
• To get people to start
doing something
• Call us, visit a website,
evacuate the building
• To get people to stop
doing something
• Eating a product, driving a
car, investing in ostrich
farms
• Immediate, measurable,
binary

8. A word on individuals
• You are completely
unique. Just like
everyone else
– Every crisis is unique
– Every person affected by a
crisis is unique
– Every communication must
be tailored to the individual
recipient
– = incredibly labour-
intensive

9. Risk Perceptions (Fear Factors)
Lower Concern/Fear Higher Concern/Fear
1. Under my control 1. Controlled by others
2. Trustworthy sources 2. Untrustworthy sources
3. Fair/large benefits 3. Unfair/few or unclear
benefits / Involuntary
Copyright, Dr. V Covello, Center for
Change/Risk Communication

10. Commonalities
• Despite all our
differences, deep down
we’re really all the same
– People want to know you
care
– People want you to fix
what you break
– People want to know
you’ve learned your lesson
– People don’t want to keep
complaining

11. Three rules and three tools
• Rule 1: Information • Tool 1: Know, Do, Go
breeds confidence,
silence breeds fear
• Rule 2: Empathy is more • Tool 2: CAP
powerful than a solution
• Rule 3: Know your • Tool 3: Ask TOM
audience

12. Rule 1: Information breeds confidence

13. Tool 1: The KDG Template
(Know, Do, Go)
Key Message 1:
What is most important for people to know
Key Message 2:
What is most important for people to do
Key Message 3:
Where people can go to get credible information
Copyright, Dr. V Covello, Center for
Change/Risk Communication

14. Example: product contamination
• Thanks for calling, and let me first start by saying I absolutely understand that
you’re concerned.
• My name is Grant and I’m here to provide you with the information you need to
know about this product.
• What we know is that only a few batches of the product were affected, and if you
have the packet there I can tell you how to find the necessary information on the
pack. Do you have it handy?
• Ok, if you turn the pack over so you’re looking at the bottom of the box,
underneath the Best Before date you’ll see a series of numbers. Can you find
that? And what’s that number?
• Great, thanks for that. The good news is that your product is not affected. Now,
if you have any other product and that number is XYZ, then you should definitely
call us back / return it to the supermarket, etc. If you would like to know more
about the situation, please feel free to visit our website at
www.findoutmore.com.au.

15. Example: product contamination
• Thanks for calling, and let me first start by saying I absolutely understand that
you’re concerned.
• My name is Grant and I’m here to provide you with the information you need to
know about this product.
• What we know is that only a few batches of the product were affected, and
if you have the packet there I can tell you how to find the necessary
information on the pack. Do you have it handy?
• Ok, if you turn the pack over so you’re looking at the bottom of the box,
underneath the Best Before date you’ll see a series of numbers. Can you
find that? And what’s that number?
• Great, thanks for that. The good news is that your product is not affected. Now,
if you have any other product and that number is XYZ, then you should definitely
call us back / return it to the supermarket, etc. If you would like to know more
about the situation, please feel free to visit our website at
www.findoutmore.com.au.

16. Rule 2: Empathy > solution

17. Trust Factors in High Stress Situations
Competence /
Assessed in
Expertise first 9-30
15-20%
seconds
Honesty / Listening / Caring
Openness / Empathy /
15-20% Compassion
50%
All Other Factors
15-20%
Copyright, Dr. V Covello, Center for
Change/Risk Communication

18. Tool 2: CAP
• CONCERN – humanise
• ACTION – what’s the fix?
• PERSPECTIVE –
containment

19. Tool 2: CAP
• CONCERN – humanise
– What people need to know is...
• ACTION – what’s the fix?
– What people can do is...
– Where people can go is...
• PERSPECTIVE – containment

20. Example: product contamination
• Thanks for calling, and let me first start by saying I absolutely understand that
you’re concerned.
• My name is Grant and I’m here to provide you with the information you need to
know about this product.
• What we know is that only a few batches of the product were affected, and if
you have the packet there I can tell you how to find the necessary
information on the pack. Do you have it handy?
• Ok, if you turn the pack over so you’re looking at the bottom of the
box, underneath the Best Before date you’ll see a series of numbers. Can
you find that? And what’s that number?
• Great, thanks for that. The good news is that your product is not affected.
Now, if you have any other product and that number is XYZ, then you
should definitely call us back / return it to the supermarket, etc. If you
would like to know more about the situation, please feel free to visit our website
at www.findoutmore.com.au.

21. Real-life example

22. Real-life statement

23. Rule 3: Know your audience

24. Tool 3: Ask TOM
• Target Audience
• Who am I talking to?
• Objective
• Why have they contacted
me?
• What are they looking for?
• Message
• What am I going to say?

25. Who’s getting in touch?

26. Who’s getting in touch?

27. The importance of knowing
• Understanding who we’re engaging with:
– Helps us determine if we’re dealing with criticism or complaint
– Helps us provide a more effective solution / resolution
– Helps us reduce repeat contacts by more effectively handling
first encounters
– Reduces the risk of us making it worse

28. Summary
• Frontline personnel can be the difference in a crisis
• Understanding what happens in the crisis control room
can help inform your teams’ role
• Being a containment point for the crisis adds immense
value to the crisis management strategy
• It’s all communication – you can help drive change within
your organisation
• Someone, somewhere in your organisation is probably
already doing this stuff

29. Thank you
Edelman Melbourne
Level 5
287 Collins Street
Melbourne
www.edelman.com.au
Email grant.smith@edelman.com
Tel +61 3 9944 7626
Twitter @grantsmith8
Slideshare http://www.slideshare.net/grantsmith8