Even companies as large and established as Network Rail demonstrated last week how not to handle a crisis in the media.
Due to errors by project managers and contractors, engineering works on one of the UK’s busiest lines over the Christmas period were not completed on time, leaving 150,000 passengers affected and Network Rail facing millions of pounds in fines.
The disruption, which opened up the company to massive criticism from the public, the media and even the government, was then exacerbated as inflation-busting fare rises were also announced.
To then make matters worse, even though services had been cancelled, the public and authorities were not informed until the last minute. Even the train line’s main operator, Virgin Trains, was only given a few hours to cancel almost all of their services. This led an infuriated Tony Collins, Chief Executive of Virgin Trains to tell the press how “this has been a fiasco and our customers expect and deserve better.”
What did this mean for Network Rail? Despite the fact that the delays were out of their control and the price rises had been planned for months in advance, the fact that two major announcements, both of them negative, coincided on the same day and were then badly managed meant the bad press and harmful publicity was far more intense and damaging.
If a company with a dedicated Media Centre and supposedly battle-tested PR department can make such mistakes and cause significant damage to their company’s reputation, then ask yourself how your business would have coped in a similar crisis.
Would you know how to talk to the press under pressure? Have you developed your key crisis messages? Would you know how to act to portray a company that is in control rather than in chaos? Important questions for any organisation.
Luckily, Media Mentor can help. Our advanced crisis course gives key spokespeople the ability to handle aggressive questioning by journalists, and to emerge with your reputation intact.
We will look at:
• The dynamics of a critical media training campaign
• Handling media enquiries before the interview/press conference
• Developing vital key messages
• Performing confidently and calmly in the face of probing, persistent and critical questioning in person, on radio, television and during press conferences.
Media Mentor works with delegates in developing a detailed and structured crisis management plan and gives precise advice on crisis handling.
Media Mentor says: “Don’t leave it to chance. Crisis management needs a combination of great analytical skills, attention to detail, and above all else, a solid crisis management plan. These key elements are our priorities at Media Mentor.”
February 16th, 2010 at 7:12 pm
As a country we produce very little and import a great deal. The government prints money and borrows and borrows. The pound collapses (the worst is yet to come). Inflation is inevitable and the only way the government, who borrow in