Question 1
a) Crisis communication strategy refers to the approaches used by the organization as a means to protect itself, including its staffs, properties and customers, from the threat of possible damage to its character as perceived by the public. For example, product recalls because a certain product was found to be defective or harmful to the public can do so much to damage the reputation of the company. As a means to mitigate the impact to the overall standing of the company, the management must resort to a coordinated strategy to cushion the impact to its reputation such as issuing a sufficient response to the public.
b) The tourism industry is almost always one among the first that is affected when crisis strikes, be it in the domestic or international level. Therefore, effective crisis management strategy should be in place in any tourist destination to be able to moderate the impact when it happens, and to immediately have a recovery plan after it. Tourist destinations that are ill-equipped and are not sufficiently prepared to face crisis are often the one’s that face further difficulty during the stage of recovery. On the other hand, those that were able to plan ahead of time and have an effective communication strategy in place were able to absorb the impact of the crisis, as well as speed up the process of their recovery. It is important for every tourist destination to inform the public about its strategies to cope with the crisis, and how they plan to keep the comfort and safety of the residents and tourists alike. Tourists are more likely to visit a destination that communicates with the public, as this strategy does not only show the attractive attributes of that destination, but also showcase a culture that nurture and cares for the tourists’ wellbeing.
Question 2: Key Elements of an Effective Crisis Management Strategy
Introduction
Communication and crisis management are vital part of any organization, and there are key elements that should be adapted by the management of tourist destination to assure the tourists and their families of their comfort and security. There are four elements of an effective communication and crisis management, 1) establishment of crisis management approach 2) creating of the team members, 3) identification of communication channels, and 4) outlining of the crisis response (Coombs, 2007). There are volumes of articles that provide insights about crisis management, and this paper aims to synthesize the four key elements of effective crisis management.
A. Establishment of Crisis Management Plan
A crisis management plan serves as the guidelines to be followed in the management of crisis when it occurs. It outlines the steps to be done by each of the team members as a response to the crisis. The plan should consider the possible occurrences, not only how best to respond to such situation when it happens, but more so on how to prevent it from happening in the first place. Accordingly, having a crisis management plan allows the management to conceptualize and think through the diverse conditions by which crisis scenarios could emerge and the best organizational response (Lockwood, 2005).
B. Creating Team Members
Another major factor to consider in preparing a crisis management plan is the creation of a team within the organization who will be tasked to promptly respond to the crisis. One key element is the appointment of members into assigned roles according to their specialties, readiness to serve, and personal capabilities (Anti-defamation League, 2005). The appointment of a team manager is also important because this person will have the duty to motivate the team to respond according to their assigned roles. Moreover, the creation of team members entails training of all the members, for instance, the spokesperson must be able to adequately handle questions from the media (Coombs, 2005).
C. Identification of Communication Channels
In most cases, organizations may not know when crisis strikes thus it is always important to be prepared at any instance. One way of doing so is the selection of communication channels to help in the information dissemination to concerned parties. The organization must always be in control of the situation, and this can be done by communicating a careful, comprehensive and cohesive picture of the situation through communication channels (Swedish, 2008). Any organization should also have its own website which it can use to provide information about the crisis, though there are instances when an organization may deem it to be more appropriate not to place crisis-related information in media channels (Coombs, 2007). Other than the website, there are other information channels that can be used by the organization to communicate with concerned parties. For example, the information letter is a valuable communication channel, and management can develop letters which can be sent to people who may be interested to know about how the organization is handling the crisis situation. Advertising in newspapers and the use of flyers is also helpful in reaching out to a larger audience.
D. Outlining of Crisis Response
Part of outlining the crisis response is determining the immediate action list during emergency situations. For instance, the evacuation strategies must be followed and the team members must immediately take their assigned tasks, in addition to that, modes of communication must be used to avoid confusion. An effort must be made to keep the customers and staffs secure and informed. Accordingly, crisis management is an unending process which requires continuous review to adopt the possible circumstances (US, 2007).
After the initial commotion, is the implementation of the short to medium term actions. For tourist destinations, there is a need to assess the situation, whether it is still safe to open the business or close it for the mean time for the safety of the visitors. On the assumption that the business is still open for business, the different communication channels will play an important role in protecting the continuity of the business (Tourism Victoria, n.d). For example, there may be people who have already forwarded their bookings, and it is a good practice to immediately communicate with them about the continuity of the business.
Conclusion
Crisis management strategy is an essential part of any organization as a means to protect it from the threat of possible crisis. There are many elements to be considered in handling emergencies or crisis that can have a negative impact on the business operation. The establishment of crisis management plan is important as it serves as a guide in managing the crisis. Other elements such as the creation of a team, identification of communication channel and outlining of crisis response are also as important to ensure that the business remains to be protected. The crisis management strategies are vital in keeping the business going despite having to go through difficult times.
References
Anti-Defamation League. (2005). Crisis management. Protecting your Jewish institution: Security strategies for todays dangerous world. Retrieved from http://archive.adl.org/security/crisis%20management.pdf
Coombs, T. (2007). Crisis management and communications. Retrieved from http://www.instituteforpr.org/crisis-management-and-communications/
Lockwood, N. (2005). Crisis management in today's business environment: HRs strategic role.Research Quaterly. Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/Research/Articles/Articles/Documents/1205RQuartpdf.pdf
Swedish Emergency Management Agency. (2008). Crisis communications handbook. SEMA's Educational Series. Retrieved from https://www.msb.se/RibData/Filer/pdf/23992.pdf
Tourism Victoria. (n.d.). Crisis essentials: Crisis management for tourism business. Retrieved from http://www.tourism.vic.gov.au/images/stories/Documents/IndustryResources/crisis_essentials.pdf
US Department of Education. (2007). Practical information on crisis planning: A guide for schools and communities. The Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/emergencyplan/crisisplanning.pdf
