CrisisPoint, crisis communications and PR management
Johnson & Johnson redefined crisis communications management in 1982 by setting the standard for the way public relations practitioners should respond during a crisis. The situation is best known as the “Tylenol case.” Although Tylenol never found a culprit, someone apparently mixed cyanide into Tylenol capsules and placed them back on shelves at supermarkets and drug stores in the Chicago area. Seven people died, causing fear throughout the country. The company immediately recalled all Tylenol products and stopped production, costing the company about $100 million. In the following months, Tylenol reinvented itself to ensure that tampering was impossible, contributing to the company’s success.
It seems almost impossible that a brand would survive after such an ordeal. Not only did Johnson & Johnson survive the crisis, but the company also regained credibility due to thoughtful and timely responses, making the matter one of best practice and one of the best case studies in effective public relations.
A crisis can occur anytime, anyplace, anywhere. The way your company handles a crisis can mean the difference between success and failure. Failure can result in serious harm to a company’s brand, causing humiliation, loss of sales – and even the downfall of your business. Forty percent of all businesses will not survive a crisis, according to the Department of Commerce. And 70 percent of small firms that experience a crisis go out of business within a year, according to Data Centre Solutions. In any crisis situation, you have to be prudent, proactive and know what you are doing to prevent failure. This critical point is where AXIA CrisisPoint comes in. We will be on your company’s side, ready to offer guidance whenever these unfortunate episodes occur. We understand the importance of quick, truthful responses. We have years of professional experience handling crisis communication management. As your crisis management counselors, AXIA will convey accurate information to the public and to specific audiences during a crisis situation. AXIA will show your business how to put communication first and mitigate negative outcomes that can be detrimental to your company’s success.
Unfortunately, crises also come in the form of natural disasters. More than 60 percent of businesses confronted by a major disaster close within two years, according to the Association of Records Managers and Administrators. Companies that aren’t able to resume operations within 10 days of a disaster are not likely to survive, according to “Blindsided: A Manager’s Guide to Catastrophic Incidents in the Workplace.” AXIA is available to manage crises that involve natural disasters, whether they be hurricanes that strike Florida’s coast or tornadoes that ravage small towns in the Midwest.
Remember, every $1 spent in crisis planning saves $7 during a crisis, according to the Washington Military Department’s Emergency Management Division. Don’t let your company fall victim to poor planning. Let AXIA be your crisis communications adviser.
