No matter how organised you are, at some point things will go wrong. It’s not about what’s happened, it’s how you deal with it that counts. Communication is key – whether the incident is a problem with the computer system or a product withdrawal.

Managing incidents - the golden rules   

1. Take control.  Don't ignore or postpone dealing with problems, instead make positive decisions and take action promptly.

2. By being open and volunteering information you will inspire trust.  'No comment' only suggests you have something to hide.

3. Brief staff to reassure them about what's happening and enable them to handle enquiries from customers and journalists.  Don't leave them till last.

4. Brief customers, don't leave them to guess, or draw their own conclusions.

5. Brief the media about major incidents. Consider a press conference where you can share information quickly and consistently.

6. Turn negative questions into positive statements.

7. Memorise, rather than read the information you need to get across.

8. Don't rely on your own systems to communicate - they may be affected by the incident. Have a look at how the Ministry of Defence rely on Rapide.

9. Don't just push information out. Invite customers or staff to call a central number to listen to updates; relieving pressure on your website, intranet or phone system.

10. Use communication systems like text which will reach staff whevever they are.

On 7th July 2005 we were still able to deliver essential messages for our customers. We played an active part in accounting for staff and sending instructions while London's entire transport system was crippled and the mobile network under strain.

Ministry of Defence crisis management powered by Rapide

Mobile phones are a vital part of communication in the Ministry of Defence. Incidents vary in scale and frequency making regular testing  very important.

The Nuclear Accident Response Organisation (NARO) rely on texts sent through Rapide to recall specialist teams in the event of a nuclear accident onboard a Royal Navy submarine.  Fortunately incidents are very rare and the training exercises used to test the system across many of the UK’s main naval dockyards and ports have achieved 100% success record.

Read more case studies about incident management for the Environment Agency’s Floodline, Central Trains and Transas.

Interested? Call us to see how it could work in your business on 024 7601 1911


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